A.C.E. Elevator Co., Inc. v. 180 Montague Street, LLC
Summary of the case A.C.E. Elevator Co., Inc. v. 180 Montague Street, LLC
The Supreme Court, New York County, affirmed a judgment awarding A.C.E. Elevator Co., Inc. $209,902.40 and ordered the sale of 180 Montague Street, LLC's property to satisfy a mechanic’s lien. The court found the agreement's language unambiguous and excluded extrinsic evidence and hearsay testimony.
Key Issues of the case A.C.E. Elevator Co., Inc. v. 180 Montague Street, LLC
- Interpretation of contract language
- Admissibility of extrinsic evidence and hearsay
Key Facts of the case A.C.E. Elevator Co., Inc. v. 180 Montague Street, LLC
- Plaintiff awarded $209,902.40
- Defendant's property to be sold at auction
Decision of the case A.C.E. Elevator Co., Inc. v. 180 Montague Street, LLC
Affirmed
Opinions
Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Ira Gammerman, J), entered September 4, 2003, which, after a jury trial, awarded plaintiff the principal sum of $209,902.40, and directed that defendant’s property be sold at public auction to satisfy plaintiffs mechanic’s lien, unanimously affirmed, with costs.
The intention of the parties was fully determinable from the language of the agreement, which was unambiguous (see Kass v Kass, 91 NY2d 554, 566 [1998]). The court thus properly refused to allow extrinsic matter, in the form of a document containing preliminary specifications, into evidence (W.W.W. Assoc. v Giancontieri, 77 NY2d 157, 162-163 [1990]). Hearsay testimony of defendant’s lessee, offered for the purpose of proving damages, was also properly disallowed (see Soho Generation of N.Y. v Tri-City Ins. Brokers, 256 AD2d 229, 231-232 [1998]). Concur— Tom, J.P., Saxe, Williams, Marlow and Sweeny, JJ.