Latest 2 Cases: In re Part 60 Put-Back Litigation (Contracts), Town of Irondequoit v. County of Monroe (Real Estate & Property Law)

The Twenty-Sixth Amendment and the Real Rigging of Georgia’s Election

VIKRAM DAVID AMAR

Illinois law dean Vikram David Amar explains why Georgia’s law allowing persons 75 years and older to get absentee ballots for all elections in an election cycle with a single request, while requiring younger voters to request absentee ballots separately for each election, is a clear violation of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment. Dean Amar acknowledges that timing may prevent this age discrimination from being redressed in 2020, but he calls upon legislatures and courts to understand the meaning of this amendment and prevent such invidious disparate treatment of voters in future years.

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COVID Comes to Federal Death Row—It Is Time to Stop the Madness

AUSTIN SARAT

Austin Sarat—Associate Provost and Associate Dean of the Faculty and William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence & Political Science at Amherst College—explains the enhanced risk of COVID-19 infection in the federal death row in Terre Haute, not only among inmates but among those necessary to carry out executions. Professor Sarat calls upon the Trump administration and other officials to focus on saving, rather than taking, lives inside and outside prison.

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In re Part 60 Put-Back Litigation

Citation: 2020 NY Slip Op 07687

Opinion Date: December 22, 2020

Judge: Fahey

Areas of Law: Contracts

In this residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) action the Court of Appeals reversed the order of the Appellate Division and reinstated the order of Supreme Court, holding that, in a breach of contract action, the public policy rule prohibiting parties from insulating themselves from damages caused by grossly negligent conduct applies only to exculpatory clauses or provisions that limit liability to a nominal sum. At issue was a contract that contained a sole remedy provision that purported to limit, but not eliminate, the remedies available to Plaintiff in the event of a breach. Plaintiff sought to avoid the provision by alleging that Defendants breached the contract with gross negligence. Supreme Court held that the sole remedy provision was enforceable. The Appellate Division reversed, concluding that Plaintiff's allegations of gross negligence were sufficient to render the sole remedy provision unenforceable. The Court of Appeals reversed, holding (1) in a breach of contract case, grossly negligent conduct will render unenforceable only exculpatory or nominal damages clauses; and (2) because the sole remedy provision at issue was not an exculpatory or nominal damages clause and was not subject to the gross negligence public policy exception, the allegations of gross negligence did not render the sole remedy provision unenforceable.

Town of Irondequoit v. County of Monroe

Citation: 2020 NY Slip Op 07689

Opinion Date: December 22, 2020

Judge: DiFiore

Areas of Law: Real Estate & Property Law

The Court of Appeals concluded that the Town of Irondequoit and the Town of Brighton were entitled to relief on their claims challenging the determination of Monroe County that it would not credit unpaid property maintenance and demolition charges, holding that the County was required to credit the maintenance and demolition charges. The Towns adopted local town code provisions authorizing the imposition of property maintenance and demolition requirements on real property owners providing for reimbursement of any maintenance and demolition costs incurred by the towns. The County later issued a memorandum stating that it would no longer guarantee the maintenance and demolition charges. The Towns then initiated this N.Y. C.P.L.R. 78 proceeding and declaratory judgment action seeking to annul the County's determination. Supreme Court granted relief to the towns, concluding that the charges were unpaid taxes that the County was required to credit. The Appellate Division reversed. The Court of Appeals modified the order of the Appellate Division and, as so modified, affirmed, holding that the charges at issue must be credited pursuant N.Y. Real Prop. Tax Law 936.