Bill of Particulars “not to be used to obtain evidentiary material”

Fremont Inv. & Loan v Gentile, 2012 NY Slip Op 03136 (2nd Dept., 2012)

The purpose of a bill of particulars is to amplify the pleadings, limit the proof, and prevent surprise at trial (see Jones v LeFrance Leasing L.P., 81 AD3d 900, 902; Mendelson v Szczupak, 199 AD2d 479; Nuss v Pettibone Mercury Corp., 112 AD2d 744, 744). "A bill of particulars may not be used to obtain evidentiary material" (Nuss v Pettibone Mercury Corp., 112 AD2d at 744; see Tully v Town of N. Hempstead, 133 AD2d 657; Ginsberg v Ginsberg, 104 AD2d 482, 484).

Here, the appellant's demand for a bill of particulars improperly included requests for detailed information of an evidentiary nature (see Posh Pillows v Hawes, 138 AD2d 472, 474). Thus, the responses in the plaintiff's bill of particulars objecting to those demands constituted an adequate response. Accordingly, the Supreme Court properly denied that branch of the appellant's motion which was to preclude the plaintiff from giving evidence at trial with respect to the denials of and defenses to the appellant's counterclaim, as set forth in the plaintiff's bill of particulars.