Brecht v. City of New York

Decision Date16 October 1961
Citation220 N.Y.S.2d 452,14 A.D.2d 790
PartiesArthur BRECHT, Appellant, v. CITY OF NEW YORK and John Fehn, Respondents.
CourtNew York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

Melvin Sacks, New York City, for appellant.

Charles H. Tenney, Corporation Counsel, New York City, for respondents; Fred Iscol, New York City, of counsel.

Before BELDOCK, Acting P. J., and KLEINFELD, CHRIST, PETTE and BRENNAN, JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY THE COURT.

In a negligence action to recover damages for personal injuries resulting from the collision of plaintiff's automobile with a city police car, plaintiff appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Queens County, dated April 6, 1961, denying his motion for discovery and inspection of: (1) the records of the repair shop of the city Police Department which serviced the police car after the accident; (2) the towing record of the Police Department vehicle which towed the police car involved in the accident; (3) all photographs taken at the scene of the accident; and (4) the statement of a passerby taken by said Police Department at the scene of the accident.

Order affirmed, with $10 costs and disbursements.

The matters requested are not reports and records required by statute to be made and filed and, therefore, do not come within section 66-a of the Public Officers Law (Matter of Erenberg v. Brill, 10 A.D.2d 769, 197 N.Y.S.2d 518).

Discovery and inspection of the first three items mentioned may not be had under section 324 of the Civil Practice Act (Briant v. New York City Transit Authority, 7 A.D.2d 756, 181 N.Y.S.2d 772; Faendrick v. Allied Aviation Service Int. Corp., 284 App.Div. 898, 134 N.Y.S.2d 316; Ehrlich v. New York C. R. R. Co., 251 App.Div. 721, 295 N.Y.S. 181; Falco v. New York, N. H. & H. R. R. Co., 161 App.Div. 735, 146 N.Y.S. 1024). Nor may there be discovery and inspection of the statement of the witness (Urbina v. McLain, 4 A.D.2d 589, 168 N.Y.S.2d 175).

It should also be noted that application under section 66-a of the Public Officers Law should be made under article 78 of the Civil Practice Act, and not by motion in a negligence action (cf. Matter of New York Post Corp. v. Moses, 10 N.Y.2d 199, 219 N.Y.S.2d 7, 176 N.E.2d 709).

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  • Eifert v. Bush
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • 24 Abril 1967
    ... ... 19 A.L.R.2d 906, 908; Costich v. City of Rochester, 68 App.Div. 623, 626, 73 N.Y.S. 835, 837; Fisher v. City of Miami, 172 So.2d 455 .Ct., Fla. 1965); Baynes v. City of New York, 23 A.D.2d 756, 258 N.Y.S.2d 473) or against the police officers. Under these circumstances, it ... 879 as amd.; Donnelly v. County of Nassau, 46 Misc.2d 895, 261 N.Y.S.2d 192; Brecht v. City of New York, 14 A.D.2d 790, 220 N.Y.S.2d 452) ...         In the circumstances ... ...
  • Scott v. Nassau County
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court
    • 29 Julio 1964
    ... ... Aid Carpet Service, Inc., 43 Misc.2d 660, 251 N.Y.S.2d 987; Bloom v. New York City Transit Authority, 20 A.D.2d 687, 246 N.Y.S.2d 414), the report in question would nonetheless ... Frank Mascali & Sons, Inc., 11 N.Y.2d 97, 226 N.Y.S.2d 434, 181 N.E.2d 449, cf. Brecht v. City of New York, 14 A.D.2d 790, 220 N.Y.S.2d 452 and because it might reasonably contain ... ...
  • Cianci v. Board of Ed. of City School Dist. of City of Rye
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • 18 Febrero 1963
    ... ... Lopez v. City of New York, 4 A.D.2d 48, 51-52, 163 N.Y.S.2d 562, 566, 567, affd. 4 N.Y.2d 738, 171 N.Y.S.2d 860, 148 N.E.2d 909) ...          If the jury should find ... Erie R. R. Co., 15 A.D.2d 884, 225 N.Y.S.2d 228; Brecht v. City of New York, 14 A.D.2d 790, 220 N.Y.S.2d 452). Nor does the report contain any admissions against the interests of the Board of Education ... ...
  • Carney v. New York City Transit Authority
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court
    • 16 Mayo 1962
    ... ... McBride, 193 Misc. 271, 84 N.Y.S.2d 283; Fink v. Thompson, Sup., 70 N.Y.S.2d 226; cf. Mudge v. Thomas J. Hughes Construction Co., 16 A.D .2d 106, 225 N.Y.S.2d 833), in the case at bar, however, there has been no factual showing of circumstances warranting such production (see Brecht v. City of New York, 14 A.D.2d 790, 220 N.Y.S.2d 452; see also Bloodgood v. Lynch, 293 N.Y. 308, 314, 56 N.E.2d 718; Perry v. Morse Chain Company, 11 A.D.2d 850, 202 N.Y.S.2d 594; Roach v. City ... ...
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