{
  "id": "prop_ny_sidewalk_common_law_abutting_owner",
  "version": 2,
  "jurisdiction": "us-ny",
  "domain": "torts.sidewalk",
  "title": "Common-law rule: abutting owners are liable only in four situations",
  "valid_from": null,
  "valid_to": null,
  "temporal_notes": [],
  "topics": [
    "abutting_owner_liability",
    "pre_2003_rule",
    "special_use",
    "tree_wells",
    "sidewalk_liability"
  ],
  "status": "VERIFIED",
  "verification": {
    "verified_on": "2026-09-29",
    "methods": [
      "Statement drafted by the editor to restate only what the quoted passages say; each passage was checked against its source as recorded on the linked authority or case.",
      "Checked that every authority and case linked below says what the relationship note claims."
    ],
    "human_review_status": "reviewed",
    "reviewer": null
  },
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": 2,
      "date": "2026-10-25",
      "summary": "Reviewed for source and accuracy."
    }
  ],
  "statement": "Under New York common law, liability for defective public sidewalks generally rests with the municipality, not the abutting owner. The abutting owner is liable only where the sidewalk was built in a special manner for the owner's benefit, the owner affirmatively caused the defect, the owner negligently constructed or repaired the sidewalk, or a local law specifically makes the owner responsible and liable.",
  "scope_notes": [
    "In New York City, § 7-210 is the local law that shifts liability to most abutting owners from September 14, 2003.",
    "The common-law rule still governs where § 7-210 does not apply, such as city-owned tree wells."
  ],
  "passages": [
    {
      "source": "src_cornell_hausser_v_giunta",
      "locator": "88 NY2d at 452-453",
      "text": "Liability to abutting landowners will generally be imposed where the sidewalk was constructed in a special manner for the benefit of the abutting owner ... where the abutting owner affirmatively caused the defect ... where the abutting landowner negligently constructed or repaired the sidewalk ... and where a local ordinance or statute specifically charges an abutting landowner with a duty to maintain and repair the sidewalks and imposes liability for injuries resulting from the breach of that duty"
    }
  ],
  "type": "proposition",
  "source_ids": [],
  "relationship_ids": [
    "rel_common_law_owner_rule_limits_city_liable_pre_2003"
  ],
  "url": "https://agents.newyorkeverydaylawreference.com/proposition/prop_ny_sidewalk_common_law_abutting_owner",
  "cite_as": {
    "id": "prop_ny_sidewalk_common_law_abutting_owner",
    "type": "proposition",
    "version": 2,
    "url": "https://agents.newyorkeverydaylawreference.com/proposition/prop_ny_sidewalk_common_law_abutting_owner",
    "content_hash": "sha256:b61fbec0b564dc838f39d888432a4e1a5eb2076dcf007b57afd100e9571f9269",
    "dataset_version": "2026.10.25"
  },
  "trust": {
    "authority_level": "court_of_last_resort",
    "source_type": "secondary",
    "primary_source": false,
    "verified": true,
    "verification_date": "2026-09-29",
    "source_freshness": "2026-09-29",
    "temporal_status": "timeless",
    "conflict_status": "limited",
    "human_review_status": "reviewed",
    "provenance_complete": true
  },
  "applicability": {
    "as_of": "2026-11-04",
    "applies": true,
    "temporal_status": "timeless",
    "reason": "No date limits are recorded.",
    "status": "VERIFIED"
  },
  "graph": {
    "authorities": [
      {
        "id": "auth_nyc_admin_code_7-210",
        "role": "limits",
        "relationship": "rel_7-210_limits_common_law_owner_rule"
      }
    ],
    "cases": [
      {
        "id": "case_ny_hausser_v_giunta",
        "role": "supports",
        "relationship": "rel_hausser_supports_common_law_owner_rule"
      },
      {
        "id": "case_nyc_landberg_v_city_of_new_york",
        "role": "applies",
        "relationship": "rel_landberg_applies_common_law_owner_rule"
      }
    ],
    "outgoing": [
      {
        "id": "rel_common_law_owner_rule_limits_city_liable_pre_2003",
        "relation": "limits",
        "to": "prop_nyc_sidewalk_city_liable_pre_2003"
      }
    ],
    "incoming": [
      {
        "id": "rel_7-210_limits_common_law_owner_rule",
        "relation": "limits",
        "from": "auth_nyc_admin_code_7-210"
      },
      {
        "id": "rel_hausser_supports_common_law_owner_rule",
        "relation": "supports",
        "from": "case_ny_hausser_v_giunta"
      },
      {
        "id": "rel_landberg_applies_common_law_owner_rule",
        "relation": "applies",
        "from": "case_nyc_landberg_v_city_of_new_york"
      }
    ]
  },
  "provenance": {
    "passages": [
      {
        "source": "src_cornell_hausser_v_giunta",
        "locator": "88 NY2d at 452-453",
        "sha256": "sha256:35e41c41fb8f03f7f8084f0cd4f9d5dada905cfb5e4caf55b2be5ed521374e14",
        "source_url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/nyctap/I96_0103.htm",
        "retrieved": "2026-09-29"
      }
    ]
  },
  "links": {
    "html": "https://agents.newyorkeverydaylawreference.com/proposition/prop_ny_sidewalk_common_law_abutting_owner",
    "json": "https://agents.newyorkeverydaylawreference.com/proposition/prop_ny_sidewalk_common_law_abutting_owner.json",
    "markdown": "https://agents.newyorkeverydaylawreference.com/proposition/prop_ny_sidewalk_common_law_abutting_owner.md",
    "current": "https://agents.newyorkeverydaylawreference.com/proposition/prop_ny_sidewalk_common_law_abutting_owner",
    "versions": [
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      "https://agents.newyorkeverydaylawreference.com/proposition/prop_ny_sidewalk_common_law_abutting_owner/v/2"
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    "schema": "https://agents.newyorkeverydaylawreference.com/schema/proposition.json"
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}