THE PROCESS SERVER DID NOT EXERCISE DUE DILIGENCE IN ATTEMPTING TO SERVE DEFENDANT BEFORE RESORTING TO NAIL AND MAIL; THE PROCESS SERVER WAS AWARE OF DEFENDANT’S PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT BUT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO SERVE DEFENDANT THERE (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the process server did not exercise due diligence in attempting to serve the defendant before resortinng to nail and mail. Defendant’s motion to vacate the default judgment should have been granted:

“CPLR 308 requires that service be attempted by personal delivery of the summons ‘to the person to be served’ … , or by delivery ‘to a person of suitable age and discretion at the actual place of business, dwelling place or usual place of abode’ … ” …. “Service pursuant to CPLR 308(4) may be resorted to only where personal service pursuant to CPLR 308(1) and (2) ‘cannot be made with due diligence'” …. “The due diligence requirement of CPLR 308(4) must be strictly observed, given the reduced likelihood that a summons served pursuant to that section will be received. What constitutes due diligence is determined on a case-by-case basis, focusing not on the quantity of the attempts at personal delivery, but on their quality” … . “The due diligence requirement may be met with a few visits on different occasions and at different times to the defendant’s residence or place of business when the defendant could reasonably be expected to be found at such location at those times” … . “Additionally, ‘[f]or the purpose of satisfying the due diligence requirement of CPLR 308(4), it must be shown that the process server made genuine inquiries about the defendant’s whereabouts and place of employment'” … .

Here, the plaintiff failed to demonstrate that the process server acted with due diligence before resorting to affix and mail service pursuant to CPLR 308(4) … . The process server averred that he made two prior attempts to personally serve the defendant at the property before affixing the summons and complaint to the door. However, there was no indication in the record that the process server made any genuine inquiries about the defendant’s whereabouts or place of business … . Moreover, the record reflects that the plaintiff was aware of the defendant’s employment address as of the commencement of the action, but no attempts were made to serve the defendant at his place of employment … . Castro v Castro, 2026 NY Slip Op 03287, Second Dept 5-27-26

Practice Point: Here the process server was aware of where defendant worked but did not attempt to serve defendant there before resorting to nail and mail. The process server failed to exercise due diligence and the default judgment against defendant was vacated.