Terrigino v. Zaleski

144 Misc. 2d 474, 544 N.Y.S.2d 283, 1989 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 400
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJune 28, 1989
StatusPublished

This text of 144 Misc. 2d 474 (Terrigino v. Zaleski) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Terrigino v. Zaleski, 144 Misc. 2d 474, 544 N.Y.S.2d 283, 1989 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 400 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1989).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Raymond E. Cornelius, J.

During the early evening of June 14, 1985, one of the plaintiffs, Alice Terrigino, was operating a vehicle in the left, westbound lane of a four-lane highway in the City of Rochester, known as Lakeshore Boulevard. The driver’s son, Christopher Terrigino, as well as her mother, Antoinette Indovino, both of whom are also plaintiffs, were passengers in the vehicle. Another automobile, owned and operated by the defendant, Kenne Zaleski, was proceeding eastbound on the same roadway, crossed over the center line, and collided with the vehicle being operated by Alice Terrigino, allegedly causing serious injuries to one or more of the occupants thereof. Multiple actions were commenced, as a result of the collision, against various parties, which have heretofore been consolidated into one action.

There is evidence that the defendant, Kenne Zaleski, drank [476]*476a number of cans of beer prior to the accident, and he has entered a plea of guilty to driving an automobile while his abilities were impaired, in violation of section 1192 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York. In addition, he has admitted that immediately prior to the accident, he had been gathered with a number of other young people at Charlotte Beach on Lake Ontario, and smoked marihuana.1 The causes of action against one of the codefendants, Robert Henning, is based upon General Obligations Law § 11-103 and also common-law negligence. In essence, plaintiffs contend that Robert Henning was the individual who supplied the marihuana to Kenne Zaleski, thereby causing or contributing to the latter’s impairment.2 The defendant, Robert Henning, has now made a motion, pursuant to CPLR 3212, for an order directing the entry of summary judgment. For purposes of this motion, there is no evidence that this defendant supplied any of the beer, which was consumed, or received any remuneration for supplying the marihuana.

First, in regard to the claim under section 11-103 of the General Obligations Law, this statute, insofar as relevant, provides as follows:

"§ 11-103. Compensation for injury caused by the illegal sale of controlled substances

"1. (a) Any person who is injured in person, property, means of support or otherwise by a person whose abilities are impaired by the use of a controlled substance, or by reason of such person’s impairment, shall have a right of action against any person who caused or contributed to such impairment by unlawfully selling to or unlawfully assisting in procuring a controlled substance for such person.

"(b) In any such action, the injured person shall have a right to recover actual and exemplary damages.”

The term "controlled substance” is defined in the Public Health Law, and would include marihuana. (See, Public Health Law § 3302 [6], [20]; § 3306, Schedule I [d] [21].) Section 11-103 is one of three companion sections of the General [477]*477Obligations Law, all of which impose liability upon a person for providing certain substances to another individual, who, in essence, commits acts resulting in damages to a third person. Whereas section 11-103 relates to acts by a person, whose abilities are impaired by the use of a controlled substance, or by reason of such person’s impairment, sections 11-100 and 11-101 pertain to acts committed by a person who has consumed alcoholic beverages. Specifically, section 11-101 applies to injuries caused by any intoxicated person, or by reason of the intoxication of any person, and section 11-100 to injuries caused by a person under the age of 21 by reason of intoxication or impairment of ability.

All three sections provide an injured party with a cause of action, under certain circumstances, against a person who provides the substance, whether it be a controlled substance or alcoholic beverages. Although the language is similar in many respects, there are significant differences between the three sections. Thus, for example, a cause of action under section 11-100 (1) requires that a defendant, in order to be held liable, must "knowingly” cause intoxication or impairment of ability and, further, have "knowledge or reasonable cause to believe” that the individual, to whom alcoholic beverages were provided, was under 21 years of age. By comparison, sections 11-101 (1) and 11-103 (1) (a) merely require that the person, to be held liable, must have "caused or contributed” to the condition, which is responsible for the injuries. In addition, however, each of the sections requires that the substance be "unlawfully” provided in some form. Insofar as applicable to prohibited sales of alcoholic beverages in 1985, the term "unlawfully” would include sale to "[a]ny intoxicated person or to any person, actually or apparently under the influence of liquor”. (Alcoholic Beverage Control Law §65 [2].) In 1986, this section was amended and the term "unlawfully” clarified to prohibit sale of alcoholic beverages to "[a]ny visibly intoxicated person”.

Perhaps a more significant distinction between the above three sections relates to the means of providing the substance. Liability under section 11-100 (1) results "by unlawfully furnishing to or unlawfully assisting in procuring” alcoholic beverages for a person under 21 years of age. In contrast, liability under section 11-101 (1) may be premised only upon "unlawfully] selling * * * or unlawfully assisting in procuring liquor”. This latter section, which is sometimes referred to as the "Dram Shop Act”, has been interpreted as applicable [478]*478only to commercial sales of alcohol. (D’Amico v Christie, 71 NY2d 76 [1987].) Thus, one who merely provides alcoholic beverages, without remuneration or profit, could not be held liable under the Dram Shop Act. (See, e.g., Huyler v Rose, 88 AD2d 755 [4th Dept 1982]; Gabrielle v Craft, 75 AD2d 939 [3d Dept 1980].)

The operative language of section 11-103 (1) (a) is the same as section 11-101, and grants a right of action against any person, who has caused or contributed to the impairment of another "by unlawfully selling to or unlawfully assisting in procuring a controlled substance for such person” (emphasis added) who, in turn, has caused injury to a claimant. Accordingly, counsel for the defendant cites the decision in D’Amico v Christie (supra) in support of his motion for summary judgment. However, applying the same analysis used in that decision, this court has concluded that a different result is mandated in the pending case.

The Court of Appeals, in D’Amico v Christie (supra), in essence, based its ruling upon the legislative intent in enacting section 11-101, and the lack of any amendment at the time section 11-100 was enacted in 1983. Emphasis was placed upon the fact that the very title of the statute refers to " 'the illegal sale of intoxicating liquor’ ”, and the body of the statute imposes liability based upon rr 'unlawfully selling’ ” alcohol. (Supra, at 84.) The interpretation, placed upon the statute, upheld a long series of lower court decisions. Indeed, in cases such as Matalavage v Sadler (77 AD2d 39 [2d Dept 1980]), which contains an excellent history of the Dram Shop Act, it was noted that in order to determine whether or not there was an unlawful sale of liquor, this statute has to be read in conjunction with section 65 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.

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Bluebook (online)
144 Misc. 2d 474, 544 N.Y.S.2d 283, 1989 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 400, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/terrigino-v-zaleski-nysupct-1989.