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Gigliotti v. St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church

261 A.D.2d 951 Court N.Y. App. Div. Decision date 1999-05-07 English

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p. 951
Mary Gigliotti et al., Respondents, v St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church et al., Appellants.
[689 NYS2d 806]

—Order unanimously reversed on the law without costs, motion granted and complaint dismissed. Memorandum: Supreme Court erred in denying defendants’ motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. Plaintiff Mary Gigliotti seeks to recover damages for injuries she sustained when she tripped and fell over a defect in the concrete driveway of defendant church. The defect consisted of a five-eighths-inch deviation in the height of two adjoining concrete slabs. Such a

p. 952
small defect is not actionable unless it has the characteristics of a trap, snare or nuisance (see, Tesak v Marine Midland Bank, 254 AD2d 717 ). Defendants met their initial burden, and plaintiffs failed to raise a triable issue of fact whether the alleged defect has the characteristics of a trap, snare or nuisance (cf., Durr v New York Cent. & Hudson Riv. R. R. Co., 184 NY 320 , 324-325; Tesak v Marine Midland Bank, supra). (Appeal from Order of Supreme Court, Niagara County, Koshian, J.— Summary Judgment.) Present — Green, J. P., Hayes, Wisner, Pigott, Jr., and Scudder JJ.

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