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New York Civil Litigation Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Civil Litigation and Probate for New York on
Q: Hi I'm a bene of trust set up in 2016.Under disability.can I petition Surrogate CourtNY,pro se, to remove disability?

Under disability w/ad litem appointed, can I petition to be heard by judge, conference, or written statement, if my disability is minor (ADD) and I disagree with ad litem's actions and coercive requests for waiver liability. Spendthrift trust, cash poor,no homeowners insurance(!?!#), failure... View More

Jonathan R. Ratchik
Jonathan R. Ratchik
answered on Feb 17, 2023

Can you petition Surrogate's Court to terminate your guardianship? Yes. Under New York's Mental Hygiene Law § 81.35, the incapacitated person can commence a proceeding to remove his or her guardian. Will you be successful on your own? Unlikely. You'd be better off retaining... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation and Contracts for New York on
Q: Moving co. hostage situation: my property stored, abandoned & sent to dump/I was denied location info. Worth suing over?
Daniel Michael Luisi
Daniel Michael Luisi
answered on Feb 11, 2023

More information is needed. Can you produce any inventory for the property that was lost? Do you have a way to value these items? You need to have an attorney take a look at the contract and also run an investigative profile on the moving company. Only after doing doing this homework can you... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation for New York on
Q: My insurance company’s acv value is less then when I can replace my truck for

My truck was stolen and recovered 5 days later after being used in multiple strong arm robbery’s , I’m mentally unable to drive the truck knowing what has happened with it while stolen and am worried the insurance company’s acv will be less then what I owe /purchased for ,i would not be able... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Feb 9, 2023

Unfortunately, this has been common due to the recent spike in vehicle costs. Short of exploring whether there are cost-effective options with a civil litigation attorney, you could try presenting prevailing figures for similar make, model and year trucks in the downstate region. Good luck

1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law, Personal Injury and Civil Litigation for New York on
Q: A group of passengers & driver on a bus robbed me. Upon discovery, I left the bus. what legal course can i take?

on a greyhound bus going from nyc to raleigh, i had noticed odd behavior from a group of passengers. once I saw that this group was passing objects up the aisle like clockwork, i muttered under my breath 'theyre robbing people in plain sight'. the man, who was next to me, was involved in... View More

Jonathan R. Ratchik
Jonathan R. Ratchik
answered on Jan 31, 2023

Unless you can identify the passengers who robbed you, you do not have many options apart from reporting the matter to the police (which you did). With regard to legal action against Greyhound, the actions of the bus driver (assuming them to be true) clearly fall outside the scope of his... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation and Small Claims for New York on
Q: my x used to venmo me money to pay our bills now she is saying I owe her a lot more, I've been paying for what i used

will this stand up in court? i am paying her back for my bills but she is saying she venmo me 9000 dollars and i only used 3k which i am paying back because she helped me during the pandemic

Daniel Michael Luisi
Daniel Michael Luisi
answered on Jan 29, 2023

Whether you owe her in a "moral" sense, versus a "legal" sense in that the funds were a provable, enforceable loan obligation, depends on a review of the situation by an experienced New York contract litigation attorney. Feel free to contact an attorney of your choice to... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation for New York on
Q: I sued a home inspector in Madison County, NY and won. He then appealed but his appeal was denied.

What are the steps I need to take to get the judgment as he is not paying voluntarily. Thank you

Daniel Michael Luisi
Daniel Michael Luisi
answered on Jan 24, 2023

Your options are found under Article 52 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules, which contains most of the judgment enforcement devices in New York. The most common devices are bank levies and wage garnishments. These procedures involve you preparing paperwork called an "execution levy," and... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Business Law and Civil Litigation for New York on
Q: How can I get collectors to go after my ex business partner instead of me?

We ran a trucking business. I pit the vehicles in my name and he operated them. I didnt know he acquired 3k+ in tickets and toll in NY/NJ. I've paid some of them but I'm struggling financially, while still paying the insurance debt.

Daniel Michael Luisi
Daniel Michael Luisi
answered on Jan 17, 2023

You can sue him in small claims court for indemnification. This doesn’t release you from your obligation to repay the tickets, but if your suit is successful, you can seek a court order that your partner reimburse you for these charges. Of course this depends on your ability to bring proof of the... View More

3 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents and Civil Litigation for New York on
Q: My vehicle was totaled by a snow removal company. I have settled with my insurance company who charging back the snow

Removal company’s insurance. I had just paid off my vehicle when this incident happened.

Can a lawyer be able to recover the monies that I still have to pay out of pocket due to this incident?

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Jan 10, 2023

It could depend on what the out-of-pocket expenses are. If they were related to medical care or lost wages, no-fault would pick that up. In terms of other property damage-related expenses, it could depend on settlement terms. If you signed a release in consideration of monies received, the terms of... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Arbitration / Mediation Law, Civil Litigation and Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Kindly share ANY precedent of Civil Mediation ADR that have occurred via mail, instead of in-person.

Dear All,

In Ref: EF2021-0863, Tompkins County. In a complicated Civil Lawsuit of an Absentee Landlord against Rental Management Agency, and therefore its two vulnerable tenants, The Supreme Court has referred the case to Civil Mediation Court for ADR for settlement.

One of the... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Jan 12, 2023

Dear Bhuvan:

Good day. You did not mention your relation to the tenants, the litigation, and the property. But you are a defendant, united in interest with your co-tenant, also a defendant, you were represented by Legal Services counsel, your counsel was permitted to be relieved of the...
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1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law, Business Law and Civil Litigation for New York on
Q: Can a company unilaterally withhold 100% commission due from a 1099 employee?

I made a mistake on a spreadsheet which caused pricing to be off by a few percent. I submitted the pricing sheet to the company. The company uploaded into their system and then approved all Purchase Orders from customers with the mistaken pricing (I did not approve any PO's). The company is... View More

Michael David Siegel
Michael David Siegel
answered on Dec 27, 2022

It depends on your agreement, which it appears in itself might be hard to prove.

2 Answers | Asked in Consumer Law, Contracts, Civil Litigation and International Law for New York on
Q: Can I sue a storage comapny for losing my items, lying about it, and still charging me monthly fees while they knew?

I've had items in storage w/ a company in Canada since the pandemic. I asked them to ship them to NY home & have asked for months. I asked for a quote on multiple occasions, they gave me one but I couldn't afford it then. With the most recent they sent me an email saying they were... View More

Cesar Mejia Duenas
Cesar Mejia Duenas pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Dec 23, 2022

The answer will depend on the terms of the agreement. Moving or Storage Companies usually place a cap in the amount of their liability in case the items are lost. The agreements usually require the customer to secure insurance to cover any damages in excess of this cap.

If the value of the...
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1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law and Civil Litigation for New York on
Q: Which court in Brooklyn NY should I file a civil lawsuit against the credit bureau under the Fair Credit Reporting Act?

Case Information: The case should be brought under the US Code 1681(b) (I) & (n)

Daniel Michael Luisi
Daniel Michael Luisi
answered on Dec 18, 2022

The first thing you need to understand before considering a lawsuit against the credit bureaus is the administrative law concept of “exhaustion of remedies.” This essentially means that your case would be dismissed for lack of standing for failure to complete all internal appeals that the... View More

3 Answers | Asked in Civil Litigation, Contracts and Small Claims for New York on
Q: If you have gotten a judgement in small claims court and the contractor refuses to pay, do u have options
Giselle Ayala Mateus
Giselle Ayala Mateus
answered on Dec 9, 2022

Usually a judgment includes a time to comply. If the party who loses does not comply you will need to start an action to enforce the judgment. You may request an order to be paid from the contractor assets, like a bank account.

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2 Answers | Asked in Civil Litigation for New York on
Q: What happens if someone sues you after you move out of that state

People are treating to Sue my friend but she is moving out of state and no papers or any official word has been given to her

Daniel Michael Luisi
Daniel Michael Luisi
answered on Dec 5, 2022

There is a procedure for attempting to serve process in New York courts, sufficient to confer jurisdiction over the person whether or not they continue to physically reside in the state. Additionally, if your friend simply ignores the suit, most likely the Plaintiff will file its affidavit of... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Health Care Law, Consumer Law, Civil Litigation and Collections for New York on
Q: Hello - I got served with a summons and complaint for a medical bill that a hospital ended up suing me.

Hello - I got served with a summons and complaint for a medical bill that a hospital ended up suing me for not paying. I am not sure what the charge is for. I don’t know if I can call the hospital? Or the lawyers office that is suing me? I don’t know if the hospital sold my info to a... View More

Daniel Michael Luisi
Daniel Michael Luisi
answered on Dec 2, 2022

You need to demand verification of the debt, examine the accounting of the debt, and prepare and file your answer to the complaint, containing all of your defenses. Federal law also protects you from false or abusive medical debt collections under the FDCPA. By ignoring it, you risk a default... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Civil Litigation, Collections and Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Why would a court allow a notice of motion and the court schedule a date. if the Statue of Limitations has lapsed in NY?

Received a notice of motion about a breach of contract that occurred in 2011 in NY. in my mailbox. Not certified, no name, just return address saying that I need to appear? Sent back certified and to court (originals) an Affidavit to dismiss based on Statue Of Limitations. Still have a date.... View More

Daniel Michael Luisi
Daniel Michael Luisi
answered on Nov 29, 2022

If you don’t appear, a default judgment will be entered against you, regardless of the merits of the case. The judgment creditor could then proceed to levy your bank accounts and seek a turnover of the funds to the NYC Marshall to satisfy the judgment. The statute of limitations for rent arrears... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Civil Rights, Family Law and Civil Litigation for New York on
Q: Is there any way around the statue of limitation in a case of a civil lawsuit?

I want to proceed with a lawsuit against the fostercare agency which represented me during my youth for civil rights violations, financial fraud, as well as theft of services,& emotional psychological distress.

Peter Christopher Lomtevas
Peter Christopher Lomtevas pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Dec 11, 2022

A tort statute is typically three years, but that is not the issue. The issue is whether the asker has standing to sue as a plaintiff against a foster care apparatus that included a family court. The answer will be no.

America's government creates problems for which they enact...
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2 Answers | Asked in Contracts, Civil Litigation and Collections for New York on
Q: Can I be sued in civil court for something that occurred in 2011?

I moved out of my apartment before the lease ended. Was turned over to a debt collector. Kept requesting information on ownership of debt, lease, money owed, etc... Could not provided it.

Asked to stop harassing me until could provide that information. Cease and Desist letters, two of... View More

David H. Relkin
David H. Relkin
answered on Nov 28, 2022

Your question involves the statute of limitations for a debt, which in New York is six years. Therefore, without additional facts, it would appear that the action cannot proceed. However, the circumstances appear dubious since you say that you were served with some papers that appeared to be a... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation for New York on
Q: is g and p Malik llc still registered in the state of Delaware?

one non voting limited member of LLC has declared in court ,that LLC is dissolved and he has transferred the account under his name.

Daniel Michael Luisi
Daniel Michael Luisi
answered on Nov 24, 2022

We need more information to answer your questions. Was there a shareholder meeting on which dissolution was voted on? Is there a certificate of dissolution on file? Have all taxes and fees been paid? Was proper notice and an agenda provided to the shareholders in advance of the meeting in... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Civil Litigation, Personal Injury and Real Estate Law for New York on
Q: My question is with regards to liability. Bank owned property.

There is a large tree in the backyard of the property that has displaced my fence, and also caused damage to my backyard's foundation due to the roots growing through the ground. The property is also occupied by squatters and the bank may, or may not be attempting to evict. (I've reached... View More

Michael David Siegel
Michael David Siegel
answered on Oct 26, 2022

There might be liability for the bank. But, you can also sue and get a lien on the property. If you want the tree out, call 311 and see if the City will do it and put a repair lien on the property.

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