THE ACTION TO ENFORCE THE POSTNUPTIAL AGREEMENT WAS GOVERNED BY THE THREE-YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS IN THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS LAW, NOT THE SIX-YEAR CONTRACT STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS IN CPLR 213; THEREFORE THE ACTION WAS TIME-BARRED (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the statute of limitations with respect to the enforcement of a postnuptial agreement is that provided for in Domestic Relations Law 250, not the six-year statute of limitations for contract actions generally:
… [T]he six-year statute of limitations that pertains to breach of contract causes of action (see CPLR 213[2]) is not applicable. Rather, the applicable statute of limitations is provided for in Domestic Relations Law § 250. Pursuant to Domestic Relations Law § 250, the statute of limitations for claims arising from prenuptial and postnuptial agreements is three years and that period is tolled, as relevant here, until process has been served in a matrimonial action. The language of the statute makes it broadly applicable to claims arising from prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, such that it applies equally where a party seeks to invalidate the agreement and where a party seeks to enforce it … .
Here, the defendant did not assert his claim to enforce the postnuptial agreement until more than 4½ years after he was served with process in the matrimonial action. Accordingly, the defendant’s claim is untimely, and should have been rejected. Washiradusit v Athonvarangkul, 2020 NY Slip Op 03562, Second Dept 6-24-20