SELF-SERVING AFFIDAVIT FROM DEFENDANT DID NOT REBUT THE PRESUMPTION OF THE VALIDITY OF THE SERVICE OF PROCESS (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined defendant did not rebut the presumption of valid service of process:

… [P]laintiff submitted, in addition to evidence establishing the default of defendant and “proof of the facts constituting the claim” (CPLR 3215 [f] … ), the affidavit of a process server, who averred that he served defendant by delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to the office of the Secretary of State pursuant to Business Corporation Law § 306 (b) (1), and an affidavit of additional mailing establishing that a copy of the summons and complaint was also sent to defendant’s mailing address pursuant to CPLR 3215 (g) (4). In opposition, defendant asserted that it was entitled under CPLR 317 to be relieved from its default in pleading, and defendant submitted an affidavit in which its president averred, insofar as relevant to the issue of service, that defendant had not received the summons and complaint prior to receipt of plaintiff’s initial notice of motion for a default judgment.

… [I]n order to be relieved of a default in pleading under CPLR 317, defendant was required to show, among other things, that it did not receive actual notice of the process in time to defend the action … . It is well settled that a “process server’s affidavit constitute[s] prima facie evidence of proper service on the Secretary of State” … , and thus defendant was required to rebut the presumption of proper service … . Here, the “self-serving affidavit [of defendant’s president], which merely denied receipt, is insufficient to rebut [that] presumption” … . Lechase Constr. Servs., LLC v JM Bus. Assoc. Corp., 2020 NY Slip Op 01977, Fourth Dept 3-20-20