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ONE DEFENDANT PROVED HE DID NOT RESIDE AT THE ADDRESS WHERE SERVICE OF PROCESS WAS MADE; AND PLAINTIFF FAILED TO PROVE THE PROCESS SERVER EXERCISED “DUE DILIGENCE” IN ATTEMPTING TO SERVE THE OTHER DEFENDANT BEFORE RESORTING TO NAIL AND MAIL; DEFAULT JUDGMENT VACATED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the default judgments against De La Cruz-Ramos and Mosquea should have been vacated. De La Cruz-Ramos proved he did not reside at the address where service of process was made. And plaintiff did not prove the process server exercised due diligence in serving Mosquea before resorting to “nail and mail.” The attempts to serve Mosquea were all made during working hours:

De La Cruz-Ramos [submitted] his own affidavit averring that he had moved from the address where service was made, as well as a lease confirming that he had moved before the date of service … . * * *

Mosquea contends that the service was defective because the process server did not exercise “due diligence” in seeking to effectuate service on defendant before resorting to nail-and-mail service (CPLR 308[4]). Generally, a plaintiff can establish diligence by providing an affidavit of service indicating efforts to serve the defendant at her residence on three different occasions, at different times of day … . As Mosquea argues, however, all of the dates of attempted personal service upon him were during the work week and during normal business hours in the same afternoon window. Thus, plaintiff did not establish the due diligence necessary to resort to nail and mail service … . Unitrin Safeguard Ins. Co. v Della-Noce, 2026 NY Slip Op 00601, First Dept 2-5-26

Practice Point: Here the process server made three attempts to serve a defendant at the same time of day, during work hours. The process server, therefore, did not exercise “due diligence” before resorting to nail and mail.

 

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