Cornell University is potentially liable for the death of an intoxicated student who ran off the edge of a cliff in the middle of the night, even though the institution would have been immune if the youth had been using the campus hiking path for its intended purpose, a judge has held in denying summary judgment.
Supreme Court Justice Phillip Rumsey (See Profile) in Tompkins County wrote in King v. Cornell University, 2013 NY Slip Op 23278, that General Obligations Law §9-103 grants immunity to landowners who allow the public to use their property, without charge, for recreational activities such as hiking.
