Bill > A09502

This bill modifies existing laws concerning court filing deadlines, specifically related to the "avoiding vexatious overuse of impleading to delay (AVOID) act," which aims to prevent parties from using legal maneuvers solely to stall proceedings. The bill changes the timeframe for a defendant to file a third-party summons and complaint (a legal document bringing another party into a lawsuit) from a tiered system with short deadlines to a single deadline of ninety days after serving their answer, unless a court order is obtained. It also clarifies that no third-party summons and complaint can be filed after a "note of issue" (a document indicating a case is ready for trial) unless there's good cause or it's in the interest of justice. Additionally, the bill adjusts the general timeframe for serving legal documents after a lawsuit begins from 120 days to 120 days, with a special rule for cases with short statutes of limitations. The bill also specifies that these changes apply to all cases commenced on or after its effective date, and that if a third-party action is separated from the main lawsuit, motions to combine them later will not be allowed.

Justice

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A9502