Statute of Limitations to Reopen Tax Foreclosure Default Judgment Applies In Face of the Claim that Respondent Was Never Notified of the Proceeding

The Fourth Department determined the one month statute of limitations for a motion to reopen a default judgment of tax foreclosure applied even where the respondent asserts he or she was not notified of the proceeding:

We agree with petitioner, however, that respondent’s motion was untimely. “A motion to reopen a default judgment of tax foreclosure ‘may not be brought later than one month after entry of the judgment’ ” … . Here, the judgment of foreclosure was entered on March 31, 2010, and respondent did not move to vacate it until September 12, 2011, nearly 18 months after it was entered. Contrary to respondent’s contention, the statute of limitations set forth in RPTL 1131 applies even where, as here, the property owner asserts that he or she was not notified of the foreclosure proceeding … .  Matter of Foreclosure of Tax Liens …, 353. 12-01666, 4th Dept. 3-22-13