The scope of discovery in New York is broad, but it does not include the device discussed here: a demand for a bill of particulars. Accordingly, the defendants' separate motions, among other things, to strike the complaint insofar as asserted against each of them must be denied.Ī big part of complex commercial litigation is giving, receiving and evaluating evidence (this is called "discovery"). The defendants failed to demonstrate that the plaintiffs' delay in providing amended bills of particulars was willful. Accordingly, the order dated May 2, 2017, must be vacated.Ĭontrary to the defendants' contentions, the amended bills of particulars were sufficient given that the parties' depositions have not been held. Since CPLR 3104 did not authorize the J.H.O./Referee to determine the defendants' separate motions, among other things, to strike the complaint insofar as asserted against each of them based upon the defendants' objections to the plaintiffs' amended bills of particulars, and there exists no order of reference authorizing the J.H.O./Referee to determine the defendants' motions, the J.H.O./Referee was without authority to determine the defendants' separate motions, inter alia, to strike the complaint insofar as asserted against each of them. Since a bill of particulars is not a disclosure device but a means of amplifying a pleading, the present dispute over the contents of the plaintiffs' amended bills of particulars is not part of any disclosure procedure that CPLR 3104 authorizes a referee to supervise. We reverse.Īlthough the defendants are correct that the plaintiffs raise for the first time on appeal the contention that the J.H.O./Referee lacked authority under CPLR 3104 to issue the order dated May 2, 2017, this contention may be reached since it involves a question of law that is apparent on the face of the record and could not have been avoided by the Supreme Court if it had been brought to its attention. In the order appealed from, the Supreme Court denied the plaintiffs' motion to vacate. Thereafter, the plaintiffs moved to vacate that order. 03450, holding that a bill of particulars is not a discovery device, explaining:īy order dated May 2, 2017, a J.H.O./Referee granted the separate motions of the defendants New York Community Hospital and Hassan Farhat, the defendants Metropolitan Jewish Home Care, Inc., Metropolitan Jewish Health System, Home First, Inc., and Beth Israel Medical Center, and the defendants Yury Zamdborg and Ilya Bilik, inter alia, to strike the complaint insofar as asserted against each of them on the ground that the amended bills of particulars served by the plaintiffs in response to the defendants' motions failed to comply with multiple prior court orders directing the plaintiffs to provide the defendants with supplemental or amended bills of particulars. New York Community Hosp., 2021 NY Slip Op. On June 2, 2021, the Second Department issued a decision in Kramarenko v. A court can bar the creditor/plaintiff from introducing evidence at trial in support of the account claimed when no Bill of Particulars is served.Categories Commercial, Discovery/Disclosure Bill of Particulars Not a Discovery Device If no response is received, immediately filed a Motion to Exclude Evidence per Code of Civil Procedure section 454. If a meet and confer letter is sent, a short time frame, such as 5 days, should be given to provide the Bill of Particulars. Although a meet and confer is not required for a Bill of Particulars, many judges except to see some sort of a meet and confer effort and will appreciate that debtor/defendant took the time to do so. A good practice is to send a meet and confer letter requesting the past due Bill of Particulars. If no response is timely received, the debtor can then file a Motion to Exclude all evidence of the debt owed. section 1013 - 15 days if the Demand was served by mail) to serve the defendant/debtor with the Bill of Particulars. Here is an example of a Demand for Particulars: The plaintiff/creditor has 10 days (per C.C.P. A Demand for Bill of Particulars must be in writing. (California Code of Civil Procedure section 454.) A good practice is to serve the Answer along with a Demand for Bill of Particulars, and any other discovery, such as Interrogatories, Requests for Admissions, and Request for Production of Documents. A California defendant/debtor can serve a Demand for a Bill of Particulars at anytime after filing the Answer to the Complaint.
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