Strategic Domain, Inc. v. Medsite, Inc. — 304 A.D.2d 368

Majority

p. 368

Strategic Domain, Inc., Appellant, v Medsite, Inc., Respondent.

[758 NYS2d 297]

Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Helen Freedman, J.), entered February 14, 2002, after a nonjury trial, dismissing the complaint in an action by an advertising agency to recover three months of fees under a 90-day termination provision allegedly contained in an oral contract, unanimously affirmed, without costs.

The weight of the evidence supports the trial court’s finding, largely one of credibility (see Thoreson v Penthouse Intl., 80 NY2d 490 , 495 [1992]), that the subject oral contract, pursuant to which plaintiff provided advertising services to defendant pending negotiation of a written contract, did not contain the 90-day termination provision that plaintiff seeks to enforce. A different result is not required by the fact that during the three-month period the parties were unsuccessfully negotiating a written contract, defendant paid plaintiff the monthly retainer fee specified in plaintiffs proposed written contract (see Scheck v Francis, 26 NY2d 466 , 469-470 [1970]; Wiscovitch Assoc. v Philip Morris Cos., 193 AD2d 542 , 542 [1993]). Nor is

p. 369

a different result required by plaintiff’s increased expenditures for space and staff made in anticipation of, and perhaps to facilitate, a successful negotiation (see Absher Constr. Corp. v Colin, 233 AD2d 279 [1996]). The record does not support plaintiff’s claim that defendant promised plaintiff continued business if plaintiff expanded. Concur — Mazzarelli, J.P., Sullivan, Ellerin, Lerner and Marlow, JJ.

Cases cited

Thoreson v. Penthouse International, Ltd. 80 NY2d 490 N.Y. 1992-12-21 at 495 p. 368
Scheck v. Francis 26 NY2d 466 N.Y. 1970-05-27 at 469-470 p. 368
Wiscovitch Associates, Ltd. v. Philip Morris Co. 193 AD2d 542 N.Y. App. Div. 1993-05-25 at 542 p. 368
Absher Construction Corp. v. Colin 233 AD2d 279 N.Y. App. Div. 1996-11-04 p. 369