This is the decision that so many have been waiting for. In a historic ruling in Zarda v Altitude Express, the Second Circuit today overruled its' prior precedent in Simonton v. Runyon, and held that sexual orientation discrimination is discrimination because of sex that finds protection under Title VII. The comprehensive opinion the majority of the Second …
Court of Appeals: Indenture Trustee Can Bring Third Party Actions to Recover for Fraudulent Redemption of Assets Rendering Debtor Insolvent
Financial fraud is complex. The schemes cooked up by fraudsters are intricate, and the financial maneuvers used are often difficult to follow. The fraud alleged in Cortlandt Street Recovery Corp. v Bonderman (No. 14) is no different. Breaking it down to the extent I can, a number of private equity investors were interested in acquiring …
Plurality of Court of Appeals Holds Party Barred from Asserting a Federal Compulsory Counterclaim in a Subsequent State Court Suit
A case about movie investments is the latest that has closely divided the Court of Appeals. Actually, the issue before the Court had absolutely nothing to do with the movie or the lost investment. Instead, it’s the kind of issue that sparks interest in the community of appellate lawyers who look at how the courts …
Second Department Joins the Third Department in Applying the Child of the Marriage Presumption to Same Sex Spouses
It was only a few weeks ago that the Third Department held, for the first time in New York, that a married same sex couple is entitled to the presumption that a child born during their marriage is a child of the marriage. Now, the Second Department has agreed. In Matter of Joseph O. v …
Court of Appeals: Private Facebook Posts are Discoverable Under Normal Discovery Rules
Like privacy wonks have always said, everything you do online will live on forever. In metadata, back up tapes, and the cloud. The same is true for what you say on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media platform. And although privacy settings can protect your content from the general public, limiting it to sharing …
New York DFS Lawsuit Update: Plaintiffs Seek Summary Judgment that DFS Law Violates New York’s Constitutional Ban on Gambling
Gambling is gambling is gambling, the plaintiffs argue. Whether it's wagering on horse racing at Saratoga, playing poker or roulette in one of New York's 4 new casinos, or playing daily fantasy sports at DraftKings or FanDuel, it's all prohibited by the New York Constitution's ban on gambling. The only difference is that the Legislature …
Third Department Extends Child of the Marriage Presumption to Same Sex Spouses for the First Time
A child is born to a married woman. Under New York law, the child is presumed to be a product of the woman's marriage. The presumption can be rebutted, of course, but in the beginning, the law assumes that the children of married spouses are legitimate. That makes sense. New York's policy is to keep …
Court of Appeals: Sorry, Judges. The State’s Contribution to Your Health Insurance is Not Part of Your Compensation
New York employees have pretty great health insurance options. Having left the State's employ and its health insurance to move to the private sector and non-collectively bargained health insurance, believe me, I know. Premiums are low. Coverage is high. And the State covers a substantial part of the cost. So too for New York's judges. …
Third Department Justices Disagree on Whether Student Accused of Sexual Assault Should Have Right to Cross-Examine Accuser
The Appellate Division, Third Department has decided a number of significant issues recently involving the State University of New York's disciplinary system in sexual assault cases. First, it was Matter of Haug v State Univ. of N.Y. at Potsdam, in which the Court annulled the expulsion of a student accused of sexual assault, finding that …
Court of Appeals Answers Second Circuit Certified Questions in World Trade Center Cleanup Suit Against Battery Park City Authority
After the 9/11 terrorist attack, first responders and volunteers spent weeks/months/years cleaning up the City from the debris and dust left after the World Trade Center towers fell. A few of the buildings that were cleaned up were owned by the Battery Park City Authority, a public benefit corporation created by the Legislature to spur …
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