Hearing Needed to Determine Intent of Settlement Agreements

LVT Number: #21067

Landlord sued to evict tenant. Landlord and tenant signed three settlement agreements during the course of the case. Landlord later sought to enforce the settlement agreements. Tenant disagreed with landlord's interpretation of the agreements. The court found that a hearing was needed to introduce other evidence of what was intended. Landlord appealed, claiming that the settlement agreements were clear enough. The appeals court ruled against landlord. When read together, the three agreements could be interpreted in more than one way.

Landlord sued to evict tenant. Landlord and tenant signed three settlement agreements during the course of the case. Landlord later sought to enforce the settlement agreements. Tenant disagreed with landlord's interpretation of the agreements. The court found that a hearing was needed to introduce other evidence of what was intended. Landlord appealed, claiming that the settlement agreements were clear enough. The appeals court ruled against landlord. When read together, the three agreements could be interpreted in more than one way. So a hearing was needed to introduce other proof of what the parties' intent was when they signed the agreements.

333 East 43 Owners Corp. v. Boylan: NYLJ, 2/26/09, p. 36, col. 3 (App. T. 1 Dept.; McKeon, PJ, Schoenfeld, Heitler, JJ)