CompFox Logo
AboutWorkflowFeaturesPricingCase LawInsights

Updated Daily

Case Law Database

Access over workers' compensation decisions, including En Banc, Significant Panel Decisions, and writ-denied cases.

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Jul 28, 2015

Masciotta v. Clarkstown Central School District

Plaintiff Tracy Masciotta, on behalf of her daughter V.M., filed an action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and New York state law against individual school employees and the Clarkstown Central School District. The complaint alleged violations of constitutional rights (Fourth, Fifth, Fourteenth Amendments; New York State Constitution) and state common law torts, stemming from a strip search and phone search of V.M. for alleged self-cutting without parental consent. Defendants moved to dismiss all claims. The court dismissed the Fourth Amendment and Substantive Due Process claims against the individual defendants on qualified immunity grounds, finding that searches for medical purposes were not clearly established under the Fourth Amendment, and the conduct was not sufficiently "conscience-shocking" to violate due process given the legitimate governmental purpose. The Section 1983 conspiracy claim was withdrawn by the Plaintiff, and constitutional claims against the School District were dismissed due to insufficient pleading of a municipal policy or custom. The court declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining state tort claims, dismissing them without prejudice. Plaintiff was granted leave to file an amended complaint.

School searchStudent rightsFourth AmendmentDue ProcessQualified immunityMonell liabilityStrip searchSchool nurseCivil rightsMotion to dismiss
References
87
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Mount Sinai Union Free School District v. Board of Education Port Jefferson Public Schools

Mount Sinai and Port Jefferson School Districts had a long-standing contract for Mt. Sinai to send its high school students to Port Jefferson. Following a deterioration of relations and an increase in Mt. Sinai's student population, Mt. Sinai decided to build its own high school. New York Education Law § 3014-c was enacted, requiring sending districts to consider teachers from receiving districts as their own employees. Mt. Sinai challenged this statute, alleging various constitutional violations. The court dismissed claims by teacher, parent/student, and taxpayer plaintiffs for lack of standing, and then dismissed the remaining Contract Clause claim by Mt. Sinai, granting summary judgment to the defendants.

School DistrictsTeacher TenureEducation LawContract ClauseDue ProcessEqual ProtectionStandingAbstention DoctrineSummary JudgmentFederal Civil Procedure
References
17
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Leon v. Port Washington Union Free School District

The case of America Leon v. Port Washington Union Free School District involved plaintiff America Leon suing her former employer for alleged unpaid overtime wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and for breach of collective bargaining agreements. Leon claimed she worked uncompensated pre-shift hours and during meal breaks. The District moved to dismiss both claims, arguing insufficient pleading for the FLSA claim and issues of standing, timeliness, and notice for the breach of contract claim. The court, presided over by District Judge Wexler, denied the District's motion to dismiss in its entirety, determining that Leon's complaint provided sufficient factual allegations regarding her regular work schedule and uncompensated overtime to state a plausible FLSA claim. The court also found the breach of contract claim adequately alleged, declining to consider extraneous submissions and preserving the District's right to renew its arguments as a motion for summary judgment after discovery.

FLSAovertime wagesbreach of contractmotion to dismisscollective bargaining agreementuncompensated workfederal courtSecond Circuitemployment lawwage dispute
References
19
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Agyeman v. Roosevelt Union Free School District

Plaintiff Ak-ousa Agyeman, an elementary school teacher, filed a civil rights action against the Roosevelt Union Free School District and several individuals, alleging violations of her First Amendment rights and retaliation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and New York Civil Service Law § 75-b. Agyeman claimed she was retaliated against for engaging in protected speech, specifically through internal emails and a letter to the New York State Education Department, regarding student needs, District policies, and alleged legal violations. Defendants moved for summary judgment, arguing her speech was not constitutionally protected. The Court granted the defendants' motion, concluding that Agyeman's speech was made as a public employee performing official duties, not as a private citizen, and therefore was not protected by the First Amendment. Consequently, the Section 1983 claim was dismissed, and the remaining state law claim was dismissed without prejudice for re-filing in state court.

First Amendment retaliationPublic employee speechCivil rights actionSummary judgmentNew York State law claimDismissal without prejudiceTeacher employment disputeSchool district liabilityFreedom of speechOfficial duties
References
56
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Lawson v. Greenburgh Central School District Number 7

Lawson, a school bus driver for Shore Transportation Co., was dismissed after the Central School District alleged erratic driving and demanded his removal. Shore had a contract with the district giving the latter approval rights over drivers. Lawson initiated a CPLR article 78 proceeding, converted to a declaratory judgment action, to annul his dismissal and compel the appellants (Central School District and Shore) to grant an evidentiary hearing. The appellants' motion to dismiss was denied. The court affirmed the denial, ruling that the school district's substantial contractual and statutory control over driver employment, even without direct employment, could entitle Lawson to procedural due process protections, thus stating a valid cause of action for a hearing.

Procedural Due ProcessEmployment TerminationDeclaratory JudgmentCPLR Article 78School Bus DriverContractual ControlEvidentiary HearingAppellate ReviewEmployer-Employee RelationshipConstitutional Rights
References
4
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Lennon v. Cornwall Central School District

This case involves a dissent concerning a negligent supervision lawsuit. In 2010, two sixth-grade students, Caitlin Lennon and Cara D. Dimedio, were allegedly injured when 11-year-old Ryan Arzu collided with them during a school field trip to the Bronx Zoo. Their parents, Sharon Lennon and Christopher Dimedio, sued the Cornwall Central School District and chaperone Daisy Melendez. The School District moved for summary judgment, arguing they lacked specific knowledge of Ryan's prior dangerous conduct and the incident was an unforeseeable impulsive act. The Supreme Court denied this motion, but P.J. Eng dissents, asserting that the School District met its burden to demonstrate no liability and the motion for summary judgment should have been granted.

Negligent supervisionSchool liabilitySummary judgmentField trip injuryStudent collisionProximate causeNotice of dangerous conductImpulsive actBronx ZooAppellate dissent
References
10
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 19, 2011

Dietz v. Board of Education of Rochester City School District

Petitioner commenced a CPLR article 78 proceeding seeking reinstatement of his employment with the Rochester City School District after his position as a "school instructor/transition counselor" was abolished. He contended he was entitled to seniority rights within the "special subject tenure area" of school social worker under 8 NYCRR 30-1.8 (b) (9) and Education Law § 2585 (3), asserting he was not the least senior person in that tenure area. The Supreme Court denied the petition, and the appellate court affirmed. The collective bargaining agreement between the District and the union specified that layoffs for "school instructors" would occur within distinct categories, not tenure areas, and that school instructors could not displace teachers. By accepting employment as a school instructor and participating in the CBA, the petitioner was deemed to have waived any seniority rights in the school social worker tenure area.

Employment LawSeniority RightsCollective Bargaining AgreementSchool InstructorSchool Social WorkerTenure AreaCPLR Article 78 ProceedingJudicial ReviewWaiver of RightsWorkforce Reduction
References
11
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Pavilion Central School District v. Pavilion Faculty Ass'n

The Pavilion Central School District initiated a proceeding under CPLR article 75 to vacate an arbitration award, which had directed the District to offer a probationary teacher an additional non-tenure accruing probationary appointment for the 1975-1976 school year. The teacher's services were terminated following legislative changes to the probationary period from five to three years. The arbitrator found the District violated the collective bargaining agreement by failing to provide timely notice of nonrenewal. The court ruled that the arbitrator exceeded his power in ordering reinstatement, reasoning that the grievant, being on maternity leave, suffered no damages from the lack of notice for the immediately subsequent school year, thus making the remedy irrational for that specific breach. However, the court remitted the case back to the arbitrator for a determination on whether the District violated the agreement's teacher evaluation and assistance provisions, suggesting that reinstatement might be a rational remedy if such a substantive breach is established.

Arbitration Award VacaturTeacher EmploymentProbationary TeacherCollective Bargaining AgreementEducation Law AmendmentsArbitrator PowersContract BreachMaternity Leave ImpactNotice RequirementsTeacher Evaluation
References
16
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Gaston v. Great Neck Union Free School District

Luis Gaston, an employee of Bay Welding, Inc., was injured while working at a school owned by Great Neck Union Free School District. Gaston initiated a negligence action against the School District, which subsequently filed a third-party complaint against Bay Welding, Inc., seeking indemnification for allegedly failing to procure general liability insurance as per their contract. The Supreme Court granted partial summary judgment to the School District, finding Bay Welding, Inc., had not provided proof of the required insurance. However, the Appellate Division reversed this decision, ruling that the contract regarding insurance coverage was ambiguous and necessitated a trial to determine the parties' intent.

Personal InjuryNegligenceContract DisputeIndemnificationSummary JudgmentAppellate ReviewInsurance CoverageContract AmbiguityThird-Party Action
References
0
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Becker v. Churchville-Chili Central School District

Kathy Ormsby, a bus driver for Churchville-Chili Central School District, accused fellow driver David Becker of sexual harassment. Following an investigation by Assistant Superintendent Richard Castaldo, Becker was found guilty of creating a hostile work environment and reprimanded. Becker subsequently initiated a CPLR article 78 proceeding to challenge this finding and have the reprimand removed from his record. Justice Andrew V. Siracuse, presiding over the case, determined that Becker's conduct, while potentially annoying and persistent, lacked the sexual or gender-based content required to legally constitute sexual harassment under an objective standard. Consequently, the court granted Becker's petition, ruling that the District's disciplinary action was arbitrary and capricious, and ordered the removal of the reprimand.

Sexual HarassmentHostile Work EnvironmentCPLR Article 78Objective StandardSubjective ExperienceWorkplace ConductEmployee DisciplineUnwelcome AdvancesReprimandJudicial Review
References
7
Showing 1-10 of 21,680 results

Ready to streamline your practice?

Apply these legal strategies instantly. CompFox helps you find decisions, analyze reports, and draft pleadings in minutes.

CompFox Logo

The AI standard for workers' compensation professionals. Faster research, deeper analysis, better outcomes.

Product

  • Platform
  • Workflow
  • Features
  • Pricing

Solutions

  • Defense Firms
  • Applicants' Attorneys
  • Insurance carriers
  • Medical Providers

Company

  • About
  • Insights
  • Case Law

Legal

  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Trust
  • Cookies
  • Subscription

© 2026 CompFox Inc. All rights reserved.

Systems Operational