Summary
finding that, under the terms of the lease in issue, former partners had been released from the partnership's liability thereon; the PILOT in the instant case contains no similar provision
Summary of this case from COUNTY OF OSWEGO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY v. FCAOpinion
December 16, 1997
Appeal from the Supreme Court, New York County (Leland DeGrasse, J.).
Since defendant partnership did not default on its rent until after both of the individual defendants involved in this appeal had already resigned from the firm, such defendants cannot be held liable for such rent, absent an agreement to the contrary ( see, C. E. Hooper, Inc. v. Perlberg, Monness, Williams Sidel, 72 A.D.2d 687, appeal dismissed 49 N.Y.2d 736; 59th Park Assocs. v. Inselbuch, 68 A.D.2d 838). Here, the lease upon which plaintiff relies provided that "[a]ny partner of Tenant who retires from the partnership and the estate of any deceased partner shall, upon such partner's retirement or death, be immediately released hereunder and under [the accompanying] guaranty as to any liability with respect to the period after such retirement or death, provided that at least eight (8) partners of Tenant remain liable hereunder and under the guaranty". We reject plaintiff's argument that because new partners had not signed the guarantee, the partnership had less than eight partners potentially liable thereunder at the time of defendants-respondents' withdrawals (Partnership Law § 28). We have considered plaintiff's other arguments and find them to be without merit.
Concur — Milonas, J. P., Rosenberger, Nardelli and Colabella, JJ.