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Reich v. Reich

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department
May 15, 1997
239 A.D.2d 246 (N.Y. App. Div. 1997)

Opinion

May 15, 1997

Appeal from the Supreme Court, New York County (Sherry Klein Heitler, J.).


The affidavits of plaintiff and her witnesses are sufficient to raise an issue as to whether the subject postnuptial agreement was the result of plaintiff's mental disability attributable to defendant's overreaching, including physical abuse ( cf., Christian v. Christian, 42 N.Y.2d 63, 72-73). It is not fatal to plaintiff's claim that her proof did not include police or hospital reports ( see, Matter of Pratt v. Wood, 210 A.D.2d 741, 742-743). Nor did plaintiff unduly delay in seeking to repudiate the agreement by waiting 10 1/2 months after its execution and five months after its effective date. The IAS Court also properly dismissed so much of plaintiff's first cause of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress as is not time-barred by the one-year Statute of Limitations ( Miseck-Falkoff v International Bus. Machs. Corp., 162 A.D.2d 211, lv denied 76 N.Y.2d 708), since such a claim is not ordinarily cognizable in the context of a dispute arising out of matrimonial differences ( Weicker v. Weicker, 22 N.Y.2d 8) and plaintiff has not alleged conduct "'outrageous' beyond peradventure" ( Murphy v. Murphy, 109 A.D.2d 965, 966). The court also properly allowed the Violence Against Women Act cause of action (CPLR 3025[b]), while prudently staying its prosecution on the ground that the outcome of the mental disability claim might be highly relevant to its viability.

Concur — Milonas, J.P., Nardelli, Williams and Tom, JJ.


Summaries of

Reich v. Reich

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department
May 15, 1997
239 A.D.2d 246 (N.Y. App. Div. 1997)
Case details for

Reich v. Reich

Case Details

Full title:ELLEN REICH, Respondent-Appellant, v. GERALD I. REICH, Appellant-Respondent

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department

Date published: May 15, 1997

Citations

239 A.D.2d 246 (N.Y. App. Div. 1997)
657 N.Y.S.2d 671

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