Case Name: BOROWSKY et al. v. GALLIN
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1908-05-08
Citations: 110 N.Y.S. 818
Docket Number: 
Parties: BOROWSKY et al. v. GALLIN.
Judges: 
Reporter: West's New York Supplement
Volume: 110
Pages: 818–819

Head Matter:
BOROWSKY et al. v. GALLIN.
(Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department.
May 8, 1908.)
Trial—Trial by Court—Sending Issues to Jury.
Under Code Civ. Proc. § 971, providing that, where a party is not entitled, as of right, to a jury trial, the court may in its discretion direct questions of fact to be tried by a jury, the refusal of application to have the issues of fact sent to a jury is not error, though based to some extent on the condition of the jury calendar.
[Ed. Note.—For cases in point, see Cent. Dig. vol. 46, Trial, § 881.] Hooker and Woodward, JJ., dissenting.
Appeal from Kings County Court.
Action by Molly Borowslcy and others against Pauline Gallin to foreclose a mortgage on real estate. From an order denying a motion to have the issues of fact sent to a jury for trial, defendant appeals.
Affirmed.
Argued before WOODWARD, HOOKER, GAYNOR, RICH, and MILLER, JJ.
William H. Chorosh, for appellant.
Frank F. Davis, for respondents.

Opinion:
GAYNOR, J.
It was in the discretion of the court below whether it should direct that the issues of fact, or any of them, should be sent to a jury trial. Code Civ. Proc. § 971. It was influenced to some extent in denying the motion by the condition of the jury calendar (it is over two years in arrears) as the memorandum filed with its decision shows. This was not improper. Indeed, motions like this are sometimes made hereabouts to avoid the speedy trial afforded by the equity calendar. A verdict for the defendant would not bind the court; it has the responsibility of giving judgment in the end, and the rule is for the court to try such cases without having its conscience enlightened or aided by a verdi.ct.
The order should be affirmed.
Order of the County Court of Kings county affirmed, with $10 costs and disbursements.
RICH and MILLER, JJ., concur