A JUDGE CANNOT ENTER A JUDGMENT WHICH DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE ORDER; HERE THE JUDGMENT ELIMINATED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGES AND EXTINGUISHED A DEFENDANT’S LIABILITY (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the judge did not have the power to, sua sponte, enter an judgment which did not conform to its order. The judgment eliminated millions of dollars in damages and extinguished liability with respect to a defendant:

“A written order [or judgment] must conform strictly to the court’s decision, and in the event of an inconsistency between a judgment and a decision or order upon which it is based, the decision or order controls” … . A court exceeds its authority when it sua sponte vacates its prior order, as it “has no revisory or appellate jurisdiction, sua sponte, to vacate its own order” … . Here, the court exceeded its authority in entering the judgment, which effectively reversed or vacated its prior confirmation order without notice. Accordingly, the court is directed to enter a revised judgment that conforms to the confirmation order with respect to damages and liability. Magna Equities II, LLC v Writ Media Group Inc., 2023 NY Slip Op 05320, First Dept 10-19-23

Practice Point: A judge cannot effectively vacate a prior order by entering a judgment which does not conform to the order.