Interesting article from Lowenstein Sandler about the interplay between the freedom to contract and the public policy considerations in setting statute of limitation accrual dates, and whether New York is losing out to Deleware as the better place to do business.
Articles Posted in Litigation
Court Sends Question of Arbitrability to Arbitrators
“Questions of arbitrability” cover the scope of a dispute and address whether “parties are bound by a given arbitration clause,” and if an agreement to arbitrate “applies to a particular controversy.” The question of whether a matter is required to be arbitrated or whether a party is obligated to arbitrate…
Court Modifies Arbitration Agreement Striking Unconscionable Provisions
We have discussed cases where the costs of arbitrating a dispute were so prohibitive that the First Department voided the arbitration agreement. In a recent Federal decision out of Texas, a court modified an arbitration agreement’s cost and venue provisions, relieving a party from some of the costs she would…
W-9 Form Not Required to Enforce Settlement Agreement
Two years after commencing a personal injury accident, plaintiff settled. After counter executing the settlement documents, plaintiff’s counsel returned them to defendant’s counsel with a blank form W-9 for the payee’s information. The W-9 was never returned. When the settlement payment was not paid in 21 days, under CPLR 5003-a,…
Fiduciary Relationship Supporting Constructive Trust Claim Not Undermined by Unclean Hands
Plaintiff borrowed more than a million dollars from defendant, in addition to using his funds, to form an LLC with which to buy a property. The LLC was in defendant’s name, however, pending plaintiff’s ability to obtain credit to hold the property on his own. When the time came for…
Party Waives Appellate Review of Arbitration Award
In a recent case, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal based on the parties’ waiver of any right to an appeal. A doctor that at one point was associated with Beckley Oncology Associates (“BOA”) filed an arbitration against BOA claiming that he was…
A “Reasonable Offer” Can Be Sufficiently Definite to Enforce an Agreement
An LLC member promised to accept “any terms” for the sale of the parties’ entity if another member would pay certain of his personal debts. That member would later renege and agree to a different deal from a second buyer. When that member also refused the terms of the LLC…
Property Owner Liable for Tenant’s Trademark Infringement
Defendant owned a property that was long alleged to house individuals selling counterfeit goods. Watchmaker Omega bought two counterfeit watches from a retailer at the same location and commenced a lawsuit against the property owner for contributory trademark infringement. Surviving a motion to dismiss by the property owner, the case…
Shortened Statute of Limitations Period Rejected Where Accrual Date and Circumstances Unknown
Nastasi & Associates, Inc., was a subcontractor for Turner Construction Corp. Payment to Nastasi was conditioned on Turner being paid by the owner. Turner had the right to terminate the parties’ agreement by written notice, with any payments due to Nastasi, again, conditioned on Turner being paid. The agreement also…
Bank Not Required to Ascertain Claims of Authority to Borrow Money on Behalf of an Entity
Although not a new issue, we discuss it because it comes up from time to time. What obligation does a lender have to verify documents used by a corporate entity to establish that the individual borrowing the money has the corporate authority to do so? In short, very little (assuming…