JUDGE SHOULD NOT HAVE, SUA SPONTE, VACATED A DEFAULT JUDGMENT IN THE ABSENCE OF A MOTION OR REQUEST, NO APPEAL AS OF RIGHT FROM A SUA SPONTE ORDER (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that the judge did not have the authority to vacate a default judgment in absence of a request for that relief. The First Department treated the notice of appeal as a motion for leave to appeal, noting that a sua sponte order is not appealable as of right:

While an order entered sua sponte is not appealable as of right … , given the lack of evidence of the timeliness of the service of the answer and given the motion court’s failure to identify a legal basis for vacating the prior order, we deem the notice of appeal a motion for leave to appeal, and grant leave … .

The court exceeded its authority in sua sponte vacating the prior order granting plaintiff’s motion for a default judgment … . In the absence of a motion or other request for relief from the order, the court’s discretion to correct the order was limited to curing any mistake, defect or irregularity “not affecting a substantial right of a party” (CPLR 5019[a]). Betts v Tsitiridis, 2019 NY Slip Op 02970, First Dept 4-22-19