Case Name: LONDON v. MERYASH
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1909-05-21
Citations: 117 N.Y.S. 1
Docket Number: 
Parties: LONDON v. MERYASH.
Judges: 
Reporter: West's New York Supplement
Volume: 117
Pages: 1–3

Head Matter:
LONDON v. MERYASH.
(Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department.
May 21, 1909.)
Partnership (§ 332 )—Dissolution—Action fob Accounting—Reference of Issues.
In an action for an accounting between partners pursuant to an agreement to dissolve, a reference to hear and determine the issues cannot be ordered prior to the entry of an interlocutory judgment providing for the accounting.
[Ed. Note.—For other cases, see Partnership, Cent. Dig. § 790; Dec. Dig. § 332. ]
Scott, J., dissenting.
Appeal from Special Term, New York County.
Action by Albert London against Louis Meryash. From an order Appointing a referee, defendant appeals.
Reversed.
Argued before INGRAHAM, McLAUGHLIN, LAUGHLIN, CLARKE, and SCOTT, JJ.
Edward W. S. Johnston, for appellant.
Abram I. Elkus, for respondent.
For other cases see same topic & § number in Dec. & Am. Digs. 1907 to date, & Rep’r Indexes

Opinion:
McLAUGHLIN, J.
Plaintiff and defendant were copartners, and on the 30th of March, 1907, entered into an agreement dissolving the partnership. This action is brought for an accounting, and to compel the foreclosure of a mortgage given by the defendant, and the cancellation of a mortgage given by the plaintiff to a trustee, pursuant to the agreement. After issue had been joined, the plaintiff, against the objection of the defendant, obtained an order referring the issues. Defendant appeals, and the plaintiff seeks to sustain the order upon the ground that the right to an accounting is admitted by the answer, and that no issues of fact are raised independent of the status of the account between the parties.
Assuming, without deciding, that this is so, the order cannot be sustained. The proper practice in such case was pointed out by this court in Gibson v. Widman, 106 App. Div. 388, 94 N. Y. Supp. 593, where it was said:
"This action being tor an accounting, a reference to hear and determine the issues cannot be ordered prior to the entry of an interlocutory judgment providing for an accounting. If the parties are entitled to such an interlocutory judgment upon the pleadings, that relief can be granted by motion and a proper interlocutory judgment entered. An accounting may then be taken before a referee."
The order appealed from must therefore be reversed, with $10 costs and disbursements, and the motion denied, with $10 costs. All concur, except SCOTT, J., who dissents.