THE CONDITIONAL ORDER OF DISMISSAL DID NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF CPLR 3216 BECAUSE ISSUE WAS NEVER JOINED IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION; THE ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED FOR FAILURE TO PROSECUTE (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the conditional order of dismissal of this foreclosure action did not meet the requirements of CPLR 3216 because issue was never joined. Therefore the action should not have been dismissed:
“‘A court may not dismiss an action based on neglect to prosecute unless the CPLR 3216 statutory preconditions to dismissal are met'” … , including that issue has been joined in the action (see CPLR 3216[b][1] …). Here, the dismissal of the action pursuant to the conditional order of dismissal was improper, since none of the defendants had submitted an answer to the complaint and, thus, issue was never joined … . Central Mtge. Co. v Ango, 2022 NY Slip Op 01286, Second Dept 3-2-22