LAW OFFICE FAILURE DEEMED A REASONABLE EXCUSE, DEFAULT JUDGMENT VACATED.

The First Department determined law office failure was a proper basis for vacating a default judgment (the underlying case was deemed meritorious):

Under certain circumstances, law office failure may provide a reasonable excuse for a default … . At oral argument, respondents essentially conceded that, in this e-filed case, their office failed to regularly check its email and, as a result, was unaware of the motion court’s order that gave rise to the default. Respondents’ excuse was sufficiently particularized and there is no evidence of wilful or contumacious conduct on their part … . Matter of Rivera v New York City Dept. of Sanitation, 2016 NY Slip Op 05837, 1st Dept 8-18-16

CIVIL PROCEDURE (LAW OFFICE FAILURE DEEMED A REASONABLE EXCUSE, DEFAULT JUDGMENT VACATED)/DEFAULT JUDGMENT (LAW OFFICE FAILURE DEEMED A REASONABLE EXCUSE, DEFAULT JUDGMENT VACATED)/LAW OFFICE FAILURE (LAW OFFICE FAILURE DEEMED A REASONABLE EXCUSE, DEFAULT JUDGMENT VACATED)