Opinion
2014-06-26
LUPE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, LLC, et al., Plaintiffs–Appellants–Respondents, v. PACIFIC FLATS I, LLC, et al., Defendants, Penny Drue Baird, Nonparty Respondent–Appellant.
The Scher Law Firm, LLP, Carle Place (Austin Graff of counsel), for appellants-respondents. Zuckerman Gore Brandeis & Crossman, LLP, New York (Frank C. Welzer of counsel), for respondent-appellant.
The Scher Law Firm, LLP, Carle Place (Austin Graff of counsel), for appellants-respondents. Zuckerman Gore Brandeis & Crossman, LLP, New York (Frank C. Welzer of counsel), for respondent-appellant.
Orders, Supreme Court, New York County (Debra A. James, J.), entered August 14, 2013, which, to the extent appealed from, granted nonparty Baird's motion to quash three subpoenas duces tecum, denied plaintiffs' cross motion to compel compliance with the subpoenas, and denied Baird's motion to disqualify the Scher Law Firm as plaintiffs' attorneys, unanimously affirmed, with costs.
Baird established that the materials sought by plaintiff judgment creditors from her and the two mortgage lenders on her individually owned properties are “utterly irrelevant to any proper inquiry” ( Velez v. Hunts Point Multi–Serv. Ctr., Inc., 29 A.D.3d 104, 112, 811 N.Y.S.2d 5 [1st Dept.2006] ). Beyond seeking information relevant to the judgment debtors' assets, the subpoenas improperly sought examination of the individual assets of Baird, who is not a judgment debtor ( see Rossini v. Republic of Argentina, 453 Fed.Appx. 22 [2d Cir.2011]; CPLR 5223). In addition, the subpoenas sought material relating to assets that Baird acquired significantly before the transaction that gave rise to the underlying action ( see e.g. Robbins v. National Dev. Corp., 100 A.D.2d 619, 473 N.Y.S.2d 351 [2d Dept.1984], appeal dismissed62 N.Y.2d 940, 479 N.Y.S.2d 215, 468 N.E.2d 53 [1984] ).
Plaintiffs' failed to substantiate their allegations of judicial bias by “point[ing] to an actual ruling which demonstrates bias” (Yannitelli v. Yannitelli & Sons Constr. Corp., 247 A.D.2d 271, 668 N.Y.S.2d 613 [1st Dept.1998] [internal quotation marks omitted], lv. denied92 N.Y.2d 875, 677 N.Y.S.2d 777, 700 N.E.2d 317 [1998] ).
Baird, who is not a party to this action, failed to show an attorney-client relationship between herself and the law firm ( see Pellegrino v. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., 49 A.D.3d 94, 99, 851 N.Y.S.2d 19 [1st Dept.2008] ). She failed to show that the firm's attorneys violated ethical rules of conduct ( see e.g. Matter of Beiny [Weinberg], 129 A.D.2d 126, 141, 517 N.Y.S.2d 474 [1st Dept.1987], lv. dismissed71 N.Y.2d 994, 529 N.Y.S.2d 277, 524 N.E.2d 879 [1988] ). She failed to establish that the testimony of any of the attorneys was necessary ( see Campbell v. McKeon, 75 A.D.3d 479, 481, 905 N.Y.S.2d 589 [1st Dept.2010] ).
We have considered the parties' remaining arguments for affirmative relief and find them unavailing. MAZZARELLI, J.P., ACOSTA, FREEDMAN, RICHTER, CLARK, JJ., concur.