Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Guerrero

189 A.D.3d 1669

139 N.Y.S.3d 314

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., etc., respondent,

v.Adriana GUERRERO, appellant, et al., defendants.

2018–12021

Index No. 30262/07

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, New York.

Argued—October 8, 2020

December 30, 2020

Young Law Group, PLLC, Bohemia, N.Y. (Ivan E. Young of counsel), for appellant.

Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC, Rochester, N.Y. (Austin T. Shufelt of counsel), for respondent.

REINALDO E. RIVERA, J.P., CHERYL E. CHAMBERS, ROBERT J. MILLER, VALERIE BRATHWAITE NELSON, JJ.

DECISION & ORDER

In an action to foreclose a mortgage, the defendant Adriana Guerrero appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Darrell L. Gavrin, J.), dated June 14, 2018. The order denied the motion of the defendant Adriana Guerrero, inter alia, pursuant to CPLR 5015(a)(4) to vacate a judgment of foreclosure and sale of the same court entered March 3, 2017, and an order of reference of the same court (Joseph G. Golia, J.) dated August 12, 2008, entered upon that defendant's failure to appear or answer the complaint, to set aside the foreclosure sale of the subject property, and pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(8) to dismiss the complaint insofar as asserted against her for lack of personal jurisdiction or, alternatively, to hold a hearing to determine the validity of service of process.

ORDERED that the order dated June 14, 2018, is reversed, on the law, with costs, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Queens County, for a hearing to determine the validity of service of process upon the defendant Adriana Guerrero, and for a new determination thereafter of that defendant's motion pursuant to CPLR 5015(a)(4) to vacate the judgment of foreclosure and sale and the order of reference, to set aside the foreclosure sale, and pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(8) to dismiss the complaint insofar as asserted against her for lack of personal jurisdiction.

In 2007, the plaintiff commenced this action to foreclose the subject mortgage against among others, the defendant Adriana Guerrero (hereinafter the defendant). In February 2008, the defendant purportedly was served with process pursuant to CPLR 308(4). After the defendant's time to appear or answer the complaint had expired, the plaintiff moved, inter alia, for leave to enter a default judgment and for an order of reference. In an order dated August 12, 2008, the Supreme Court granted the plaintiff's unopposed motion. A judgment of foreclosure and sale was entered on March 3, 2017, and the property was sold thereafter.

The defendant moved pursuant to CPLR 5015(a)(4) to vacate the judgment of foreclosure and sale, and the order of reference, both entered upon her default, to set aside the foreclosure sale, and pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(8) to dismiss the complaint insofar as asserted against her for lack of personal jurisdiction or, alternatively, for a hearing to determine the validity of the plaintiff's purported service. The Supreme Court denied the motion. The defendant appeals.

CPLR 5015(a)(4) provides that "[t]he court which rendered a judgment or order may relieve a party from it upon such terms as may be just," upon the ground of, inter alia, "lack of jurisdiction to render the judgment or order." "A default must be vacated once the movant demonstrates a lack of personal jurisdiction, and the movant is relieved of any obligation to demonstrate a reasonable excuse for the default and a potentially meritorious defense" ( Wells Fargo Bank, NA v. Spaulding, 177 A.D.3d 817, 818, 111 N.Y.S.3d 118 ; see Rabinowitz v. Rabinowitz, 137 A.D.3d 884, 885, 28 N.Y.S.3d 70 ). "The court does not have personal jurisdiction over a defendant when a plaintiff fails to properly effectuate service of process. In those instances in which process has not been served upon a defendant, all subsequent proceedings will be rendered null and void" ( Washington Mut. Bank v. Murphy, 127 A.D.3d 1167, 1173–1174, 10 N.Y.S.3d 95 [citations omitted]; see Bank of N.Y. Mellon v. Lawson, 176 A.D.3d 1155, 1156–1157, 111 N.Y.S.3d 337 ).

"Service of process upon a natural person must be made in strict compliance with the statutory methods of service set forth in CPLR 308" ( Wells Fargo Bank, NA v. Spaulding, 177 A.D.3d at 819, 111 N.Y.S.3d 118 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Washington Mut. Bank v. Murphy, 127 A.D.3d at 1174, 10 N.Y.S.3d 95 ). Ordinarily, a process server's sworn affidavit of service establishes a prima facie case as to the method of service and, therefore, gives rise to a presumption of proper service (see Caliber Home Loans, Inc. v. Silber, 173 A.D.3d 963, 964, 104 N.Y.S.3d 671 ; Federal Natl. Mtge. Assn. v. Alverado, 167 A.D.3d 987, 988, 90 N.Y.S.3d 308 ). "A mere conclusory denial of service is insufficient to rebut the presumption of proper service arising from the process server's affidavit. In order to warrant a hearing to determine the validity of service of process, the denial of service must be substantiated by specific, detailed facts that contradict the affidavit of service" ( Bethpage Fed. Credit Union v. Grant, 178 A.D.3d 997, 997–998, 115 N.Y.S.3d 410 [internal quotations and citation omitted]; see JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Grinkorn, 172 A.D.3d 1183, 1186, 102 N.Y.S.3d 210 ).

Here, the process server's affidavit of service set forth that substituted service pursuant to CPLR 308(4) was made at the defendant's "dwelling place ... within the State," listed as an address in West Hempstead (hereinafter the West Hempstead address), by affixing a copy of the summons and complaint there on February 20, 2008, at 2:00 p.m., after two prior unsuccessful attempts to...