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McElroy v. Kitchen

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Oct 2, 1998
254 A.D.2d 828 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)

Opinion

October 2, 1998

Appeal from Order of Supreme Court, Erie County, Kane, J. — Dismiss Pleading.)

Present — Green, J. P., Lawton, Callahan, Balio and Fallon, JJ.


Order unanimously affirmed without costs. Memorandum: Supreme Court properly granted the motion of third-party defendants to dismiss the third-party complaint seeking contribution and indemnification. We affirm that portion of the order for reasons stated in the decision at Supreme Court (Kane, J.).

The court also properly denied the motion of defendants to disqualify plaintiffs' attorney and his law firm from further representation of plaintiffs in this legal malpractice action. The fact that an attorney is in a position to provide relevant testimony regarding the merits and value of the underlying action does not warrant disqualification. Defendants failed to establish that the attorney was a necessary witness ( see, S S Hotel Ventures Ltd. Partnership v. 777 S. H. Corp., 69 N.Y.2d 437, 445-446) and that his testimony would prejudice plaintiffs' case ( see, Transcontinental Constr. Servs. v. McDonough, Marcus, Cohn Tretter, 216 A.D.2d 19; Balboaa Land Dev. v. Morris, 201 A.D.2d 850, 851-852).


Summaries of

McElroy v. Kitchen

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Oct 2, 1998
254 A.D.2d 828 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
Case details for

McElroy v. Kitchen

Case Details

Full title:AL McELROY et al., Respondents, v. DENIS A. KITCHEN, JR., et al.…

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

Date published: Oct 2, 1998

Citations

254 A.D.2d 828 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
677 N.Y.S.2d 835

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