ASHI-GTO Associates v. Irvington Pediatrics, P.A., etc., A-5054-08T2, A-5265-08T2; Appellate Division; opinion by Wefing, P.J.A.D.; decided and approved for publication July 15, 2010. Before Judges Wefing, Grall and LeWinn. On appeal from the Law Division, Essex County, L-3867-99. DDS No. 27-2-8624 [15 pp.]
These two appeals, consolidated for purposes of this opinion, both flow from a landlord-tenant dispute between the parties. Defendant Irvington Pediatrics, P.A., and its principal Bernier Lauredan, M.D., signed a seven-year lease in 1995 to lease first-floor office space from plaintiff ASHI-GTO Associates. Plaintiff’s principal, Clifford Lisman, D.M.D., conducted a pediatric dental practice on the second floor. In 1999, Lauredan abandoned the premises and plaintiff filed suit for unpaid rent. Lauredan similarly abandoned office space in Perth Amboy that he leased from plaintiff, resulting in a suit in Middlesex County for unpaid rent. The parties agreed to binding arbitration and dismissed both matters with prejudice. Arbitration, however, did not proceed and plaintiff successfully moved to reinstate both matters.
