Court Opinion

ID: 9942824
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-02-21 21:09:03.795345+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:44:53.562992
License: Public Domain

Goldstein v Southgate Owners Corp.
               2024 NY Slip Op 30498(U)
                   February 15, 2024
           Supreme Court, New York County
        Docket Number: Index No. 131344/2022
                  Judge: Paul A. Goetz
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.
  FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 02/16/2024 03:20 PM                                                 INDEX NO. 131344/2022
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 153                                                                       RECEIVED NYSCEF: 02/15/2024

                            SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
                                      NEW YORK COUNTY
           PRESENT:        HON. PAUL A. GOETZ                                PART                               ·. 47
                                                                 Justice
                                                                      X      INDEX NO.            131344/2022
            LINDA GOLDSTEIN,
                                                                                                 . 12/18/2023,
                                             Plaintiff,                      MOTION DATE           12/18/2023

                                       -v-                                   MOTION SEQ. NO. ·       002 003

            SOUTHGATE OWNERS CORP., TOMMY TUNE, TOMMY
            TUNE, INC.,JOHN DOE, JANE DOE, XYS CORP                             DECISION + ORDER ON
                                                                                      MOTION
                                             Defendant.
           -------------------X
           The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 002) 64, 65, 66, 67, 68,
           69, 70,71, 72,73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79,80,81, 109,111,112,114,115,118,119,120,121,122,123,
           124,125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133,134,135,146,147
           were read on this motion to/for                                    DISCOVERY

           The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 003) 82, 83, 84, 85, 86,
           87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99, 100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,110,113,
           116,117,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,145,148
           were read on this motion to/for                                    DISCOVERY

           Upon the foregoing documents, it is

                  In Motion Sequence 002, defendant, Southgate Owners Corp. ("Southgate") moves for a

           protective order to strike plaintiff's discovery demands dated January 3rd, 2023. Southgate also

           seeks to compel plaintiff and co-defendant Tommy Tune, Inc. ("Tune") to provide responses to

           outstanding discovery. Southgate also seeks attorney's fees and costs incurred in bringing this

           motion. In Motion Sequence 003, plaintiff moves to· strike the defendants answers or in the

           alternative to compel Southgate and Tune to provide outstanding discovery in January 3rd, 2023

           demands served on each party. Plaintiff also moves to compel both defendants to supply a

           Verified Bill of Particulars. Finally, plaintiff also seeks attorney's fees and costs incurred in

           bringing this motion.

           . 131344/2022 GOLDSTEIN, LINDA vs. SOUTHGATE OWNERS CORP. ET AL                         Page 1 of4
             Motion No. 002 003

[* 1]                                                      1 of 4
  FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 02/16/2024 03:20 PM                                                INDEX NO. 131344/2022
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 153                                                                     RECEIVED NYSCEF: 02/15/2024

                  Turning to the January 3rd, 2023 demands (NYSCEF Doc No 96) and Southgate's

           response (NYSCEF Doc No 97) the documents sought are material and necessary to the case and

           are not overly broad. With respect to Demand:

                  (1) Southgate will produce any such documents in their possession;

                  (3) - (16); (19) - (22) Southgate will produce any such documents in its possession as

                  documents relating to the Booster Pump and the Mechanical Room are material and

                  necessary to the case. If Southgate is not in possession of these records, it shall provide a

                 . Jackson affidavit stating so;

                  (23) Southgate's response is sufficient

                  (24) Southgate will produce any such documents in their possession or if Southgate is not

                  in possession of these records, it shall provide a Jackson affidavit stating so;

                  (25)-(27) Southgate will produce any such documents in its possession of the Minutes of

                  the Board Meetings to the extent that they relate to the Booster Pump, the water leak, the

                  alteration agreement, and references to the plaintiff and her apartment that are relevant to

                  the current case. If Southgate is asserting that these documents are privileged they shall

                  provide a privilege log stating the privilege they are asserting.

                  (28) Southgate will produce any such documents in their possession;

                  (29) Southgate will produce any such documents in their possession. If Southgate is

                  asserting that these documents are privileged they shall provide a privilege log stating the

                  privilege they are asserting;

                  (30) - (33) Southgate will produce any such documents in their possession or if Southgate

                  is not in possession of these records, it shall provide a Jackson affidavit stating so;

                  (34) Southgate's response is sufficient;

            131344/2022 GOLDSTEIN, LINDA vs. SOUTHGATE OWNERS CORP. ET AL                            Page 2 of4
            Motion No. 002 003

[* 2]                                                    2 of 4
  FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 02/16/2024 03:20 PM                                                INDEX NO. 131344/2022
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 153                                                                     RECEIVED NYSCEF: 02/15/2024

                   (35) - (36) Southgate will produce any such documents in their possession. If Southgate is

                   asserting that these documents are privileged they shall provide a privilege log stating the

                   privilege they are asserting;

                   (3 7) - (46) Southgate' s response is sufficient.

                   Turning to plaintiff's January 3, 2023 demands towards Tune (NYSCEF Doc No 99) and

           Tune's Response (NYSCEF Doc ·101), tune shall provide an affidavit stating that the documents

            it claims are not in it's possession are also not in its "possession, custody or control" as required

            by CPLR § 3120.

                   Turning to Southgate' s outstanding demands, plaintiff shall provide the authorizations and

            documentation to the extent they have not already been provided in the email dated October 27,

           · 2023 (NYSCEF Doc No 126). If the link that plaintiff provided has expired as Southgate alleges,

            plaintiff shall provide a working link.

                   Defendant Tune shall provide .responses to Southgate' s outstanding discovery demands
                                               .,
                                           -
            dated September 14, 2023 (NYSCEF Doc No 76).

            Accordingly it is,

                    ORDERED that plaintiff' motion to compel (Motion Sequence 003) is granted to the extent

            indicated; and it is further

                    ORDERED that defendants shall provide Verified Bills of Particulars to plaintiff in the

            demands dated September 1, 2023 (NYSCEF Doc Nos 102 & 104); and it is further

                    ORDERED that defendants shall produce to plaintiff on or before March 14, 2024 the

            documents listed above; and it is further

             131344/2022 GOLDSTEIN, LINDA vs. SOUTHGATE OWNERS CORP. ET AL                         Page 3 of4
             Motion No. 002 003

[* 3]                                                      3 of 4
  FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 02/16/2024 03:20 PM                                                  INDEX NO. 131344/2022
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 153                                                                         RECEIVED NYSCEF: 02/15/2024

                   ORDERED that the portion of Southgate's motion (Motion Sequence 002) that seeks to

           compel outstanding discovery is granted to the extent indicated; and it is further

                   ORDERED that plaintiff and Tune shall produce to Southgate on or before March 14, 2024

           the documents listed above; and it is further

                   ORDERED that the portions of both motions which seek to strike the parties answers, and

           preclude the opposing J)arties from presenting evidence is denied "in furtherance of the policy

           favoring resolution of actions on the merits" (Cigna Prop. and Cas. Co. v Decoration and Design

           Bldg. Partnership, 268 AD2d 223 [1st Dept 2000]); and it is further

                   ORDERED that the parties' application for sanctions and attorneys' fees is denied; and it

           is further

                   ORDERED that the discovery conference scheduled for February 22, 2024 is adjourned

           until March 21, 2024 to allow for compliance with this order.

                                                                     ¾ -~-,:- -' ~'"'."-~"'" -"'
                   2/15/2024
                        DATE                                          -      - •   PAUL  ~S'.is'               =

                                    ~
            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

            131344/2022 GOLDSTEIN, LINDA vs. SOUTHGATE OWNERS CORP. ET AL                           Page4of4
            Motion No. 002 003

[* 4]                                                      4 of 4