Minieri v. Knittel
Supreme Court, New York County
727 N.Y.S.2d 872 (2011)
Joanne Minieri (plaintiff) and Marta Knittel (defendant), same-sex domestic partners unable to marry under New York law, were together from 1996 to 1999, during which the higher-earning Minieri added Knittel to several joint financial accounts and titled a Manhattan condo, an East Hampton house, and a car jointly with Knittel, using her own funds for each purchase; Knittel claimed she had agreed to stop working to care for the properties, but the couple documented no agreements in writing. After separating, Minieri sued for a constructive trust over the jointly titled assets, Knittel counterclaimed for partition, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment, and Minieri moved for summary judgment.
Whether a constructive trust may be imposed if there was a confidential relationship, a promise, a transfer in reliance thereon, and unjust enrichment.