New York Law Watch
Decisions filed in March 2026
For March 2026, Law Watch lists 16 indexable decisions dated March 5, 2026 to March 31, 2026 across 5 decision weeks.
34 decision records: 16 meet the substance floor; 18 records are held from search listings.
Every decision that passed Law Watch’s clean-text gates in March 2026, from the official reporter. Decisions that do not meet the substance floor are listed but not indexed.
March 31, 2026
- Matter of Meyerowitz252 AD3d 176
The court accepted the respondent’s voluntary resignation from the bar, effectively disbarbing him, because his affidavit conformed to disciplinary rules and he had made full restitution to his clients. The court noted that accepting such resignations is consistent with prior precedent when restitution has been made.
- Matter of McMurdo252 AD3d 172
The court granted the joint motion for discipline by consent and suspended respondent from the practice of law for one year, effective nunc pro tunc to September 20, 2024. The court found that a one-year suspension was appropriate given respondent’s violations of professional conduct rules related to issuing false opinion letters and his voluntary cessation of practice.
March 27, 2026
- Matter of McCarty252 AD3d 169
The court found the respondent guilty of professional misconduct for engaging in conduct that adversely reflects on his fitness as a lawyer. The court imposed a sanction of public censure based on the respondent’s conditional admissions and the parties’ joint motion.
March 20, 2026
- People v Bergman89 Misc 3d 5
The court affirmed the conviction, holding that the People satisfied their due diligence obligations under CPL 245.20 by providing sufficient disclosure letters regarding police officer misconduct. Additionally, the court found that the People validly stated ready within the statutory 90-day period, as the speedy trial clock was tolled by executive orders until October 4, 2020.
March 19, 2026
- Matter of Cannabis v Hochul252 AD3d 235
The court held that New York’s cannabis regulations under the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act are not preempted by the federal Controlled Substances Act because they do not create a positive conflict or stand as an obstacle to federal objectives. The regulations merely regulate legitimate and illegitimate handling of marihuana without requiring conduct that violates federal law.
- Matter of Tomei v McDonald252 AD3d 228
The court confirmed the Commissioner of Health’s denial of reimbursement for out-of-pocket personal care expenses because 18 NYCRR 360-7.5 limits reimbursement to errors or delays in eligibility determinations, not failures to provide authorized services. The agency’s interpretation was rational and consistent with the plain language of the regulation, which does not cover service delivery shortages.
March 18, 2026
- Fabia v Power Auth. of the State of N.Y.252 AD3d 217
The court held that the plaintiff’s claims for common-law negligence and violation of Labor Law § 200 are not entirely preempted but may proceed by substituting the federal standard of care. Conversely, claims under Labor Law §§ 240(1) and 241(6) were dismissed because their strict liability standards conflict with federal aviation regulations.
March 12, 2026
- Matter of Hurckes252 AD3d 97
The court granted the Attorney Grievance Committee’s motion for reciprocal discipline, imposing an immediate interim suspension on respondent based on his emergency suspension in Florida. The court found that respondent’s misconduct, including neglect of client matters and false advertising, constituted professional misconduct in New York and that no defenses to reciprocal discipline applied.
- Matter of Chilliest252 AD3d 80
The court granted the Attorney Grievance Committee’s motion for interim suspension based on evidence of misappropriated escrow funds and the respondent’s failure to cooperate with the investigation. Although the court found insufficient evidence of venal intent for intentional conversion, the respondent’s non-cooperation and financial misconduct warranted immediate suspension.
March 9, 2026
- People v R.M.90 Misc 3d 344
The court held that the People’s discovery obligations under CPL 245.20 and 245.50 are not satisfied by assigning discovery from one docket to another without actual separate production. Each docket requires its own certificate of compliance and statement of readiness based on materials relating specifically to that case’s subject matter.
March 5, 2026
- Matter of Ponder252 AD3d 74
The court granted the Attorney Grievance Committee’s motion for reciprocal discipline, disbaring respondent Brian Lamar Ponder from the practice of law in New York. The court found that respondent’s misconduct in Oklahoma, including pursuing frivolous claims and failing to appear for hearings, constituted violations of New York’s Rules of Professional Conduct and warranted disbarment.
- Matter of Jeang252 AD3d 67
The court granted the Attorney Grievance Committee’s motion for reciprocal discipline, disbarbing the respondent from the practice of law in New York. This decision was based on her disbarment in California for willfully misappropriating over $4 million in escrow funds and submitting falsified evidence to the court.
- Matter of Cardillo252 AD3d 61
The court granted the Attorney Grievance Committee’s motion for interim suspension because bank records and testimony provided uncontroverted evidence that the respondent converted client settlement funds belonging to A.C. and replenished the shortfall using funds from another client. The court declined to suspend based on the disputed $4.7 million transaction with X.Z. at this stage, as those issues required credibility assessments and contract interpretation reserved for a full disciplinary hearing.
- Matter of Dunphy252 AD3d 32
The court granted the Attorney Grievance Committee’s motion for reciprocal discipline, imposing a public censure on the respondent for his failure to cooperate with Connecticut disciplinary authorities. The court determined that the respondent’s misconduct in Connecticut also violated New York’s Rules of Professional Conduct and that a public censure was commensurate with the reprimand issued in the foreign jurisdiction.
- Matter of Cantor252 AD3d 27
The court granted the parties’ joint motion for discipline by consent, imposing an 18-month suspension on the respondent for unauthorized practice of law while suspended. The suspension was made effective nunc pro tunc to October 14, 2024, the date the respondent ceased practicing.
- Matter of People v Commons West, LLC252 AD3d 190
The source-of-income discrimination law is facially unconstitutional because it indirectly compels landlords to consent to warrantless searches of their properties and records as a condition of participating in the Section 8 program. This requirement violates landlords’ Fourth Amendment rights, and a voluntary administrative policy does not cure the statute’s facial invalidity.
Also decided
- SCPS, LLC v Kind Law 90 Misc 3d 267 March 31, 2026
- Bedrock Equities LLC v Husain 90 Misc 3d 221 March 30, 2026
- S.H. v S.H. 90 Misc 3d 216 March 26, 2026
- Matter of Spolin 252 AD3d 110 March 24, 2026
- Matter of Patouris 252 AD3d 107 March 24, 2026
- Matter of Lubenesky 252 AD3d 102 March 24, 2026
- People v Levinshon 90 Misc 3d 202 March 23, 2026
- HSBC Bank v Nicholas 252 AD3d 201 March 17, 2026
- Whaley v Higher Educ. Loan Auth. of the State of Mo. 90 Misc 3d 194 March 17, 2026
- PEOPLE v BENDER 45 NY3d 689 March 17, 2026
- Simon Green Inc. v Phillip 90 Misc 3d 183 March 9, 2026
- KAPLAN v LEVINE 89 Misc 3d 1191 March 9, 2026
- P.P.S. v C.J.G. 89 Misc 3d 1154 March 6, 2026
- GUERRERO v MARTUSCELLO 252 AD3d 54 March 5, 2026
- Matter of Henderson 252 AD3d 39 March 5, 2026
- Matter of Bland 252 AD3d 23 March 5, 2026
- GAGLIANO v BD. OF ELECTIONS 90 Misc 3d 353 March 2, 2026
- GILG v MANZELLA 89 Misc 3d 1086 March 2, 2026