Opinion
271 CA 19-02363
03-26-2021
Onnalee F. LANDERS, Individually and as Executor of the Estate of Francis J. Landers, Deceased, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. HOWELL MOTORS, INC. and Michael J. Landers, Defendants-Appellants.
HODGSON RUSS LLP, BUFFALO (GARRY M. GRABER OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS. MUSCATO, DIMILLO & VONA, LLP, LOCKPORT (GEORGE V.C. MUSCATO OF COUNSEL), FOR PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT.
HODGSON RUSS LLP, BUFFALO (GARRY M. GRABER OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS.
MUSCATO, DIMILLO & VONA, LLP, LOCKPORT (GEORGE V.C. MUSCATO OF COUNSEL), FOR PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT.
PRESENT: PERADOTTO, J.P., CARNI, NEMOYER, TROUTMAN, AND WINSLOW, JJ.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
It is hereby ORDERED that the order so appealed from is unanimously affirmed without costs.
Memorandum: In this litigation arising from a dispute over the ownership of a motor vehicle, defendants appeal from an order denying their motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. We affirm. Ownership of a vehicle passes "when the parties intend that it pass" ( Abele Tractor & Equip. Co., Inc. v. Schaeffer , 188 A.D.3d 1500, 1502, 137 N.Y.S.3d 174 [3d Dept. 2020] [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Cunningham v. Ford , 20 A.D.3d 897, 897-898, 798 N.Y.S.2d 281 [4th Dept. 2005] ), and defendants’ own evidentiary submissions created an issue of fact whether defendant Howell Motors, Inc., intended to transfer ownership of the subject vehicle to plaintiff's decedent prior to his death (see generally Abele Tractor & Equip. Co., Inc. , 188 A.D.3d at 1503, 137 N.Y.S.3d 174 ; Portillo v. Carlson , 167 A.D.3d 792, 793, 89 N.Y.S.3d 270 [2d Dept. 2018] ; Duger v. Estate of Carey , 307 A.D.2d 675, 676, 763 N.Y.S.2d 172 [3d Dept. 2003] ).