Hearing Required to Determine If Complaint Properly Served
In remitting the case for a hearing to determine whether defendant was properly served with the complaint, the Second Department wrote:
Here, the affidavit of service of the plaintiff’s process server describing service of process on the defendant NES Medical Services of New York, P.C. (hereinafter NES), constituted prima facie evidence of proper service on NES … . In support of that branch of their motion which was pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(8) to dismiss the complaint insofar as asserted against NES on the ground of lack of personal jurisdiction, the appellants submitted an affidavit stating that the person served was neither employed by, nor authorized to accept service for, NES. Where, as here, “there is a sworn denial of service by the defendant, the affidavit of service is rebutted and the plaintiff must establish jurisdiction by a preponderance of the evidence at a hearing” …. Accordingly, the matter must be remitted to the Supreme Court, Kings County, for a hearing on, and a new determination of, that branch of the appellants’ motion which was pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(8) to dismiss the complaint insofar as asserted against NES on the ground of lack of personal jurisdiction. Rosario v NES Med Srvs of NY, PC, 2013 NY Slip Op 02388, 2011-10662, Index No 4465/11, 2nd Dept 4-10-13