Blogs

EDNY Blog

Current Developments in the US District Court for the
Eastern District of New York
Posted: November 27, 2018

Schlam Stone Announces the Launch of the Same-Day Justice Program

Schlam Stone & Dolan LLP is pleased to announce the launch of the Same-Day Justice Program, an arbitration service where participants can participate in an evidentiary hearing and receive a decision in their case that same day. The Same-Day Justice Program is designed to give parties with disputes in the $50,000-$500,000 range an efficient and affordable solution for resolution of...

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Posted in EDNY, Arbitation, Mediation and Other ADR
Posted: November 5, 2018

Judge Korman Holds that the “Foreign Country” and “Intentional Torts” Exceptions to the FTCA Barred Claims by Estate of Panamanian Woman Murdered by U.S. Servicemember

Posted by Solomon N. Klein, Litigation Partner District Judge Edward R. Korman dismissed an action against the U.S. by the estate and family of a Panamanian woman murdered by a U.S. servicemember in Panama. Rogelio Rodriguez, et al. v. Omar Velez-Pagan, et al. , 17-cv-3911 (E.D.N.Y. Oct. 26, 2018) (ERK) (SJB). The civil case arose from a “brutal murder” by...

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Posted in Federal Tort Claims Act, Negligence, Sovereign Immunity
Posted: September 4, 2018

Recent Rulings By Judges Johnson And Feuerstein Highlight The Jurisdictional Pitfalls When Removing Personal Injury Cases Based On Diversity

Posted by Solomon N. Klein, Litigation Partner Two rulings on the same day by District Judges Sterling Johnson and Sandra J. Feuerstein highlight the jurisdictional difficulties that can arise when removing personal injury cases to federal court on diversity grounds. Rita Alvarado v. New England Motor Freight, Inc. et al., 18 CV 2027 (E.D.N.Y. Aug. 24, 2018) (SJ) (RML). Mekhi...

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Posted in EDNY, Jurisdiction, Removal/Remand
Posted: August 15, 2018

Judge Cogan Denies Motion To Dismiss Discrimination Action, Finding That Plaintiffs’ EEOC Complaint Satisfied Exhaustion Requirements Even Where Lawsuit Expanded On Allegations

Posted by Solomon N. Klein, Litigation Partner District Judge Brian M. Cogan denied a motion to dismiss where defendant argued that plaintiff failed to exhaust his administrative remedies before filing his lawsuit. Anderson v. Alclear, LLC, 18-cv-1525 (E.D.N.Y. Aug. 10, 2018) (BMC) (RML). (Interestingly, the Court ruled directly on defendant’s pre-motion conference letter, deeming the pre-motion conference letter to constitute...

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Posted in EDNY, Motion to Dismiss; Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
Posted: June 25, 2018

Judge Brodie Denies Criminal Defendant’s Motion To Require Government To Apply Forfeited Funds To Reduce Restitution Amount

Posted by Solomon N. Klein, Litigation Partner District Judge Margo K. Brodie rejected a defendant’s request to require the government to apply the amount of forfeited funds as a credit to his restitution obligation. United States v. Pratt, 17-cr-00262 (E.D.N.Y. June 11, 2018) (MKB). The defendant is a former postal employee who pled guilty to stealing approximately $30,000 in USPS...

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Posted in EDNY, Forfeiture, Sentencing
Posted: June 7, 2018

Judge Feuerstein Grants Motion To Dismiss Where Plaintiffs Failed To Take Timely Steps To Identify Jane Doe Defendant

Posted by Solomon N. Klein, Litigation Partner District Judge Sandra J. Feuerstein dismissed an action against a Jane Doe defendant after finding that plaintiffs failed to take reasonable steps to discover the identity of the Jane Doe defendant. The Court held that “while courts ‘typically resist dismissing suits against John Doe defendants until the plaintiff has had some opportunity for...

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Posted in EDNY, Civil Rights, Motion to Dismiss; Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
Posted: May 11, 2018

Judge Hurley Continues Sua Sponte Dismissals Of Cases Involving LLCs That Fail To Properly Plead Diversity Jurisdiction

Posted by Solomon N. Klein, Litigation Partner We previously wrote about District Judge Denis R. Hurley’s sua sponte dismissal of cases involving LLCs that fail to properly plead diversity jurisdiction. Judge Hurley has recently dismissed yet another case involving an LLC for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Encompass Group, LLC v. Oceanside Inst’l Indus., Inc., 16-cv-2560 (E.D.N.Y May 3, 2018)...

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Posted in EDNY, Jurisdiction
Posted: May 10, 2018

Judge Garaufis denies insurer’s motion to dismiss in lawsuit involving “ordinary traffic accident with an international twist”

Posted by Solomon N. Klein, Litigation Partner District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis denied an insurer’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought directly by a plaintiff against the insurer of a vehicle that belonged to the Principality of Monaco. The Court ruled that the lawsuit was proper under the Diplomatic Relations Act of 1978, despite the fact that plaintiffs typically may...

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Posted in Insurance, Motion to Dismiss; Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings, Sovereign Immunity
Posted: April 17, 2018

Judge Hurley Sua Sponte Dismisses Two Cases Involving LLCs For Failure to Allege Diversity Jurisdiction

Posted by Solomon N. Klein, Litigation Partner District Judge Denis R. Hurley sua sponte dismissed two cases in as many days where plaintiffs failed to properly allege diversity jurisdiction in cases involving LLCs. Courtyard Apartments Property 1, LLC, v. Rosenblum, 17-cv-2909 (E.D.N.Y April 3, 2018) (DRH) (SIL); Sienna Ventures, LLC v. Halley Equipment Leasing, LLC, 18-cv-201 (E.D.N.Y April 2, 2018)...

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Posted in Jurisdiction
Posted: April 11, 2018

Judge Garaufis Denies Motion to Dismiss and Holds that Taiwan is Not bound to Warsaw Convention despite China’s Accession to the Treaty

Posted by Solomon N. Klein, Litigation Partner In a case of first impression in the Second Circuit, District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis held that China’s agreement to join the Warsaw Convention does not apply to a dispute involving spoiled cherries shipped from Chile to Taiwan. Allianz Global Risks US Ins. Co. v. Latam Cargo USA, LLC, et al., (E.D.N.Y Mar....

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Posted in EDNY, Jurisdiction, Motion to Dismiss; Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings