Case Name: Monica Lam et al., Appellants, v. Angel Tang et al., Defendants, and City of New York, Respondent
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1997-10-28
Citations: 243 A.D.2d 393
Docket Number: 
Parties: Monica Lam et al., Appellants, v Angel Tang et al., Defendants, and City of New York, Respondent.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 243
Pages: 393–393

Head Matter:
Monica Lam et al., Appellants, v Angel Tang et al., Defendants, and City of New York, Respondent.
[664 NYS2d 551]

Opinion:
Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Marylin Diamond, J.), entered September 30, 1996, which granted plaintiffs' motion for disclosure sanctions to the extent of precluding defendant City from introducing evidence at trial "on any matters arising out of the documents and materials" plaintiffs sought to discover, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
Although defendant City was admittedly dilatory in responding to plaintiffs' discovery demands and in complying with previous court orders, it was a proper exercise of discretion to deny plaintiffs' motion to strike defendant's answer and to issue instead an order of preclusion in the absence of evidence demonstrating that the failure to comply was willful or contumacious. The doctrine of law of the case does not bar this disposition based upon new considerations raised by defendant City. Concur—Rosenberger, J. P., Wallach, Nardelli, Williams and Colabella, JJ.