444 W. 54th Street Tenants Assocs. v. Costello

138 Misc. 2d 5, 523 N.Y.S.2d 374, 1987 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2769
CourtCivil Court of the City of New York
DecidedDecember 8, 1987
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 138 Misc. 2d 5 (444 W. 54th Street Tenants Assocs. v. Costello) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Civil Court of the City of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
444 W. 54th Street Tenants Assocs. v. Costello, 138 Misc. 2d 5, 523 N.Y.S.2d 374, 1987 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2769 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1987).

Opinion

[6]*6OPINION OF THE COURT

Jay Stuart Dankberg, J.

Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu in the sixth century B. C. stated that "when armies are mobilized and issues joined, the man who is sorry over the fact will win” (The Way of Lao Tzu, translated by Wing-Tsit Chan).

While the Army mobilization he discussed is obviously different from the voluntary peacetime atomic-powered Armed Forces with which our country defends itself, the issues in this lawsuit have been created due to the continuing military service of respondent Costello (i.e., her being "mobilized” into the Army) and her failure to interpose an answer to this holdover summary proceeding (i.e., the lack of having "issues joined”).

These issues include, but are not limited to, determination of whether individuals who enter military service — be it voluntary or compulsory service — change their place of primary residence. If it does, may such individuals "cure” the breach of tenancy obligation thereby created — would such "cure” ability be due to the language and intent of RPAPL 753 (4), Military Law § 303 (2), some other statute or "public policy” considerations? What is "public policy” in this regard? Should a lawyer be appointed for such persons if they otherwise default in the underlying litigation? If so, who should be such attorney; from where should the name of the legal representative be drawn; who — if anyone — should pay for the attorney’s services?

The court’s research has failed to disclose any reported decision involving the interplay between RPAPL 753 (4), the nonprimary residence statutes and Military Law § 303 (2). Moreover, and even though the Military Law provision was originally enacted over 46 years ago (in 1941), there are almost no reported decisions involving a trial court’s potential obligation to appoint an attorney for a party in military service. Also, in the absence of official rules or guidelines in the Civil Court regarding possible appointment of an attorney for a party (be the party incompetent, indigent or, as here, in the military), research has uncovered no reported decisions indicating how such lawyer is to be selected or paid (in this regard, see, Barbizon Hotel Partnership v Mann, Civ Ct, NY County, Apr. 19, 1982, June 2, 1982, index No. L&T 28079/82).

This, then, is a decision of apparent first impression in several respects.

[7]*7LAWSUIT

This decision results from a motion by petitioner for an order restoring this proceeding to the Trial Calendar. Upon restoration, petitioner requests an order granting summary judgment in its favor, including issuance of a warrant of eviction.

The underlying summary proceeding is a holdover proceeding based upon petitioner’s claim that respondent Costello has breached various obligations of her tenancy by either subletting and/or assigning her right of occupancy — by maintaining a primary residence other than at the subject premises — by creating a nuisance (these allegations seem to relate to respondent Saan).

It is undisputed that respondent Costello is presently in military service, stationed either somewhere in the San Antonio, Texas, area (her return address on an envelope containing her first correspondence) or at Fort McClellan, Alabama (the letterhead on her second correspondence). Respondent Costello has not been represented in court by an attorney or anyone else.

An attorney represents respondent Saan, the alleged subtenant/assignee.

As soon as the court realized that respondent Costello was in the military service, the file was marked "off calendar and stayed — tenant in military service. Attorney should be appointed (Military Law, § 303).”

Rather than bringing on a motion to have an attorney appointed, after waiting a few months, petitioner has now moved merely to restore the case to the Trial Calendar and for summary judgment.

While the case was marked "off calendar and stayed”, several handwritten letters have been received, seemingly from Ms. Costello.

The court has in hand two of these letters, both written after Ms. Costello apparently spoke to petitioner’s attorney (one is a copy of a letter sent to the lawyer; the other, mailed directly to the court, has been examined by the attorneys for both petitioner and respondent Saan).

From the language used in the second letter (sent to petitioner’s lawyer: "I’m writing this letter as per our phone conversation * * * have not received any rent from Miel Saan * * * I also called her time & time again * * * and told her [8]*8she would have to move out, I told the Tenant’s Assoc, [petitioner] this and they said they would get her out but did not say at my expense. I do not want my apt. and the Tenant’s Assoc, is aware of this from my last visit home” [emphasis supplied]), it would appear that respondent Costello wishes to surrender rights she might have to possession of the apartment because of difficulties and possible expenses created by respondent Saan. It is not known if Ms. Costello is aware that a prime tenant can have an illegal or improper subtenant removed and, thus, cure any breach of substantial obligation of tenancy thereby caused (see, e.g., N. H. Realty Co. v Dimitriadis, NYLJ, Oct. 22, 1987, at 13, col 3 [App Term, 1st Dept]; Sixty-Nine Realty Co. v McManamon, NYLJ, Mar. 1, 1984, at 11, col 3 [App Term, 1st Dept]; Langham Mansions Co. v Bodine, 117 Misc 2d 925 [App Term, 1st Dept 1983]; RPAPL 753 [4]).

However, the first letter (sent directly to the court: "I am writing this letter after speaking with Linda Ashley [petitioner’s attorney] about my old apt.”) contains language from which is it more difficult, if not impossible, to discern Ms. Costello’s intentions ("I spoke with * * * [the] President of the Tenant’s Assoc. * * * and told her I would still like to keep my apt., but the Tenant’s Assoc, had a vote and decided they didn’t want Miel Saan there any more. Well, anyway I gave up my apt. unless it is possible for me to keep it. Please let me know” [emphasis supplied]).

At best, these are ambiguous letters, containing equivocal language from which the court cannot discern Ms. Costello’s actual intent regarding the apartment. One must also realize there is an inherent possible difficulty presented when a party’s attorney communicates ex parte out of court with an unrepresented adverse party and transfers the communication to the court.

As noted, other than the informal letters, Ms. Costello has not made any appearance in this lawsuit (the letters are not affidavits). Were it not for three statutes, the court would previously have found no difficulty in finding her to be in default and presently provide petitioner with a prudent, provident procedural process to present proof regarding Ms. Costello and Ms. Saan.

These statutes are RPAPL 753 (4), Military Law §§ 303 and 304.

RPAPL 753 (4), enacted in 1982 (L 1982, ch 870), was [9]*9intended to modify a need for Yellowstone injunctions (First Natl. Stores v Yellowstone Shopping Center, 21 NY2d 630 [1968]), and to give residential tenants one final opportunity, posttrial, to cure a breach of substantial obligation of tenancy and revive a lease.

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Bluebook (online)
138 Misc. 2d 5, 523 N.Y.S.2d 374, 1987 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2769, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/444-w-54th-street-tenants-assocs-v-costello-nycivct-1987.