Source: http://vertumnus.courts.state.ny.us/claims/html/2002-018-180.html
Timestamp: 2018-11-13 22:56:11
Document Index: 101802580

Matched Legal Cases: ['§10', '§10', '§10', '§10', '§10', '§10', '§10', '§10', '§10', '§10']

MARTIN v. STATE OF NEW YORK, 106015
MARTIN v. STATE OF NEW YORK, #2002-018-180, Claim No. 106015, Motion Nos. M-65427, CM-65525
Defendant's pre-answer motion is granted and the claim is dismissed; however, claimants' cross-motion is granted which gives permission to treat claimants' notice of intention as a claim.
2002-018-180
NEAL MARTIN and TINA MARTIN
M-65427
CM-65525
CONBOY, McKAY, BACHMAN & KENDALL, LLPBy: Scott B. Goldie, Esquire
Defendant brings a motion to dismiss the claim for failure of timely service. Claimants bring a cross-motion for permission to file a late claim pursuant to Court of Claims Act §10(6), or in the alternative, for permission to treat the notice of intention as a claim pursuant to Court of Claims Act §10(8)(a).	The claim seeks damages as a result of the alleged negligent design, construction, and maintenance of US Route 11 and adjoining culverts in the Town of Potsdam, County of St. Lawrence. It is alleged that as a result of the State's negligence, a disruption in the natural flow of water and drainage resulted causing flooding of claimants' real and personal property. The date of accrual was May 10, 2000.
By all accounts, claimants served a timely notice of intention upon an Assistant Attorney General by personal service on June 30, 2000. Claimants then timely filed a claim with the Clerk of the Court of Claims in Albany on May 3, 2002. However, no claim was served until May 16, 2002.
Defendant argues that the Court of Claims Act §§10 and 11 require service and filing of a claim within two years of the date of accrual in order for a claim to be timely commenced after service of a notice of intention. Court of Claims Act §10(3) requires that a claim for injuries to property caused by the negligence of the State shall be "filed and served upon the attorney general within ninety days after the accrual of the claim, unless claimant shall within such time serve upon the attorney general a written notice of intention to file a claim therefor, in which event the claim shall be filed and served upon the attorney general within two years after the accrual of the claim." The requirements of Court of Claims Act §10 are jurisdictional in nature and must be strictly construed (Byrne v State of New York, 104 AD2d 782, app denied 64 NY2d 607 ). By timely serving the attorney general with a notice of intention, claimants had two years from May 10, 2000 to file and serve a claim. The failure to timely serve the claim by May 10, 2002, is a fatal jurisdictional defect (Dreger v New York State Thruway Authority, 81 NY2d 721).
Claimants, in anticipation of this result, seek relief under Court of Claims Act §10(6), permission to file a late claim or §10(8)(a), permission to treat the notice of intention as a claim.
Defendant's Affirmation in Opposition addresses only claimants' request for relief under §10(6).
Claimants' request for permission to treat the notice of intention as a claim is granted. Court of Claims Act §10(8)(a) provides:
Claimants' application is timely made (CPLR 214[4]). The notice of intention was, defendant admits, timely served and, being identical to the claim, set forth sufficient facts to constitute a claim. The notice of intention was served within 90 days of the date of accrual and adequately apprised defendant of the allegations surrounding the claim, therefore, there is no prejudice to the defendant.
Accordingly, defendant's motion is GRANTED and the claim is dismissed. Claimants' cross-motion for permission to treat the notice of intention as a claim is GRANTED. Claimants' request for relief under Court of Claims Act §10(6) is hereby DENIED as moot. The notice of intention which was served upon the State on June 30, 2000 shall serve as the claim in this action. The Chief Clerk is directed to make a copy of the notice of intention, which is contained in claimants' motion papers and designate it as a claim. The claim shall be given the appropriate number as if it had been filed on June 30, 2000. The State shall have 40 days from the date this decision and order is filed with the Clerk of the Court to serve its answer.
Affirmation of G. Lawrence Dillon, Esquire, Assistant
Attorney General, in support, with exhibits attached thereto........2
Affidavit of Scott B. Goldie, Esquire, in support of cross-motion
with exhibits attached thereto.......................................................4
Attorney General, in opposition....................................................5