One of the ongoing goals of the New York State Office of Court Administration (“OCA”) is to periodically update and refine the jurisdictional criteria for the Commercial Division to ensure that it exclusively handles complex commercial matters. As part of this effort, OCA has proposed an important change aimed at establishing a monetary threshold for
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The NYSBA’s Efforts to Boost Legal Revenue and Business in New York
Here at New York Commercial Division Practice, we make a point of highlighting the advantages of practicing in the Commercial Division. For example, in Have Commercial Dispute, Will Travel (to New York) | New York Commercial Division Practice, we discussed the reasons why practitioners and their clients are (or should be) willing to travel…
The Proof Is in the Note: Commercial Division Holds a Heter Iska Is Not Outside Proof for Purposes of Summary Judgment in Lieu of Complaint
As many practitioners are aware, the litigation process in New York often feels like a tortoise race, with many cases taking years to resolve. Section 3213 of the CPLR (“Summary Judgment in Lieu of Complaint”) is a bit of an outlier in New York practice, as it provides a mechanism to streamline cases without bearing…
Good Cause or Gamesmanship: A Review of “Good Cause” in the Commercial Division
As my colleague, Matt Donovan, recently blogged, it is essential for litigants to “play[] nice in the litigation sandbox” or risk facing the ire of the Justices in the Commercial Division. Many litigants might think they are playing “nicely” by asserting “good cause” in their arguments. But what does it actually mean to have…
When the Clocks Are Turned Back, Women Litigators Step Forward: NYSBA ComFed Fall Event, “Taking the Lead 2024”
Having recently set our clocks back at the end of this year’s Daylight Savings Time, we here at New York Commercial Division Practice wanted to alert our readers to an upcoming, decidedly forward-looking NY Bar event. On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New…
The Cost of Withholding ESI: First Department Sets Limits on Non-Party Recovery of ESI Production Costs
Under CPLR §§ 3111 and 3122(d), “[t]he reasonable production expenses of a non-party witness shall be defrayed by the party seeking discovery.” The Commercial Division Rules at Appendix A (“Guidelines for the Discovery of ESI”) define “reasonable production expenses” to include:
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Think Outside the Jurisdiction: International Discovery is Obtainable with the Assistance of the Commercial Division
Every commercial litigator is familiar with the burdens at the discovery phase of litigation, whether it is a dispute over production, privilege, or just the sheer volume and cost (both time and money) associated. Be that as it may, discovery also serves a critical and necessary purpose in commercial litigation. Determining what to ask for and how…
Playing Nice in the Litigation Sandbox
I think it’s fair to say that Commercial Division judges have little time for discovery disputes. If one peruses the individual practice rules of many of the ComDiv judges, one typically finds language all but prohibiting discovery motions. And ComDiv Rule 14, which itself provides that “[d]iscovery disputes are preferred to be resolved through court…
Court Permits Expert Reports with Disclosure Gaps but Recognizes Limits on Trial Testimony
My colleague Matt Donovan recently wrote about the requirements of Commercial Division Rule 13(c) and highlighted certain decisions in which expert reports were precluded for non-compliance. This week’s post looks at a decision by newly-appointed Manhattan Commercial Division Justice Nancy M. Bannon, who denied a motion to preclude expert reports despite non-compliance with the…
A Deposition Wake Up Call: Commercial Division Strikes Pleading for Repeated Failure to Appear for a Deposition
As readers of this blog are aware, the most contentious battles during a lawsuit are fought during discovery. Among the various discovery battles is scheduling depositions. In many cases, parties tend to reschedule depositions, which typically drags out the length of a litigation. The worst decision a party can make is failing to appear for…