Court Opinion

ID: 9942826
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-02-21 21:09:07.250631+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:44:44.158503
License: Public Domain

Broadway Sky, LLC v 53rd St. Holdings, LLC
               2024 NY Slip Op 30517(U)
                    February 15, 2024
           Supreme Court, New York County
        Docket Number: Index No. 654594/2012
                  Judge: Robert R. Reed
Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip
 Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York
 State and local government sources, including the New
  York State Unified Court System's eCourts Service.
 This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official
                       publication.
                                                                                                 INDEX NO. 654594/2012
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 588                                                                     RECEIVED NYSCEF: 02/16/2024

            SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
            COUNTY OF NEW YORK: COMMERCIAL DIVISION PART 43
            ----------------------                      ------X
             BROADWAY SKY, LLC,                                               INDEX NO.          654594/2012

                                                Plaintiff,
                                                                              MOTION DATE         02/14/2024
                                       - V -
                                                                              MOTION SEQ. NO.         021
             53RD STREET HOLDINGS, LLC,CITY OUTDOOR,
             INC.,CLARK A CUMMINS,
                                                                               DECISION+ ORDER ON
                                                Defendant.                           MOTION
            --------------------X

             53RD STREET HOLDINGS, LLC, CLARK CUMMINS                                     Third-Party
                                                                                    Index No. 590405/2013
                                                 Plaintiff,

                                           -against-

             OOS INVESTMENTS, LLC

                                                 Defendant.
                  ------------------,-----------X

             CITY OUTDOOR, INC.                                                       Second Third-Party
                                                                                    Index No. 595042/2017
                                                 Plaintiff,

                                           -against-

             OOS INVESTMENTS, LLC, 53RD STREET HOLDINGS, LLC,
             CLARK A. CUMMIS

                                                 Defendant.
                                      -----------X

             HON. ROBERT R. REED:

            The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 021) 556, 557, 558, 559,
            560,561,562,563,564,565,566,567,568,569,570,571,572,573,574,575,576,577,578,579,
            580,581,582,583,584,585,586
            were read on this motion for                               POST JUDGMENT OTHER

                   This is a motion filed by a judgment creditor to enforce information subpoenas served

            upon nonparty entities. The subpoenas seek disclosure of information regarding the judgment

             654594/2012 BROADWAY SKY, LLC vs. 53RD STREET HOLDINGS, LLC                          Page 1 of 4
             Motion No. 021

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                                                                                                 INDEX NO. 654594/2012
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 588                                                                     RECEIVED NYSCEF: 02/16/2024

            debtor and also seek to obtain testimony from the widow and daughter of the judgment debtor

            principal.

                    CPLR 5223 permits a judgment creditor to compel disclosure of matters relevant to the

            satisfaction of a judgment by service of a subpoena. It is a liberal standard that permits a broad

            inquiry as against the judgment debtor and any third person who possesses relevant information.

            A restraining notice may accompany that subpoena if it suspected that the entity served has

            possession of property owed the judgment debtor (CPLR 5222).

                    Where a subpoena served in connection with a judgment creditor's efforts to enforce

            court orders clearly seeks documents and deposition testimony relevant to the satisfaction of the

            judgment, there is no dispute that a party is in violation and contempt of a post-judgment

            subpoena where there is a demonstrable failure of the served party to produce documents and

            appear for deposition (Cadlerock Joint Venture, L.P. v Sol Greenberg & Sons Int'!, Inc., 94

            AD3d 580,581 [1st Dept 2012] citing, CPLR 5223; Yeshiva Tifferes Torah v. Kesher Intl.

            Trading Corp., 246 AD2d 538 [2d Dept 1998]).

                    Here, the arguments of the nonparty entities in opposition are unavailing. It is undisputed

            that the information subpoenas with restraining notices served upon Del Mastro Outdoor, LLC

            and Del Mastro Media, LLC were not responded to. No evidence of unreasonable annoyance,

            expense, embarrassment, disadvantage, or prejudice was submitted to prohibit disclosure of

            information in response to the information subpoenas (Sanders v Manufacturers Hanover Tr.

            Co., 229 AD2d 544 [2d Dept 1996]). Neither was any evidence presented that the deposition

            notices served were improper or otherwise prohibited. "Refusal or willful neglect of any person

            to obey a subpoena or restraining notice issued ... shall each be punishable as a contempt of

            court" (CPLR 5210, 5251). Plaintiffs motion for an order pursuant to CPLR 5101, 5104, 5210,

             654594/2012 BROADWAY SKY, LLC vs. 53RD STREET HOLDINGS, LLC                          Page 2 of4
             Motion No. 021

                                                         2 of 4
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                                                                                                   INDEX NO. 654594/2012
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 588                                                                      RECEIVED NYSCEF: 02/16/2024

           5222, 5223 , 5224 and 5251, to compel nonparties Cynthia Del Mastro, Del Mastro Outdoor LLC

           and Del Mastro Media LLC to respond to information subpoenas and appear for a deposition is

           granted.

                   Accordingly, it is hereby

                   ORDERED that nonparties Cynthia Del Mastro, Del Mastro Outdoor LLC and Del Mastro

           Media LLC are each found to be in contempt for their failure, without excuse, to respond to the

           information subpoenas duly served upon them and for their failure to appear for a deposition as

           duly directed; and it is further

                   ORDERED that nonparties Cynthia Del Mastro, Del Mastro Outdoor LLC and Del Mastro

           Media LLC may each purge themselves of their contempt by complying with the orders directed

           in the following two paragraphs:

                   (1) Cynthia Del Mastro, Del Mastro Outdoor LLC and Del Mastro Media LLC shall

                       respond and produce documents responsive to the information subpoenas served by

                       plaintiff on or before March 15, 2024; and

                   (2) Cynthia Del Mastro, Del Mastro Outdoor LLC and Del Mastro Media LLC shall, by

                       March 29, 2024 (or within 14 days from production of the aforesaid documents),

                       produce a witness with knowledge of the facts identified in the information subpoenas

                       for deposition, at the office of counsel for plaintiff, on a date and at a time convenient

                       for the parties.

            654594/2012 BROADWAY SKY, LLC vs. 53RD STREET HOLDINGS, LLC                           Page 3 of 4
            Motion No. 021

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                                                                                                    INDEX NO . 654594/20 12
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 588                                                                         RECEIVED NYSCEF: 02/ 1 6/2024

                   It is further

                   ORDERED that failure to comply with this order shall result in monetary sanctions.

            CHECK ONE:                  CASE DISPOSED                     NON-FINAL DISPOSITION

                                        GRANTED         □ DENIED          GRANTED IN PART          □ OTHER
            APPLICATION:                SETTLE ORDER                      SUBMIT ORDER

            CHECK IF APPROPRIATE :      INCLUDES TRANSFER/REASSIGN        FIDUCIARY APPOINTMENT    □ REFERENCE

            654594/2012 BROADWAY SKY, LLC vs. 53RD STREET HOLDINGS, LLC                             Page 4 of 4
            Motion No. 021

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