On April 23, 2024 a
Summons
was filed
involving a dispute between
Tristan Lee,
and
Cornell University,
Tracey Thompson,
for Commercial - Other (Discrimination)
in the District Court of Tompkins County.
Preview
FILED: TOMPKINS COUNTY CLERK 04/23/2024 01:14 PM INDEX NO. EF2024-0293
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 1 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/23/2024
CI2024-08010 Index # : EF2024-0293
STATE OF NEW YORK
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF TOMPKINS
TRISTAN LEE,
SUMMONS WITH NOTICE
Plaintiff,
-against- Index No.:
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
and TRACEY THOMPSON,
Defendants.
To the Entity/Person(s) Named as Defendant(s) Above:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear in this
action by serving a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff(s) at the address set forth below
within 20 days after the service of this Summons (not counting the day of service itself),
or within 30 days after service is complete if the summons is not delivered personally to
you within the State of New York.
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT should you fail to answer or appear, a judgment
will be entered against you by default for the relief demanded below.
NAME AND ADDRESS OF DEFENDANT(S):
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
The Office of University Counsel
300 CCC Building
Garden Avenue
Ithaca, NY 14853
TRACEY THOMPSON
Administration Registrar
1204C Martha Van Rensselaer Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
NOTICE: The nature of this action is:
- Disability discrimination
- Failure to accommodate disability
- Failure to engage in interactive process
- Americans with Disabilities act
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FILED: TOMPKINS COUNTY CLERK 04/23/2024 01:14 PM INDEX NO. EF2024-0293
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 1 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/23/2024
CI2024-08010 Index #: EF2024-0293
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- New York State Human Rights Law
- Declaratory Judgment/Injunctive relief
Specifically, the plaintiff is an individual with a disability under the law and is a student
at Cornell University. In the fall of 2021, plaintiff’s condition was exacerbated, and he
sought and obtained some accommodations from defendants. However, the defendants
did not engage in any interactive process and plaintiff’s condition continued to deteriorate
to the point that he was unable to complete his studies. Rather than accommodate
plaintiff, defendants took adverse action against plaintiff.
RELIEF SOUGHT
- Attorneys’ fees
- Pain and suffering
- Economic loss
- Attorneys fees
- Injunctive and declaratory relief in the form of revised grades on transcript
together with interest, costs, disbursements, and other equitable relief the Court deems
just and proper.
VENUE: Plaintiff(s) designate(s) Tompkins County as the place of trial. The
basis of this designation is the residence of defendants.
Dated: April 23, 2024
FINN LAW OFFICES
Attorneys for Plaintiff
By:______________________________
Ryan M. Finn, Esq.
P.O. Box 966
Albany, NY 12201
Ph: 518.928.1152
Fax: 518.677.1155
Ryan@LawFinn.com
www.LawFinn.com
2 of 2
Document Filed Date
April 23, 2024
Case Filing Date
April 23, 2024
Category
Commercial - Other (Discrimination)
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FILED: TOMPKINS COUNTY CLERK 04/23/2024 01:14 PM INDEX NO. EF2024-0293 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 1 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/23/2024 CI2024-08010 Index # : EF2024-0293 STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF TOMPKINS TRISTAN LEE, SUMMONS WITH NOTICE Plaintiff, -against- Index No.: CORNELL UNIVERSITY and TRACEY THOMPSON, Defendants. To the Entity/Person(s) Named as Defendant(s) Above: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear in this action by serving a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff(s) at the address set forth below within 20 days after the service of this Summons (not counting the day of service itself), or within 30 days after service is complete if the summons is not delivered personally to you within the State of New York. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT should you fail to answer or appear, a judgment will be entered against you by default for the relief demanded below. NAME AND ADDRESS OF DEFENDANT(S): CORNELL UNIVERSITY The Office of University Counsel 300 CCC Building Garden Avenue Ithaca, NY 14853 TRACEY THOMPSON Administration Registrar 1204C Martha Van Rensselaer Hall Ithaca, NY 14853 NOTICE: The nature of this action is: - Disability discrimination - Failure to accommodate disability - Failure to engage in interactive process - Americans with Disabilities act 1 of 2 FILED: TOMPKINS COUNTY CLERK 04/23/2024 01:14 PM INDEX NO. EF2024-0293 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 1 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/23/2024 CI2024-08010 Index #: EF2024-0293 - Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - New York State Human Rights Law - Declaratory Judgment/Injunctive relief Specifically, the plaintiff is an individual with a disability under the law and is a student at Cornell University. In the fall of 2021, plaintiff’s condition was exacerbated, and he sought and obtained some accommodations from defendants. However, the defendants did not engage in any interactive process and plaintiff’s condition continued to deteriorate to the point that he was unable to complete his studies. Rather than accommodate plaintiff, defendants took adverse action against plaintiff. RELIEF SOUGHT - Attorneys’ fees - Pain and suffering - Economic loss - Attorneys fees - Injunctive and declaratory relief in the form of revised grades on transcript together with interest, costs, disbursements, and other equitable relief the Court deems just and proper. VENUE: Plaintiff(s) designate(s) Tompkins County as the place of trial. The basis of this designation is the residence of defendants. Dated: April 23, 2024 FINN LAW OFFICES Attorneys for Plaintiff By:______________________________ Ryan M. Finn, Esq. P.O. Box 966 Albany, NY 12201 Ph: 518.928.1152 Fax: 518.677.1155 Ryan@LawFinn.com www.LawFinn.com 2 of 2