Ayotte v. Gervasio

• Court: New York Court of Appeals Court of Appeals
• Writing for the Court: KAYE
• Citation: Ayotte v. Gervasio, 81 N.Y.2d 1062, 601 N.Y.S.2d 463, 619 N.E.2d 400 (N.Y. 1993)
• Decision Date: 15 June 1993
• Parties: , 619 N.E.2d 400 Charles AYOTTE et al., Respondents, v. Francis P. GERVASIO et al., Defendants, and Joseph W. Le Febvre et al., Appellants. (And a Third-Party Action.)

Page 463

601 N.Y.S.2d 463

81 N.Y.2d 1062, 619 N.E.2d 400

Charles AYOTTE et al., Respondents, v. Francis P. GERVASIO et al., Defendants and Joseph W. Le Febvre et al., Appellants (And a Third-Party Action.)

Court of Appeals of New York.

June 15, 1993.

[81 N.Y.2d 1063] [619 N.E.2d 401] Saul Aronson and Francis E. Lehner, Albany, for appellants.

DeLorenzo, Gordon, Pasquariello, Weiskopf & Harding, P.C., Schenectady (Marshall P. Richer, of counsel), for respondents.

OPINION OF THE COURT MEMORANDUM.

The order of the Appellate Division, 186 A.D.2d 963, 589 N.Y.S.2d 372 should be affirmed, with costs, and the certified question answered in the negative.

"[T]he proponent of a summary judgment motion must make a prima facie showing of entitlement to judgment as a matter of law, tendering sufficient evidence to demonstrate the absence of any material issues of fact" (Alvarez v. Prospect Hosp., 68 N.Y.2d 320, 324, 508 N.Y.S.2d 923, 501 N.E.2d 572). The "[f]ailure to make such prima facie showing requires a denial of the motion, regardless of the sufficiency of the opposing papers" (id., at 324, 508 N.Y.S.2d 923, 501 N.E.2d 572). Here, in support of their summary judgment motion, movants merely assert that defendant's negligent operation of his vehicle was the sole proximate cause of plaintiff's injuries and that no triable issues of fact existed. These conclusory assertions are...