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Johnson v. Berger

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Mar 11, 1991
171 A.D.2d 728 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)

Summary

In Johnson v Berger (171 AD2d 728, 729 [2d Dept 1991]), the Court held that the lower court erred in directing a joint trial of a legal malpractice action and an action by one of the defendants against his professional liability insurance agent.

Summary of this case from Gateway II LLC v. Hartford Fire Ins. Co.

Opinion

March 11, 1991

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Queens County (Joy, J.).


Ordered that the order is reversed insofar as appealed from, on the law, with costs, and that branch of the motion of the plaintiffs in Action No. 3 which was for a joint trial of Action Nos. 1 and 3 is denied.

The Supreme Court erred in directing a joint trial of Action No. 1, a legal malpractice action, and Action No. 3, a negligence action brought by one of the defendants in Action No. 1 against his professional liability insurance agent, for the purpose of trial, as those actions do not involve common questions of law or fact (see, CPLR 602 [a]). Moreover, a joint trial of those actions could result in substantial prejudice (see, Marx v Minasi, 43 A.D.2d 943; Schwartz v Woodner Co., 40 A.D.2d 1027). Thus, reversal is warranted. Bracken, J.P., Brown, O'Brien and Ritter, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Johnson v. Berger

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Mar 11, 1991
171 A.D.2d 728 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)

In Johnson v Berger (171 AD2d 728, 729 [2d Dept 1991]), the Court held that the lower court erred in directing a joint trial of a legal malpractice action and an action by one of the defendants against his professional liability insurance agent.

Summary of this case from Gateway II LLC v. Hartford Fire Ins. Co.
Case details for

Johnson v. Berger

Case Details

Full title:JAMES P. JOHNSON III et al., Plaintiffs, v. MURRAY BERGER et al.…

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

Date published: Mar 11, 1991

Citations

171 A.D.2d 728 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)

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