A PROPER FOUNDATION WAS NOT PROVIDED FOR THE ADMISSIBILITY OF SOME BUSINESS RECORDS RELIED ON BY THE REFEREE IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION; THE MOTION TO CONFIRM THE REFEREE’S REPORT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the motion to confirm the referee’s report in this foreclosure action should have been denied. A proper foundation had not been provided for the admissibility of some of the business records relied upon by the referee:
Generally, the report of a referee should be confirmed whenever the findings are substantially supported by the record … . Here, the referee computed the amount due to the plaintiff based upon the affidavit of an employee of the plaintiff and certain business records. Although the affiant purported to have personal knowledge of the amounts due and owing on the loan, she averred that this was based upon her review of the plaintiff’s records. “[A] review of records maintained in the normal course of business does not vest an affiant with personal knowledge” … . The affiant also failed to establish a proper foundation for the admission of all of the business records relied upon (see CPLR 4518[a]). “A proper foundation for the admission of a business record must be provided by someone with personal knowledge of the maker’s business practices and procedures” … . Here, the referee’s findings with respect to the total amount due on the note were premised upon a payment history beginning in 2009. The plaintiff, however, did not acquire the note until 2013. The plaintiff’s affiant failed to establish a proper foundation for the admission of the records from 2009 to 2013 … , and, therefore, the referee’s report was not substantially supported by the record. Nationstar Mtge., LLC v Lewis, 2025 NY Slip Op 02789, Second Dept 5-7-25
Practice Point: Reversals in foreclosure proceedings often stem from the failure to provide a proper foundation for the admissibility of business records relied upon by the parties and/or the referee.
