Prepayment Service Agreement Does Not Constitute a Debt that is Subject to a Restraining Notice Pursuant to CPLR 5222 (b)

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Rivera, determined that “an at-will, prepayment service agreement, which lacks any obligation to continue services or a commitment to engage in future dealings, [does not] constitute[] a property interest or debt subject to a CPLR 5222 (b) restraining notice:”

The Appellate Division here affirmed the Supreme Court’s findings of fact, which are supported by the record (see Karger, Powers of the New York Court of Appeals § 13:10, at 489 [3d ed. rev.][facts affirmed by the Appellate Division with evidentiary support are “conclusive and binding on the Court”]). The affirmed findings established that [defendant] prepaid for its service, and as such, there was no debt past due or yet to become due under the definition of CPLR 5201 (a). The only remaining issue is whether [defendant’s] oral agreement with GNAPs [a telephone switch service agreement which defendant decided weekly whether to continue] is an attachable property interest subject to restraint.  …[B]ecause [defendant] prepaid for services to be provided by GNAPs on a week-to-week basis, without any commitment or promise for additional services, or any assurance of a continued purchase of services, [defendant] neither owed any debt to, nor possessed any property of, GNAPs that could be subject to a restraint notice. Similarly, because [defendant’s] payments to GNAPs constitute neither a debt nor a present or future property interest, CPLR 5201 (a) and (b) are not applicable.  Verizon…v Transcom…, No 70, CtApp, 5-2-13