THE APPELLANT RAISED A QUESTION OF FACT ABOUT WHETHER SHE WAS SERVED WITH THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT ENTITLING HER TO A HEARING (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the appellant had raised a question of fact about whether she was served with the summons and complaint requiring a hearing:
Here, the process server’s affidavit of service, in which he averred that he personally served the appellant, constituted prima facie evidence of valid service pursuant to CPLR 308(1) … . However, the Supreme Court erred in determining this branch of the motion without first conducting a hearing. The appellant demonstrated her entitlement to a hearing on the issue of service by submitting, among other evidence, her sworn denial, setting forth significant discrepancies between the description of the person allegedly served and the appellant’s physical appearance … . Under these circumstances, the appellant is entitled to a hearing on the issue of whether service was properly effected pursuant to the personal delivery provisions of CPLR 308(1) … . Matter of Rockman v Nassau County Sheriff’s Dept., 2024 NY Slip Op 00770, Second Det 2-14-24
Practice Point: Here, although plaintiff demonstrated proper service of process, the appellant raised a question of fact about whether she in fact was personally served by noting the process server’s description of the person served did not match her appearance.
