Summary
In Alavian, the Court dismissed the plaintiff's claim that the defendants tortiously interfered with the closing of sale of two cooperative apartments, stating that there was a closing, despite substantial delay, and therefore no breach of the contract, an essential element of a tortious interference claim.
Summary of this case from Hurley v. WatanabeOpinion
2012-12-11
Ahmad ALAVIAN, et al., Plaintiffs–Respondents, v. Ted ZANE, Defendant–Appellant, Arnold Ross, Defendant.
Ateshoglou & Aiello, P.C., New York (Steven D. Ateshoglou of counsel), for appellant. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., New York (Jeffrey R. Metz of counsel), for respondents.
Ateshoglou & Aiello, P.C., New York (Steven D. Ateshoglou of counsel), for appellant. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., New York (Jeffrey R. Metz of counsel), for respondents.
ANDRIAS, J.P., FRIEDMAN, DeGRASSE, MANZANET–DANIELS, GISCHE, JJ.
Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Milton A. Tingling, J.), entered March 5, 2012, which, insofar as appealed, denied defendant Ted Zane's cross-motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint against him, unanimously reversed, on the law, without costs, the cross-motion granted, and the complaint dismissed as against Zane.
Plaintiffs assert that, for a period of over four years, defendants deliberately interfered with the closing of executed contracts of sale of two cooperative apartments. It is undisputed, however, that the contracts satisfactorily closed in August 2011. Delay, even “substantial delay,” in the closing of a real estate transaction does not constitute breach of the contract of sale ( Ulysses I & Co. v. Feldstein, 75 A.D.3d 990, 992, 906 N.Y.S.2d 380 [3d Dept.], lv. dismissed in part, denied in part,15 N.Y.3d 944, 915 N.Y.S.2d 215, 940 N.E.2d 921 [2010] ). Accordingly, since there was no “actual breach” of the contracts of sale, plaintiffs may not maintain a claim for tortious interference with contract against Zane ( see NBT Bancorp Inc. v. Fleet/Norstar Fin. Group, Inc., 87 N.Y.2d 614, 620–21, 641 N.Y.S.2d 581, 664 N.E.2d 492 [1996];Ulysses, 75 A.D.3d at 991–92, 906 N.Y.S.2d 380).
We note that plaintiffs' only other claim against Zane, for injunctive relief in the form of an order preventing him from interference with the closing, was mooted by the fact that the closing has occurred.