AN ORDER DISMISSING AN ACTION DOES NOT CONCLUDE THE ACTION WHICH CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY FINAL JUDGMENT ENTERED BY THE CLERK; HERE, ALTHOUGH THE ACTION HAD BEEN DISMISSED BY AN ORDER, ABSENT A JUDGMENT THE ACTION REMAINED VIABLE AND THE COURT SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED PLAINTIFF’S POST-DISMISSAL MOTION ON THE MERITS (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Dillon, determined: (1) an order dismissing an action does not terminate the action which can only be accomplished by a judgment; and (2) here, although the action had been dismissed, the action was still viable in the absence of a judgment and plaintiff’s motion for the appointment of a receiver should have been considered on the merits:

… [A]n order of dismissal is not the same as a judgment under CPLR 5011. CPLR 5011 is routinely utilized by practitioners and courts without controversy, as its mechanics are well-understood and not particularly complicated. A judgment is a paper that reflects the resolution of an action or proceeding … . A judgment may be either interlocutory or final. It “shall refer to, and state the result of, the verdict or decision, or recite the default upon which it is based” (CPLR 5011 …). A judgment is entered by the clerk at the conclusion of an action or proceeding (see CPLR 5016[a]). An action is not actually concluded until a final judgment is entered … . HSBC Bank USA, N.A. v Rubin, 2022 NY Slip Op 05682, Second Dept 10-12-22

Practice Point: An order dismissing an action does not conclude the action. Only a final judgment entered by the clerk terminates an action. Here there was an order dismissing the action but no judgment had been entered. Therefore, plaintiff’s post-dismissal motion should have been considered on the merits.