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HERE IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, PLAINTIFF FILED A REQUEST FOR JUDICIAL INTERVENTION SEEKING A SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE WITHIN ONE YEAR OF DEFENDANT’S DEFAULT; THEREFORE PLAINTIFF NEED NOT PROVIDE A REASONABLE EXCUSE FOR THE DELAY OR DEMONSTRATE A MERITORIOUS CAUSE OF ACTION TO AVOID DISMISSAL FOR ABANDONMENT PURSUANT TO CPLR 3215(C); ANY FURTHER DELAYS AFTER THE REQUEST FOR JUDICIAL INTERVENTION ARE IRRELEVANT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court’s sua sponte dismissal of the complaint in this foreclosure action, determined plaintiff did not abandon the action because it filed a request for judicial intervention seeking a settlement conference within one year of defendant’s default:

Pursuant to CPLR 3215(c), “[i]f the plaintiff fails to take proceedings for the entry of judgment within one year after the default, the court shall not enter judgment but shall dismiss the complaint as abandoned . . . unless sufficient cause is shown why the complaint should not be dismissed.” “To avoid dismissal pursuant to CPLR 3215(c), it is not necessary for a plaintiff to actually obtain a default judgment within one year of the default. Rather, as long as ‘proceedings’ are being taken, and these proceedings manifest an intent not to abandon the case but to seek a judgment, the case should not be subject to dismissal” … . The filing of a request for judicial intervention that seeks a residential mortgage foreclosure settlement conference as mandated by CPLR 3408 constitutes the taking of proceedings under CPLR 3215(c) … . * * *

Since the plaintiff demonstrated that it initiated proceedings for the entry of a judgment of foreclosure and sale within one year after [the] default, it was not required to proffer a reasonable excuse or demonstrate a potentially meritorious cause of action … . Furthermore, “once the plaintiff established that it had initiated proceedings for the entry of a judgment within one year after the defendants’ default, it was in compliance with CPLR 3215(c) and it was not required, under the plain language of that subdivision, to account for any additional periods of delay that may have occurred subsequent to the initial one-year period contemplated by CPLR 3215(c)” … . Aurora Loan Servs., LLC v Miller, 2026 NY Slip Op 05153, Second Dept 9-2-26

Practice Point: If, in a foreclosure action, plaintiff files a request for judicial intervention and a settlement conference within one year of defendant’s default, plaintiff need not provide an excuse for the delay or demonstrate a meritorious cause of action to avoid dismissal of the complaint as abandoned pursuant to CPLR 3215(c). Once proceedings have been taken within one year of default, any further delays after the taking of proceedings are irrelevant to any claim of abandonment.

 

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PETITIONERS DID NOT LEARN OF THE BABY’S MEDICAL CONDITION UNTIL SIX MONTHS AFTER THE INDUCED LABOR; PETITIONERS REQUESTED LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM FOR MEDICAL MALPRACTICE; ALTHOUGH THE HOSPITAL DID NOT HAVE TIMELY KNOWLEDGE OF THE ESSENCE OF THE CLAIM, THE HOSPITAL DID NOT DEMONSTRATE ANY PREJUDICE FROM THE DELAY BECAUSE THE MEDICAL ISSUES WERE FULLY DOCUMENTED; THE REQUEST TO FILE A LATE NOTICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined petitioners’ request for leave to file a late notice of claim in this medical malpractice action should have been granted. Petitioner mother did not learn of her child’s medical condition until six months after her discharge from the hospital after labor was induced. Mother therefore had a reasonable excuse for failure to timely file a notice of claim. Although the hospital did not have timely knowledge of the nature of the claim, the hospital did not demonstrate any prejudice from the delay because the relevant issues were fully documented:

… [T]he court, in its discretion, must consider all relevant facts and circumstances, including, but not limited to, whether (1) the claimant demonstrated a reasonable excuse for the failure to serve a timely notice of claim, (2) the public corporation acquired actual knowledge of the essential facts constituting the claim within 90 days after the claim arose or a reasonable time thereafter, and (3) the delay would substantially prejudice the public corporation in its defense” … . Another factor to consider is whether the claimant was an infant at the time the claim arose and whether there is a nexus between infancy and delay in service … , which was the case here. “‘[T]he presence or absence of any one factor is not determinative'” … .

Here, the petitioners established a reasonable excuse for the delay, to wit, the serious medical condition of the infant petitioner, which required numerous medical appointments while the condition of the infant petitioner was being assessed … . The petitioners failed to demonstrate that NYCHHC had actual knowledge of the facts underlying the claim within 90 days after the claim arose or a reasonable time thereafter, since the hospital’s records did not evidence that the medical staff, by its acts or omissions, inflicted an injury attributable to malpractice … . However, “[s]ince the conduct at issue was fully documented in the medical records, the petitioner[s] made an initial showing that NYCHHC was not prejudiced by the delay in serving the notice of claim … , and, in response, the NYCHHC made no showing of prejudice” … . Matter of Caceres v NYC Health & Hosps., 2026 NY Slip Op 05182, Second Dept 9-2-26

Practice Point: Here the request to file a late notice of claim was granted despite the fact that the hospital did not have timely notice of the essence of the medical malpractice claim. Petitioners had a reasonable excuse for the delay and the hospital did not demonstrate any prejudice caused by the delay.

 

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DEFENDANT TREATING NEUROLOGIST INDICATED ON A DMV FORM FOR REINSTATEMENT OF THE PATIENT-DRIVER’S LICENSE THAT THE DRIVER’S LAST SEIZURE WAS TWO YEARS BEFORE WHEN, IN FACT, THE LAST SEIZURE WAS FOUR MONTHS BEFORE; TWO MONTHS AFTER REINSTATEMENT OF THE LICENSE, THE DRIVER HAD A SEIZURE-RELATED ACCIDENT IN WHICH PLAINTIFFS’ DECEDENTS DIED; THE ACTION AGAINST THE NEUROLOGIST SOUNDED IN ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE, NOT MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, AND WAS THEREFORE TIMELY BROUGHT (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Higgitt, determined the action sounded in negligence, not medical malpractice, rendering the action timely brought. Defendant neurologist was treating the non-party driver for seizures. In filling out a NYS Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) form for reinstatement of the driver’s license, defendant stated that the driver’s last seizure was about two years before, when in fact the last seizure was four months before. To be entitled to reinstatement of the driver’s license, the driver must have been free of seizures for the previous 12 months. Two months after the driver’s license was reinstated, the driver had a seizure which resulted in a horrific traffic accident in which two people died. The lawsuit was brought by their estates:

… [P]laintiffs’ survival-action claims, premised on the theory that Dr. Avila erroneously recorded the date of the driver’s last seizure in the DMV form, which error led to the DMV reinstating the driver’s license, sound in ordinary negligence. The crux of the survival-action claims is not Dr. Avila’s negligence in furnishing medical treatment to the driver; rather, the essence of the claims is that Dr. Avila failed to fulfill a different duty. The nature of the act underlying those claims — transcribing a date from a treatment note to a governmental administration form — “is more administrative than medical in nature” … . Because the act underpinning the survival-action claims is administrative in nature, jurors can use their common everyday experience to evaluate whether Dr. Avila exercised due care … . That a physician made the alleged administrative error does not transform the claim from one sounding in ordinary negligence to one for medical malpractice; the characterization of a particular claim depends not on the title of the actor but on the nature of the challenged act … .

Ultimately, the core issue related to plaintiffs’ survival-action claims — whether Dr. Avila failed to exercise due care in recording a fact on the DMV form — may not implicate questions of medical competence or judgment regarding the treatment of the driver … . Unlike the inquiry on a medical malpractice claim, whether Dr. Avila breached his duty to exercise due care in recording a fact on the DMV form does not depend on an analysis of the medical treatment rendered to the driver … . Lafferty v Avila, 2026 NY Slip Op 05147, First Dept 8-27-26

Practice Point: If a jury does not need to analyze the medical treatment rendered by a doctor to determine a doctor’s negligence, the action does not sound in medical malpractice and is subject to a three-year statute of limitations for ordinary negligence.

 

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DEFENDANTS DID NOT SUBMIT AN AFFIRMATION DEMONSTRATING A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO RESOLVE THE DISCOVERY ISSUES; DEFENDANTS, IN THEIR MOTION TO PRECLUDE THE PLAINTIFF FROM PRESENTING EVIDENCE AS A DISCOVERY SANCTION, DID NOT DEMONSTRATE PLAINTIFF’S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH COURT-ORDERED DISCOVERY WAS “WILLFUL AND CONTUMACIOUS;” DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO PRECLUDE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendants’ motion to preclude plaintiff from offering evidence or responding to a dispositive motion as a discovery sanction should not have been granted for two reasons: (1) the defendants did not submit an affirmation demonstrating a good faith effort to resolve the discovery issues (22 MYCRR 202.t(a)); and (2), the defendants failed to demonstrate plaintiff’s failure to comply with court-ordered discovery was willful and contumacious:

‘Pursuant to CPLR 3126, a court may impose discovery sanctions, including the . . . preclusion of evidence, where a party “refuses to obey an order for disclosure or willfully fails to disclose information which the court finds ought to have been disclosed”‘” … . “Before a court invokes the drastic remedy of precluding a party from offering evidence at trial, there must be a clear showing that the failure to comply with court-ordered discovery was willful and contumacious” … . Here, the defendants failed to make a clear showing of a willful and contumacious failure by the plaintiff to comply with discovery demands. The defendants’ motion papers failed to identify precisely what discovery was demanded and never provided. In addition, the August 2022 order only referred vaguely to, among other things, “authorizations,” and the March 2024 order directed the plaintiff to submit “complete responses” to the defendants’ combined discovery demands without any indication of the nature of the alleged outstanding discovery. Under the circumstances, the defendants failed to make the requisite showing justifying the Supreme Court’s imposition of the subject discovery sanctions … . Noh Soon Park v Food Bazaar Supermarket, 2026 NY Slip Op 05108, Second Dept 8-26-26

Practice Point: Consult this decision for insight into what a defendant must demonstrate to win a motion to preclude the plaintiff from presenting evidence as a sanction for failure to comply with court-ordered discovery.

 

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HERE SUPREME COURT PROPERLY FOUND THERE WAS “GOOD CAUSE SHOWN” FOR AN EXTENSION OF TIME FOR SERVICE OF THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT AND THE EXTENSION WAS PROPERLY GRANTED BEFORE THE TRAVERSE HEARING ON THE INITIAL ATTEMPT AT SERVICE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Lasalle, determined the judge properly granted plaintiff an extension of time to serve the summons and complaint for “good cause shown. ” pursuant to CPLR 306-b. In addition, the judge properly granted the extension before holding the traverse hearing to determine the validity of the initial service of process:

… Supreme Court properly determined that the plaintiff established good cause. The plaintiff established reasonable diligence in ascertaining Brown’s [defendant’s] address. The plaintiff’s counsel reasonably relied upon the representation made by Brown in response to the information subpoena, and counsel confirmed those representations by conducting database inquiries. Moreover, the process server established that he acted with reasonable diligence in effecting service. In response, …

… Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in granting relief pursuant to CPLR 306-b before holding the traverse hearing [re: the initial attempt at service].. CPLR 306-b does not contain any language stating that a court must decide whether an initial attempt at service of process was valid before granting an extension of time to re-attempt service … . A court may, in the interests of judicial economy, grant an extension before holding a traverse hearing … . M&T Bank v Global Sign Cleaning & Maintenance, Inc., 2026 NY Slip Op 05092, Second Dept 8-25-26

Practice Point: This opinion fleshes out the criteria for an extension of time to serve the summons and complaint “for good cause shown” pursuant to CPLR 306-b.

 

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THE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED; THE “LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS” ELEMENT WAS NOT ADEQUATELY DEMONSTRATED BY ALLEGATIONS MADE BASED ON “INFORMATION AND BELIEF;” AND THE “IRREPARABLE HARM” ELEMENT WAS NOT DEMONSTRATED BECAUSE PLAINTIFF DID NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE INJURY COULD NOT BE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED BY MONEY DAMAGES (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the criteria for a preliminary injunction were not met. The “likelihood of success” element was not demonstrated by allegations based upon “information and belief.” In addition plaintiff did not demonstrate the “irreparable harm” element because plaintiff failed to explain why money damages would not adequately compensate for the injury:

In an affidavit in support of the motion for a preliminary injunction, the plaintiff’s statements … were made only upon “information and belief,” and the plaintiff submitted no evidence … .

The plaintiff also failed to establish irreparable harm. To establish irreparable harm, the plaintiff must demonstrate an injury for which money damages are insufficient … . Here, the plaintiff attested in his affidavit that, if the defendant were permitted to enforce the agreement, the defendant would be entitled to 100% of the plaintiff’s business’s revenue and the business would inevitably cease operation. The plaintiff … failed to demonstrate that this injury could not be adequately compensated by money damages. Culp v Silverline Servs., Inc., 2026 NY Slip Op 05077, Second Dept 8-26-26

 

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A JUDGE DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DISMISS AN ACTION FOR “NEGLECT TO PROSECUTE” UNLESS THE STATUTORY PREREQUISITES FOR DISMISSAL SPELLED OUT IN CPLR 3216 ARE MET (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the judge should not have, sua sponte, dismissed the action for “neglect to prosecute.” CPLR 3216 spells out the conditions which must be met before dismissal of an action is appropriate:

The October 2024 order directed the plaintiff to file a note of issue 10 days prior to the inquest and noted that “[t]he failure to file a Note of Issue as directed or appear as directed may be deemed an abandonment of the claims giving rise to the Inquest.”

The plaintiff did not file the note of issue by the date of the inquest. In an order entered February 4, 2025, the Supreme Court, pursuant to the October 2024 order, sua sponte, directed dismissal of the action with prejudice. The plaintiff appeals.

“A court may not dismiss an action based on neglect to prosecute unless the CPLR 3216 statutory preconditions to dismissal are met” … . Pursuant to CPLR 3216(b), an action cannot be dismissed pursuant to CPLR 3216(a) “unless a written demand is served upon ‘the party against whom such relief is sought’ in accordance with the statutory requirements, along with a statement that the ‘default by the party upon whom such notice is served in complying with such demand within said ninety day period will serve as a basis for a motion by the party serving said demand for dismissal as against him [or her] for unreasonably neglecting to proceed'” … . The statute also requires “where, as here, a written demand to resume prosecution of the action is made by the court, ‘the demand shall set forth the specific conduct constituting the neglect, which conduct shall demonstrate a general pattern of delay in proceeding with the litigation'” … .

Here, the Supreme Court was without power to, sua sponte, direct dismissal of the action pursuant to CPLR 3216, as the statutory prerequisites for dismissal under that statute were not met … . Avanza Group, LLC v Bugz Innovations, LLC, 2026 NY Slip Op 05068, SEcond Dept 8-26-26

Practice Point: Absent fulfilling the prerequisites for dismissal of an action for “neglect to prosecute” spelled out in CPLR 3216 a judge does not have the authority to dismiss on that ground.

 

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HERE THE COMPLAINT WAS DISMISSED BECAUSE COUNSEL REFUSED TO PROCEED WITH THE TRIAL ON A PARTICULAR DAY; THAT SINGLE INCIDENT DID NOT AMOUNT TO “NEGLECT TO PROSECUTE;” THEREFORE PLAINTIFF WAS ENTITLED TO THE SIX-MONTH EXTENSION FOR FILING A NEW COMPLAINT (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that the timely-commenced slip and fall case was not dismissed for failure to prosecute and the default did not constitute a determination on the merits. Therefore plaintiff’s filing of a new complaint within six months of the dismissal was timely:

When a prior action was timely commenced and dismissed on grounds other than voluntarily discontinuance, lack of personal jurisdiction, neglect to prosecute, or the entry of a final judgment on the merits, “CPLR 205(a) effectively tolls the running of a statutory period to permit refiling within six months” of the termination of the prior action … . Here, it is not disputed that the first action was timely commenced and that this action was commenced within six months of its termination.

… [T]he first action was not dismissed for “neglect to prosecute” within the meaning of CPLR 205(a). Where the dismissal of a prior action was for neglect to prosecute, in order to serve as a bar to the savings provision of CPLR 205(a), the court must have “set forth on the record the specific conduct constituting the neglect, which conduct shall demonstrate a general pattern of delay in proceeding with the litigation” … . Although the Supreme Court here set forth on the record that the plaintiff’s counsel had refused to proceed with the trial on one particular day, such conduct did not demonstrate a general “pattern” of delay in proceeding with the litigation so as to preclude application of CPLR 205(a) … .

Moreover, also contrary to the defendant’s contention, “dismissal of an action for a default pursuant to 22 NYCRR 202.27 does not constitute a determination on the merits” … . Thus, the six-month extension afforded by CPLR 205(a) was applicable, and the instant action was timely commenced. Rivera v Waterview Towers, Inc., 2026 NY Slip Op 05041, Second Dept 8-19-26

Practice Point: To constitute a dismissal for failure to prosecute, the judge must place on the record the specific conduct demonstrating a general pattern of delay. Here the complaint was dismissed because counsel refused to proceed to trial on a particular day. That was not a dismissal for “failure to prosecute” and the six-month extension for filing a new complaint was available.

 

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THE JUDGE DISMISSED FATHER’S NEW YORK CUSTODY PETITION BECAUSE MOTHER HAD PREVIOUSLY COMMENCED A CUSTODY PROCEEDING IN FLORIDA; BECAUSE THE JUDGE DID NOT FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE MANDATED BY THE UNIFORM CHILD CUSTODY JURISDICTION AND ENFORCEMENT ACT, THE MATTER WAS REMITTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversed Family Court and remitted the matter. The Family Court judge dismissed the father’s New York custody petition on the ground mother had previously commenced a custody proceeding in Florida where she and the child resided. The judge, however, did not follow the procedures mandated by the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act which must precede a ruling that one of the two courts is the most appropriate forum:

Pursuant to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (see Domestic Relations Law article 5-A), a New York court “may not exercise its jurisdiction” in a child custody proceeding “if, at the time of the commencement of the proceeding, a proceeding concerning the custody of the child has been commenced in a court of another state having jurisdiction substantially in conformity with [Domestic Relations Law article 5-A], unless the proceeding has been terminated or is stayed by the court of the other state because a court of this state is a more convenient forum” (Domestic Relations Law § 76-e[1] …). “If the court determines that a child custody proceeding has been commenced in a court in another state having jurisdiction substantially in accordance with [Domestic Relations Law article 5-A], the court of this state shall stay its proceeding and communicate with the court of the other state” (Domestic Relations Law § 76-e[2]; see Domestic Relations Law § 77-f …). “If the court of the state having jurisdiction substantially in accordance with [Domestic Relations Law article 5-A] does not determine that the court of this state is a more appropriate forum, the court of this state shall dismiss the proceeding” (Domestic Relations Law § 76-e[2] …).

A court, acting pursuant to these provisions, must make a record of its communications with a court of another state on substantive matters, must promptly inform the parties of the communication, and grant the parties access to the record (see Domestic Relations Law § 75-i[4] …). The court may, in its discretion, allow the parties to participate in the communication, but “[i]f the parties are not able to participate in the communication, they must be given the opportunity to present facts and legal arguments before a decision on jurisdiction is made” (Domestic Relations Law § 75-i[2] …). Matter of Adames v Digangi, 2026 NY Slip Op 05022, Second Dept 8-19-26

Practice Point: Consult this decision for an explanation of the statutory procedure mandated when a judge must decide which of two forums is appropriate for a custody proceeding. Here mother commenced a custody proceeding in Florida and father subsequently commenced a custody proceeding in New York.

 

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THE TOWN PLACED A $24,000 LIEN ON PLAINTIFF’S PROPERTY FOR REPAIR WORK DONE BY THE TOWN BEFORE THE PROPERTY WAS TRANSFERRED TO PLAINTIFF; PLAINTIFF BROUGHT A PROCEDURAL-DUE-PROCESS ACTION AGAINST THE TOWN (42 USC 1983); THE ACTION FAILED BECAUSE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF A CPLR ARTICLE 78 PROCEEDING (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the town was entitled to summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s 42 USC 1983 action alleging a violation of procedural due process. Plaintiff, after purchasing the property, was assessed over $24,000 for repairs to the property paid for by the town and necessitated by the prior owner’s failure to maintain the property. The procedural due process claim failed because plaintiff had the option of bringing an Article 78 proceeding:

“Procedural due process imposes constraints on governmental decisions which deprive individuals of ‘liberty’ or ‘property’ interests within the meaning of the Due Process Clause of the Fifth or Fourteenth Amendment” … . “‘Due process is flexible and calls for such procedural protections as the particular situation demands'” … . In determining what due process requires in a specific context, courts consider “(1) the private interest that will be affected by the official action; (2) the risk of an erroneous deprivation of such interest through the procedures used, and the probable value, if any, of additional or substitute procedural safeguards; and (3) the government’s interest, including the function involved and the fiscal and administrative burdens that the additional or substitute procedural requirement would entail” … .

Here, although the plaintiff’s property interest was affected by the special assessment and lien, the risk of erroneous deprivation was remedied by the availability of a proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 … . Accordingly, the Town demonstrated, prima facie, that it did not deprive the plaintiff of due process … . First Sovereign Equity Group, Inc. v Town of Smithtown, 2026 NY Slip Op 04928, Second Dept 8-12-26

Practice Point: Here the risk of erroneous deprivation of plaintiff’s property by the town was remedied by the availability of a CPLR article 78 proceeding. Therefore the criteria for a viable procedural-due-process action against the town were not met.