PLAINTIFF’S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH A STATUS CONFERENCE ORDER REQUIRING THE FILING OF AN APPLICATION FOR AN ORDER OF REFERENCE DID NOT JUSTIFY THE SUA SPONTE DISMISSAL OF THE COMPLAINT (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court in this foreclosure action, determined plaintiff’s failure to comply with status conference order to file an application for an order of reference by a date certain did not warrant a sua sponte dismissal of the complaint:
“[A] court’s power to dismiss a complaint, sua sponte, is to be used sparingly and only when extraordinary circumstances exist to warrant dismissal” … . “Here, the plaintiff’s failure to comply with the status conference order directing it to file an application for an order of reference was not a sufficient ground upon which to direct dismissal of the complaint” … . … Supreme Court should have granted those branches of the plaintiff’s motion which were pursuant to CPLR 5015(a) to vacate the dismissal order and to restore the action to the active calendar … . Federal Natl. Mtge. Assn. v Davis, 2025 NY Slip Op 04232, Second Dept 7-23-25
Practice Point: Failure to comply with a status conference order to apply for an order of reference by a certain date does not justify a judge’s sua sponte dismissal of the complaint.
