Every litigator has experienced a technology hiccup at an inconvenient moment. But courts have made clear that vague references to “technical difficulties” will not excuse a failure to appear—and once a default judgment is entered, vacating it is an uphill
Rule 2106 of the CPLR permits a written affirmation, made under penalty of perjury, to be submitted in place of an affidavit, carrying the same legal effect in New York civil proceedings. Since the amendment took effect on January 1,
Farrell Fritz is excited to host the 2026 Mentoring Committee Program kick-off event, organized by NYSBA’s Commercial & Federal Litigation Section, next week on April 21, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at Farrell Fritz’s New York City office (622 3rd Avenue,
When seeking a default judgment, parties often assume that an unanswered complaint puts them in the driver’s seat for a quick and early victory. But as practitioners in the Commercial Division are well aware, courts retain discretion to deny a
I have a soft spot for civil RICO: treble damages, enterprise allegations, the chance to elevate ordinary fraud into something operatic. But, as many of us have learned, civil RICO is not meant to transform ordinary commercial disputes into racketeering
A recent decision from Suffolk County Justice Linda Kevins in Cassata v Michael Macrina Architect, P.C. serves as yet another warning to practitioners concerning the risks and ethical considerations implicated by the use of generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) in the
Fiduciary duty claims between closely-held business owners are commonplace in litigation before the Commercial Division. A decision last fall from Suffolk County Commercial Division Justice James C. Hudson in Matter of Lehan v Montgomery serves as a professorial primer on
In settlement agreements, a valid release serves as a critical mechanism for resolving disputes between parties. By its terms, a release is intended to extinguish all claims, both those that are known and unknown to the parties at the time
A recent decision from Monroe County Commercial Division Justice Daniel J. Doyle in Stuver v Greenlight Parent, L.P. demonstrates that arbitration clauses cannot be used as an automatic “get-out-of-court-free” card at the pre-answer, motion-to-dismiss stage. While arbitration clauses are enforceable
Background
Manhattan Commercial Division Justice Robert R. Reed recently refused to enforce a settlement agreement purportedly reached by the parties via email in CoPilot Travel, Inc. v. Magstar Capital, LLC, 86 Misc. 3d 1271(A) [Supreme Court, New York County, 2025].
