From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

Elow v. Svenningsen

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jan 20, 2009
58 A.D.3d 674 (N.Y. App. Div. 2009)

Opinion


58 A.D.3d 674 873 N.Y.S.2d 319 Adela ELOW, respondent, v. Christine SVENNINGSEN, appellant, et al., defendant. 2009-00337 Supreme Court of New York, Second Department January 20, 2009

Kornstein Veisz Wexler & Pollard, LLP, New York, N.Y. (Ina R. Bort and Joel H. Rosner of counsel), for appellant.

Shamberg Marwell Davis & Hollis, P.C., Mount Kisco, N.Y. (John S. Marwell and Jennifer K. King of counsel), for respondent.

PETER B. SKELOS, J.P., FRED T. SANTUCCI, WILLIAM E. McCARTHY and THOMAS A. DICKERSON, JJ.

In an action, inter alia, to permanently enjoin the defendants from obstructing an easement, the defendant Christine Svenningsen appeals from so much of an order of the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Lefkowitz, J.), entered October 12, 2007, as denied those branches of her motion which were pursuant to CPLR 3211(a) to dismiss the first, second, third, and fifth causes of action of the complaint insofar as asserted against her.

ORDERED that the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from, with costs.

On a motion to dismiss pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(7), the complaint must be accorded a liberal construction, the facts as alleged therein must be accepted as true, and the plaintiff must be accorded the benefit of every favorable inference. The court's function on such a motion is to determine only whether the facts as alleged fit within any cognizable legal theory ( see Leon v. Martinez, 84 N.Y.2d 83, 87-88, 614 N.Y.S.2d 972, 638 N.E.2d 511; Guggenheimer v. Ginzburg, 43 N.Y.2d 268, 275, 401 N.Y.S.2d 182, 372 N.E.2d 17; [873 N.Y.S.2d 320] Uzzle v. Nunzie Court Homeowners Assn., 55 A.D.3d 723, 866 N.Y.S.2d 237; Cayuga Partners v. 150 Grand LLC, 305 A.D.2d 527, 759 N.Y.S.2d 347).

The complaint, construed liberally, sufficiently pleaded a cause of action to enjoin the obstruction of the plaintiff's easement ( see Sambrook v. Sierocki, 53 A.D.3d 817, 861 N.Y.S.2d 483; Lucas v. Kandis, 303 A.D.2d 649, 757 N.Y.S.2d 86; Hoeffner v. John F. Frank, Inc., 302 A.D.2d 428, 756 N.Y.S.2d 63; Papasmiris v. Katsos, 262 A.D.2d 619, 692 N.Y.S.2d 471; Vandoros v. Hatzimichalis, 131 A.D.2d 752, 517 N.Y.S.2d 51; Rahabi v. Morrison, 81 A.D.2d 434, 438, 440 N.Y.S.2d 941; Pagano v. Kramer, 25 A.D.2d 887, 270 N.Y.S.2d 517, aff'd 21 N.Y.2d 910, 289 N.Y.S.2d 626, 236 N.E.2d 858). Moreover, for purposes of a motion pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(7), the plaintiff sufficiently pleaded a cause of action for a permanent injunction, as there allegedly was a " violation of a right presently occurring, or threatened and imminent; that the plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law; that serious and irreparable injury will result if the injunction is not granted; and that the equities are balanced in the plaintiff's favor" (67A N.Y. Jur. 2d, Injunctions § 153; see Town of Liberty Volunteer Ambulance Corp. v. Catskill Regional Med. Ctr., 30 A.D.3d 739, 740, 816 N.Y.S.2d 246).

A party seeking to dismiss pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(1) on the ground that its defense is based on documentary evidence must submit documentary evidence that resolves all factual issues as a matter of law and conclusively disposes of the plaintiff's claim ( see Leon v. Martinez, 84 N.Y.2d at 88, 614 N.Y.S.2d 972, 638 N.E.2d 511; Uzzle v. Nunzie Court Homeowners Assn., 55 A.D.3d 723, 866 N.Y.S.2d 237; Martin v. New York Hosp. Med. Ctr. of Queens, 34 A.D.3d 650, 826 N.Y.S.2d 85; Nevin v. Laclede Professional Prods., 273 A.D.2d 453, 711 N.Y.S.2d 735). The documentary evidence submitted by the appellant in this case failed to resolve all factual issues and did not conclusively dispose of the plaintiff's claim.

The appellant's remaining contentions are without merit.


Summaries of

Elow v. Svenningsen

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jan 20, 2009
58 A.D.3d 674 (N.Y. App. Div. 2009)
Case details for

Elow v. Svenningsen

Case Details

Full title:ADELA ELOW, Respondent, v. CHRISTINE SVENNINGSEN, Appellant, et al.…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: Jan 20, 2009

Citations

58 A.D.3d 674 (N.Y. App. Div. 2009)
2009 N.Y. Slip Op. 337
873 N.Y.S.2d 319

Citing Cases

Rigwan v. Neus

The Supreme Court also properly granted that branch of the defendant's cross motion which was to dismiss the…

PJ Hanley's Corp. v. Esposito

Applicable Law A party seeking to dismiss pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(1) on the ground that its defense is based…