Summary judgment

Poon v Nisanov, 2018 NY Slip Op 04365 [2d Dept 2018]

With certain limitations not applicable here, "[a]ny party may move for summary judgment in any action" (CPLR 3212[a]). "A motion for summary judgment shall be supported by affidavit, by a copy of the pleadings and by other available proof, such as depositions and written admissions" (CPLR 3212[b]). The moving party's submissions must show "that there is no defense to the cause of action or that the cause of action or defense has no merit" (id.). A motion for summary judgment "shall be granted if, upon all the papers and proof submitted, the cause of action or defense shall be established sufficiently to warrant the court as a matter of law in directing judgment in favor of any party" (id.; see Alvarez v Prospect Hosp., 68 NY2d 320, 324).

A plaintiff moving for summary judgment on a cause of action asserted in a complaint generally has the burden of establishing, prima facie, "all of the essential elements of the cause of action" (Nunez v Chase Manhattan Bank, 155 AD3d 641, 643; see Stukas v Streiter, 83 AD3d 18, 23). By contrast, a defendant moving for summary judgment dismissing one of the plaintiff's causes of action may generally sustain his or her prima facie burden "by negating a single essential element" of that cause of action (Nunez v Chase Manhattan Bank, 155 AD3d at 643). To defeat summary judgment, the nonmoving party need only rebut the prima facie showing made by the moving party so as to demonstrate the existence of a triable issue of fact (see Alvarez v Prospect Hosp., 68 NY2d at 324; Stukas v Streiter, 83 AD3d at 23-24).

Beard v Chase, 2018 NY Slip Op 04636 [1st Dept 2018] 

Plaintiffs were not required, as movants, to disprove any possible defenses defendants might assert in opposition to their motion, such as partial performance (see C.H. Sanders Constr. Co. v Bankers Tr. Co., 123 AD2d 251, 252 [1st Dept 1986]).

There was a dissent.