FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 12/28/2018 12:20 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 5
`
`INDEX NO. 158237/2018
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/28/2018
`
`SUPREME
`COUNTY
`
`COURT OF THE STATE
`OF NEW YORK
`
`OF NEW YORK
`
`DISTRICT
`
`Index
`
`No.:
`
`158237/2018
`
`FUND,
`and
`
`TRUSTEES
`COUNCIL
`WELFARE
`
`OF
`OF
`
`THE NEW YORK
`CITY
`PENSION
`CARPENTERS
`ANNUITY
`FUND,
`FUND,
`JOURNEYMAN
`RETRAINING,
`APPRENTICESHIP,
`AND INDUSTRY
`TRUSTEES
`EDUCATIONAL
`FUND,
`THE NEW YORK
`CARPENTERS
`CITY
`OF
`RELIEF
`THE NEW YORK
`AND CHARITY
`CITY
`and
`FUND,
`LABOR-
`AND
`CARPENTERS
`VICINITY
`MANAGEMENT
`CORPORATION,
`
`Plaintiffs,
`
`-against-
`
`OGEE
`
`CONSTRUCTION,
`
`LLC,
`
`and
`
`JOHN
`
`DOE*
`
`No.
`
`1,
`
`Defendants.
`
`being
`party
`or
`entity
`payment
`
`* said
`person
`
`names
`or
`
`corporation,
`
`guaranteeing
`Ogee
`Construction,
`connection
`with
`project.
`
`of
`LLC
`work
`
`fictitious
`intended
`being
`issued
`who
`all wages
`and/or
`performed
`
`and
`
`unknown
`the
`a
`
`to Plaintiffs,
`person,
`payment
`owed
`benefits
`contractor
`Cornell
`
`the
`
`party,
`bond
`
`by
`in
`Tech
`
`and
`general
`on
`the
`
`its
`
`AFFIRMATION
`TO EXTEND
`
`OF TODD DICKERSON
`IN SUPPORT
`TO SERVE
`THE DEADLINE
`PROCESS
`
`OF PLAINTIFFS'
`MOTION
`ON JOHN DOE NO.
`1
`
`TODD
`
`an
`
`admitted
`
`to
`
`practice
`
`law
`
`in
`
`the
`
`State
`
`of New York,
`
`DICKERSON,
`
`attorney
`
`hereby
`
`affirms
`
`under
`
`the
`
`penalties
`
`of perjury
`
`that:
`
`1.
`
`I hold
`
`the
`
`position
`
`"Of
`
`Counsel"
`
`with
`
`the
`
`firm
`
`Virginia
`
`& Ambinder,
`
`LLP,
`
`attorneys
`
`for
`
`the Plaintiffs
`
`(the
`
`"Funds")
`
`in this
`
`action.
`
`I submit
`
`this
`
`affirmation
`
`in support
`
`of
`
`the
`
`Funds'
`
`instant
`
`motion.
`
`2.
`
`As
`
`the
`
`Funds'
`
`attorney
`
`in this matter,
`
`I am familiar
`
`with
`
`the facts
`
`and
`
`circumstances
`
`set
`
`forth
`
`herein.
`
`1 of 5
`
`

`

`FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 12/28/2018 12:20 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 5
`
`INDEX NO. 158237/2018
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/28/2018
`
`L
`
`The
`
`Parties
`
`operating
`
`3.
`
`4.
`
`The
`
`Funds
`
`are
`
`comprised
`
`of
`
`a series
`
`of
`
`employer
`
`and
`
`employee
`
`benefit
`
`funds
`
`in accordance
`
`with
`
`the Employee
`
`Retirement
`
`Income
`
`Security
`
`Act
`
`("ERISA").
`
`Defendant
`
`Ogee
`
`Construction,
`
`LLC ("Ogee")
`
`is an employer
`
`that was
`
`required
`
`to
`
`remit
`
`benefit
`
`contributions
`
`to
`
`the
`
`Funds
`
`in
`
`connection
`
`with
`
`work
`
`it performed
`
`in the
`
`trade
`
`and
`
`geographical
`
`of
`
`Council
`
`of Carpeñters
`
`(the
`
`on
`
`jurisdiction
`
`the New York
`
`City
`
`District
`
`"Union")
`
`the public
`
`project
`
`known
`
`as "Cornell
`
`Tech"
`
`located
`
`on Roosevelt
`
`Island,
`
`New York
`
`(the
`
`"Project").
`
`5.
`
`Defendant
`
`John
`
`Doe
`
`No.
`
`1 ("John
`
`Doe")
`
`is a surety
`
`that
`
`issued
`
`a payment
`
`bond
`
`guaranteeing
`
`payment
`
`of
`
`all wages
`
`and
`
`benefit
`
`owed
`
`by Ogee
`
`in
`
`connection
`
`with
`
`work
`
`Ogee
`
`performed
`
`on the Project.
`
`IL
`
`Background
`
`Facts
`
`6.
`
`On September
`
`the
`
`Funds
`
`filed
`
`the
`
`instant
`
`action
`
`to
`
`recover
`
`for Ogee's
`
`5, 2018,
`
`unpaid
`
`contributions
`
`on the Project.
`
`The
`
`Funds
`
`asserted,
`
`among
`
`other
`
`things,
`
`a N.Y.
`
`Lab.
`
`Law §
`
`220-g
`
`claim
`
`against
`
`Ogee
`
`and
`
`John
`
`Doe
`
`(the
`
`surety
`
`that
`
`issued
`
`the
`
`payment
`
`bond
`
`covering
`
`Ogee's
`
`work
`
`on the Project)
`
`to recover
`
`for Ogee's
`
`unpaid
`
`contributions
`
`on the Project
`
`under
`
`the applicable
`
`payment
`
`bond.
`
`See Dkt.
`
`No.
`
`1.
`
`7.
`
`At
`
`the
`
`time
`
`this
`
`Complaint
`
`was
`
`the
`
`Funds
`
`were
`
`unaware
`
`of
`
`the
`
`specific
`
`filed,
`
`identity
`
`of
`
`the
`
`surety
`
`that
`
`issued
`
`the
`
`payment
`
`bond
`
`covering
`
`Ogee's
`
`work
`
`on the Project.
`
`8.
`
`Based
`
`on
`
`the
`
`Funds'
`
`research,
`
`the
`
`Funds
`
`believed
`
`that
`
`either
`
`the
`
`Dormitory
`
`Authority
`
`of
`
`the State
`
`of New York
`
`("DASNY")
`
`or
`
`the New York
`
`City
`
`Department
`
`of Design
`
`and
`
`Construction
`
`("NYCDCC")
`
`were
`
`the
`
`state/city
`
`agency
`
`that
`
`issued
`
`the
`
`applicable
`
`payment
`
`bond
`
`covering
`
`Ogee's
`
`work
`
`on the Project.
`
`2
`
`2 of 5
`
`

`

`FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 12/28/2018 12:20 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 5
`
`INDEX NO. 158237/2018
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/28/2018
`
`9.
`
`On October
`
`3,
`
`2018,
`
`the
`
`Funds
`
`served
`
`requests
`
`under
`
`New
`
`York's
`
`Freedom
`
`of
`
`Information
`
`Law
`
`("FOIL")
`
`to DASNY
`
`and
`
`the NYCDCC
`
`to
`
`obtain
`
`the
`
`payroll
`
`records
`
`and
`
`payment
`
`bond
`
`(which
`
`would
`
`contain
`
`the identity
`
`ofthe
`
`John Doe
`
`surety)
`
`in connection
`
`with Ogee's
`
`work
`
`on the Project.
`
`Copies
`
`of
`
`the
`
`Funds'
`
`FOIL
`
`requests
`
`are attached
`
`hereto
`
`as Exhibits
`
`A-B.
`
`10.
`
`On October
`
`10,
`
`2018,
`
`DASNY
`
`advised
`
`that
`
`it did
`
`not
`
`have
`
`the
`
`payment
`
`bond
`
`or
`
`that
`
`the NYCDCC
`
`would
`
`payroll
`
`records
`
`concerning
`
`Ogee's
`
`work
`
`on the Project,
`
`which
`
`indicated
`
`have
`
`the
`
`relevant
`
`records.
`
`11.
`
`On October
`
`11, 2018,
`
`the NYCDCC
`
`advised
`
`that
`
`it would
`
`need
`
`three
`
`to four months
`
`to process
`
`the
`
`Funds'
`
`FOIL
`
`request
`
`due
`
`to a high
`
`volume
`
`of
`
`requests.
`
`12.
`
`The
`
`Funds
`
`seek
`
`an extension
`
`to their
`
`deadline
`
`to effect
`
`service
`
`upon
`
`John
`
`Doe
`
`of
`
`the Summons
`
`and Complaint
`
`and/or
`
`any
`
`amendments
`
`thereto.
`
`HL
`
`The
`
`Court
`
`Should
`
`Extend
`
`the
`
`Funds'
`
`Deadline
`
`to Serve
`
`Process
`
`on John
`
`Doe
`
`CPLR
`
`of
`
`the
`
`name
`
`or
`
`13.
`
`Under
`
`§ 1024,
`
`"[a]
`
`party
`
`who
`
`is ignorant,
`
`in whole
`
`or
`
`in part,
`
`identity
`
`of
`
`a person
`
`who may
`
`properly
`
`be made
`
`a party,
`
`may
`
`proceed
`
`against
`
`such
`
`person
`
`as an
`
`unknown
`
`party
`
`by designating
`
`so much
`
`of his
`
`name
`
`and
`
`identity
`
`as is
`
`known."
`
`14.
`
`"[A]
`
`claim
`
`asserted
`
`against
`
`unknown
`
`parties
`
`pursuant
`
`to CPLR
`
`1024
`
`is deemed
`
`to
`
`be
`
`interposed
`
`for
`
`Statute
`
`of
`
`Limitations
`
`purposes
`
`when
`
`the
`
`'John
`
`Doe'
`
`summons
`
`with
`
`notice
`
`is
`
`of
`
`court
`
`and
`
`[the
`
`plaintiffs
`
`the
`
`an additional
`
`to
`
`filed
`
`with
`
`the
`
`clerk
`
`asserting
`
`clam have]
`
`120 days
`
`discover
`
`the
`
`identities
`
`of
`
`the
`
`unknown
`
`parties
`
`and
`
`to
`
`serve
`
`them
`
`with
`
`a copy
`
`of
`
`the
`
`summons
`
`pursuant
`
`to CPLR
`
`306-b(a)."
`
`Luckern
`
`v. Lyonsdale
`
`Energy
`
`Ltd.
`
`P'ship,
`
`229 A.D.2d
`
`249,
`
`254
`
`(4th
`
`Dep't
`
`1997).
`
`15.
`
`"To
`
`use
`
`the
`
`John
`
`Doe method
`
`of CPLR
`
`1024
`
`it must
`
`be shown
`
`that
`
`plaintiff
`
`made
`
`genuine
`
`efforts
`
`to
`
`ascertain
`
`the
`
`defendants'
`
`identities
`
`prior
`
`to
`
`the
`
`rurming
`
`of
`
`the
`
`Statute
`
`of
`
`3
`
`3 of 5
`
`

`

`FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 12/28/2018 12:20 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 5
`
`INDEX NO. 158237/2018
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/28/2018
`
`Limitations."
`
`omitted).
`
`Tucker
`
`v.
`
`Lorieo,
`
`291
`
`A.D.2d
`
`261,
`
`261
`
`(1st
`
`Dep't
`
`2002)
`
`(internal
`
`quotations
`
`16.
`
`The
`
`Funds
`
`promptly,
`
`after
`
`filing
`
`the Complaint
`
`and
`
`before
`
`the
`
`applicable
`
`statute
`
`of
`
`limitations
`
`period
`
`expired,
`
`served
`
`FOIL
`
`requests
`
`on
`
`the
`
`two
`
`relevant
`
`agencies
`
`(DASNY
`
`and
`
`the
`
`NYCDCC)
`
`suspected
`
`to have
`
`the applicable
`
`payment
`
`bond
`
`for
`
`the purpose
`
`of
`
`identifying
`
`the surety
`
`that
`
`issued
`
`the
`
`bond.
`
`See supra,
`
`¶ 9; Exs.
`
`A-B.
`
`The
`
`Funds
`
`have
`
`been
`
`unable
`
`to identify
`
`the John
`
`Funds'
`
`Doe
`
`surety
`
`because
`
`of
`
`the NYCDCC's
`
`delays
`
`in processing
`
`the
`
`FOIL
`
`request
`
`due
`
`to a high
`
`volume
`
`of such
`
`requests.See
`
`supra,
`
`¶ 1 l.
`
`The Court
`
`should
`
`find
`
`that
`
`the Funds
`
`have made
`
`genuine
`
`efforts
`
`to ascertain
`
`the
`
`John
`
`Doe's
`
`identity
`
`in accordance
`
`with
`
`CPLR
`
`§ 1024's
`
`requirements.
`
`See
`
`Morales
`
`v. City
`
`of N.Y
`
`, 2017
`
`N.Y.
`
`Misc.
`
`LEXIS
`
`586,
`
`at
`
`*2
`
`(N.Y.
`
`Sup.
`
`Ct.
`
`2017)
`
`(noting
`
`that,
`
`when
`
`a defendant's
`
`identity
`
`can
`
`be uncovered
`
`via
`
`a FOIL
`
`request,
`
`a plaintiff
`
`may
`
`be found
`
`to have
`
`CPLR
`
`diligence
`
`requirement
`
`request
`
`with
`
`the
`
`satisfied
`
`§ 1024's
`
`due
`
`"by making
`
`a timely
`
`[FOIL]
`
`appropriate
`
`government
`
`agency").
`
`17.
`
`Furthermore,
`
`because
`
`the Funds
`
`properly
`
`filed
`
`a John
`
`Doe
`
`Complaint
`
`and
`
`because
`
`Funds'
`
`the
`
`filed
`
`the
`
`instant
`
`motion
`
`within
`
`120-days
`
`of
`
`the
`
`commencement
`
`of
`
`this
`
`action,
`
`the Court
`
`should
`
`grant
`
`the
`
`Funds'
`
`request
`
`for
`
`an
`
`extension
`
`of
`
`their
`
`deadline
`
`to
`
`serve
`
`John
`
`Doe
`
`with
`
`the
`
`Summons
`
`and Complaint
`
`and/or
`
`any
`
`amendments
`
`thereto.See
`
`Matter
`
`of Vogel,
`
`856 N.Y.S.2d
`
`469,
`
`474
`
`(N.Y.
`
`Sup.
`
`Ct.
`
`diligent
`
`efforts
`
`to discover
`
`the
`
`2008)
`
`("Generally,
`
`where
`
`a plaintiff
`
`has made
`
`identities
`
`of
`
`the
`
`unknown
`
`defendants,
`
`an
`
`extension
`
`of
`
`time
`
`to
`
`serve
`
`those
`
`defendants
`
`is
`
`appropriate.")
`
`(citing
`
`Redmond
`
`v. Jamaica
`
`Hosp.
`
`Med.
`
`Ctr.,
`
`29 A.D.3d
`
`768,
`
`770
`
`(2d Dep't
`
`2006)).
`
`WHEREFORE,
`
`it
`
`is respectfully
`
`that
`
`this motion
`
`be granted
`
`in
`
`its
`
`entirety
`
`and
`
`that
`
`the
`
`Court
`
`issue
`
`an Order:
`
`(1)
`
`pursuant
`
`to CPLR
`
`§ 306-b
`
`extending
`
`the
`
`time
`
`of
`
`service
`
`on John Doe,
`
`and
`
`requiring
`
`Plaintiffs
`
`to
`
`serve
`
`their
`
`Summons
`
`and Complaint,
`
`and/or
`
`any
`
`amendments
`
`thereto,
`
`4
`
`4 of 5
`
`

`

`FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 12/28/2018 12:20 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 5
`
`INDEX NO. 158237/2018
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/28/2018
`
`within
`
`90
`
`days
`
`of
`
`the Court's
`
`order
`
`on the
`
`instant
`
`motion;
`
`and
`
`(2)
`
`granting
`
`Plaintiffs
`
`such
`
`other
`
`and
`
`further
`
`relief
`
`as this
`
`Court
`
`deems
`
`just
`
`and
`
`proper.
`
`Dated:
`
`New York,
`December
`
`New York
`2018
`
`28,
`
`Todd
`
`Dickerson
`
`5
`
`5 of 5
`
`