From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

Genco v. Genco

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, New York.
Jan 14, 2015
124 A.D.3d 580 (N.Y. App. Div. 2015)

Opinion

2013-08261, Index No. 15592/12.

01-14-2015

Danielle GENCO, plaintiff, v. Phyllis GENCO, et al., respondents, Anthony A. Caronna, nonparty-appellant.

Nichole E. Lee, P.C., Staten Island, N.Y. for nonparty-appellant.


Nichole E. Lee, P.C., Staten Island, N.Y. for nonparty-appellant.

Opinion In an action to impose a constructive trust on certain property, nonparty Anthony A. Caronna appeals, as limited by his brief, from so much of an order of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Thomas, J.), dated April 25, 2013, as granted that branch of the defendants' motion which was for the imposition of sanctions pursuant to 22 NYCRR 130–1.1 and directed him to pay sanctions in the sum of $5,000.

ORDERED that the order is reversed insofar as appealed from, on the facts and in the exercise of discretion, with costs, and that branch of the defendants' motion which was for the imposition of sanctions is denied.

Pursuant to 22 NYCRR 130–1.1, sanctions may be imposed against a party or the party's attorney for frivolous conduct. “Conduct during litigation, including on an appeal, is frivolous and subject to sanction and/or the award of costs when it is completely without merit in law or fact and cannot be supported by a reasonable argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law; it is undertaken primarily to delay or prolong the resolution of the litigation, or to harass or maliciously injure another; or it asserts material factual statements that are false” (Mascia v. Maresco, 39 A.D.3d 504, 505, 833 N.Y.S.2d 207 ; see 22 NYCRR 130–1.1 ; Keyspan Generation, LLC v. Nassau County, 118 A.D.3d 949, 954, 991 N.Y.S.2d 46 ). Under the facts of this case, the appellant's conduct was not frivolous. Accordingly, the Supreme Court improvidently exercised its discretion in granting that branch of the defendants' motion which was for the imposition of sanctions pursuant to 22 NYCRR 130–1.1 and directing the appellant to pay sanctions in the sum of $5,000 (see Muro–Light v. Farley, 95 A.D.3d 846, 848, 944 N.Y.S.2d 571 ).In light of our determination, we need not consider the appellant's remaining contention.

RIVERA, J.P., SKELOS, DICKERSON and BARROS, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Genco v. Genco

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, New York.
Jan 14, 2015
124 A.D.3d 580 (N.Y. App. Div. 2015)
Case details for

Genco v. Genco

Case Details

Full title:Danielle GENCO, plaintiff, v. Phyllis GENCO, et al., respondents, Anthony…

Court:Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, New York.

Date published: Jan 14, 2015

Citations

124 A.D.3d 580 (N.Y. App. Div. 2015)
997 N.Y.S.2d 919
2015 N.Y. Slip Op. 332

Citing Cases

Synagogue v. Katzoff (In re Congregation Ahavas Moische, Inc.)

ORDERED that the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from, with costs.Pursuant to 22 NYCRR 130–1.1,…

Reynolds v. Reynolds (In re Salvatore L. Olivieri Irrevocable Trust Dated 9/29/1994)

The Surrogate's Court improvidently exercised its discretion in granting the petitioner's motion pursuant to…