Case Name: Vito W. Pumilia, Plaintiff, v. Laura V. Pumilia, Defendant
Court: New York Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1945-05-18
Citations: 184 Misc. 1018
Docket Number: 
Parties: Vito W. Pumilia, Plaintiff, v. Laura V. Pumilia, Defendant.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Miscellaneous Reports
Volume: 184
Pages: 1018–1018

Head Matter:
Vito W. Pumilia, Plaintiff, v. Laura V. Pumilia, Defendant.
Supreme Court, Special Term, Queens County,
May 18, 1945.
Crisona & Murphy for plaintiff.
Ignatius M. Wilkinson, Corporation Counsel (William J. Fleming of counsel), for Kings County Hospital.

Opinion:
Hallinan, J.
Motion to examine Kings County Hospital before' trial, as a witness in this divorce action, denied. Aside from the fact that I do not deem the limited examination here sought necessary, in view of the defendant's attitude as evidenced by her " waiver " sworn to May 7, 1945, the institution sought to be examined by its superintendent is owned by a municipal corporation and operated by its Commissioner of Hospitals. I do not see how such a hospital can be examined before trial as a witness.
Formerly there was no authority to examine before trial either as a party or otherwise, any municipal corporation, its agencies, departments or employees. By section 292-a of the Civil Practice Act, as amended, authority to permit such an examination was granted " Where a public corporation is a party to an action, or an original owner of a claim (Italics supplied.) (See Hammel Station Estates v. City of New York, 184 Misc. 859.)
Here the City of New York, which owns the Kings County Hospital, is neither a party to this action nor the original owner of a claim. Hence there is no statutory authority for the examination. Settle order.