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Senate Bill S6655A

2011-2012 Legislative Session

Relates to the consideration of equitable claims and defenses in small claims actions

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

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co-Sponsors

2011-S6655 - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Rules
Law Section:
New York City Civil Court Act
Laws Affected:
Amd §1804, NYC Civ Ct Act; amd §1804, UDCA; amd §1804, UCCA; amd §1804, UJCA

2011-S6655 - Summary

Relates to the consideration of equitable claims and defenses in small claims actions.

2011-S6655 - Sponsor Memo

2011-S6655 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6655

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              March 8, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by Sen. BONACIC -- (at request of the Office of Court Admin-
  istration) -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed  to  be
  committed to the Committee on Judiciary

AN  ACT to amend the New York city civil court act, the uniform district
  court act, the uniform city court act, and the uniform  justice  court
  act, in relation to the consideration of equitable claims and defenses
  in small claims actions

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Section 1804 of the New  York  city  civil  court  act,  as
amended  by  chapter  650  of  the  laws  of 1991, is amended to read as
follows:
  S 1804. Informal and simplified procedure on small claims.  The  court
shall  conduct  hearings  upon  small  claims  in  such  manner as to do
substantial justice between  the  parties  according  to  the  rules  of
substantive  law and shall not be bound by statutory provisions or rules
of  practice,  procedure,  pleading  or   evidence,   except   statutory
provisions  relating  to  privileged  communications and personal trans-
actions or communications with a decedent or mentally ill person.    THE
COURT MAY CONSIDER EQUITABLE CLAIMS AND COUNTERCLAIMS, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, UNJUST ENRICHMENT AND QUANTUM MERUIT, AND EQUITABLE DEFENSES
INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO, LACHES AND EQUITABLE ESTOPPEL. An item-
ized bill or invoice, receipted or marked paid, or  two  itemized  esti-
mates  for services or repairs, are admissible in evidence and are prima
facie evidence of the reasonable value and necessity  of  such  services
and  repairs.  Disclosure shall be unavailable in small claims procedure
except upon order of the court on showing of  proper  circumstances.  In
every  small claims action, where the claim arises out of the conduct of
the defendant's business at the hearing on  the  matter,  the  judge  or
arbitrator  shall  determine the appropriate state or local licensing or
certifying authority and any business  or  professional  association  of
which  the  defendant  is  a  member. The provisions of this act and the
rules of this court, together with  the  statutes  and  rules  governing
supreme court practice, shall apply to claims brought under this article

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

co-Sponsors

2011-S6655A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Rules
Law Section:
New York City Civil Court Act
Laws Affected:
Amd §1804, NYC Civ Ct Act; amd §1804, UDCA; amd §1804, UCCA; amd §1804, UJCA

2011-S6655A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to the consideration of equitable claims and defenses in small claims actions.

2011-S6655A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2011-S6655A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 6655--A
    Cal. No. 627

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              March 8, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sens.  BONACIC,  HASSELL-THOMPSON  -- (at request of the
  Office of Court Administration) -- read twice and ordered printed, and
  when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary -- reported
  favorably from said committee, ordered to  first  and  second  report,
  ordered  to  a  third  reading,  passed by Senate and delivered to the
  Assembly, recalled, vote  reconsidered,  restored  to  third  reading,
  amended  and  ordered  reprinted,  retaining its place in the order of
  third reading

AN ACT to amend the New York city civil court act, the uniform  district
  court  act, and the uniform city court act, in relation to the consid-
  eration of equitable claims and defenses in small claims actions

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Section  1804  of  the  New York city civil court act, as
amended by chapter 650 of the laws  of  1991,  is  amended  to  read  as
follows:
  S  1804.  Informal and simplified procedure on small claims. The court
shall conduct hearings upon  small  claims  in  such  manner  as  to  do
substantial  justice  between  the  parties  according  to  the rules of
substantive law and shall not be bound by statutory provisions or  rules
of   practice,   procedure,   pleading  or  evidence,  except  statutory
provisions relating to privileged  communications  and  personal  trans-
actions  or  communications with a decedent or mentally ill person.  THE
COURT MAY CONSIDER EQUITABLE CLAIMS AND COUNTERCLAIMS, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, UNJUST ENRICHMENT AND QUANTUM MERUIT, AND EQUITABLE DEFENSES
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LACHES AND EQUITABLE ESTOPPEL.  An  item-
ized  bill  or  invoice, receipted or marked paid, or two itemized esti-
mates for services or repairs, are admissible in evidence and are  prima
facie  evidence  of  the reasonable value and necessity of such services
and repairs. Disclosure shall be unavailable in small  claims  procedure
except  upon  order  of the court on showing of proper circumstances. In
every small claims action, where the claim arises out of the conduct  of
the  defendant's  business  at  the  hearing on the matter, the judge or
arbitrator shall determine the appropriate state or local  licensing  or

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

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