Bank of New York Mellon v. Izmirligil

43 Misc. 3d 409, 980 N.Y.S.2d 733
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 28, 2014
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 43 Misc. 3d 409 (Bank of New York Mellon v. Izmirligil) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bank of New York Mellon v. Izmirligil, 43 Misc. 3d 409, 980 N.Y.S.2d 733 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2014).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Thomas F. Whelan, J.

Ordered that this motion (No. 003) by the plaintiff for an order relieving it of any obligation to comply with the affirmation requirements imposed upon counsel for foreclosing plaintiffs in residential mortgage foreclosure actions by the terms of certain Administrative Orders and/or rules issued by the Chief Administrative Judge subsequent to the commencement of this action is considered under 22 NYCRR 202.1 (b) and the relevant provisions of CPLR 3001, New York State Constitution article VI, and the Judiciary Law, and is granted to the extent set forth below.

The plaintiff commenced this mortgage foreclosure action by filing its summons and complaint with the Clerk on November 30, 2009. At issue is the nonpayment of a mortgage in excess of $1 million given by the defendant mortgagor, Arif Izmirligil, in July of 2006. The default in payment of monthly amounts due for interest and principal under the note and mortgage occurred on May 1, 2009 and such default continues to date. On December 3, 2009, defendant Izmirligil was served, pursuant to CPLR 308 (1), with process bearing the statutorily required notices and warnings and the complaint. Defendant Izmirligil defaulted in timely answering or otherwise appearing in response to such service.

In February of 2010, defendant Izmirligil moved to vacate his default and for leave to serve a late answer. By order dated July 16, 2010, this court denied the motion (No. 001). The defendant then moved (No. 002) for leave to renew and reargue his original motion. On September 22, 2010, this court denied the renewal and reargument motion, after which, defendant Izmirligil challenged these orders by taking an appeal therefrom. By or[411]*411der dated October 25, 2011, the Appellate Division, Second Department rejected the defendant’s claims of error and affirmed both orders of this court (see Bank of N.Y. Mellon v Izmirligil, 88 AD3d 930 [2d Dept 2011]). The default in answering of defendant Izmirligil, which was admitted in his original moving papers and judicially confirmed in these orders, thus stands as fixed and determined for all purposes in this action.

Thereafter, defendant Izmirligil filed suit against the plaintiff in federal court (NY ED CV11-5591) charging it with wrongful foreclosure of the subject mortgage by its institution of this action and with deceptive practices in the origination of the loan and violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. All of these claims were dismissed upon motion of the bank by an order dated April 15, 2013 (see mem & order of the Honorable Leonard D. Wexler, District Court Judge, attached as exhibit A to the plaintiffs reply papers).

By the instant motion (No. 003), the plaintiff seeks, in effect, a declaration that certain attorney affirmation requirements imposed upon counsel for foreclosing plaintiffs by Administrative Orders promulgated by the Chief Administrative Judge are unconstitutional and impermissibly require such counsel to violate the attorney-client privilege they are ethically bound to forever honor and preserve. The motion was served upon defendant Izmirligil who appeared by service of opposing papers prepared by his counsel. In addition, the defendant submitted a self-composed letter demanding that this court recuse itself from presiding over any proceeding in this action. Since, however, this letter demand constitutes, among other things, an impermissible separate appearance by a party who is represented by counsel without the consent of the court (see CPLR 321 [a]), the court will not entertain it.

The court is also in receipt of a letter from the Attorney General’s Office dated November 20, 2013 in which receipt of papers with respect to the instant motion pursuant to Executive Law § 71 and CPLR 1012 (b) (1) was acknowledged “because there is a purported constitutional challenge to a State statute” (see letter dated Nov. 20, 2013 by Andrew D. Bing, Deputy Solicitor General, State of New York, Office of the Attorney General). Deputy Solicitor Bing further advised that his office “would not be participating in the above entitled matter at this time” but “would appreciate being advised of any final decision,” as his office may intervene at a later stage.

The court considers the opposing papers prepared by the defendant’s counsel improper for two reasons. First, the opposing [412]*412papers consist of a document entitled “Attorney Affirmation in Opposition to Plaintiffs Motion” that is not affirmed under penalties of perjury by the defendant’s attorney as required by CPLR 2106. Nor is it sworn to by defendant Izmirligil. Instead, counsel’s affirmation contains an attached verification by the defendant and documentary exhibits. There is thus neither an affidavit nor an affirmation in which allegations of fact are sworn to or affirmed under penalties of perjury. Moreover, defense counsel failed to attach the certification of non-frivolous contentions and other matters required by the rule at 22 NYCRR 130-1.1 (b).

Second, as a party whose default in answering has been finally adjudicated, defendant Izmirligil is “deemed to have admitted all factual allegations contained in the complaint and all reasonable inferences that flow from them” (Woodson v Mendon Leasing Corp., 100 NY2d 62, 71 [2003]). In the absence of a reversal or vacatur of such adjudicated default, which is not available to defendant Izmirligil due to his unsuccessful appeal of his vacatur motion, his further participation in proceedings held in this action is limited to contesting the issues concerning amounts due under the terms of the mortgage at any reference directed or assessment made by the court pursuant to RPAPL 1321 (see CPLR 3215 [g] [1], [2]; Rokina Opt. Co. v Camera King, 63 NY2d 728, 730 [1984]; Reynolds Sec. v Underwriters Bank & Trust Co., 44 NY2d 568 [1978]; Santiago v Siega, 255 AD2d 307 [2d Dept 1998]; Yeboah v Gaines Serv. Leasing, 250 AD2d 453 [1st Dept 1998]), and/or to contesting the plaintiffs compliance with procedural requirements imposed upon any application for a default judgment by the other provisions of CPLR 3215 (see CPLR 3215 [g], [c]; Giglio v NTIMP, Inc., 86 AD3d 301 [2d Dept 2011]; Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v Pascarella, 39 Misc 3d 1227[A], 2013 NY Slip Op 50777[U] [Sup Ct, Suffolk County 2013]; Bank of N.Y. Mellon v Piercey, 40 Misc 3d 1219[A], 2013 NY Slip Op 51232[U] [Sup Ct, Suffolk County 2013]). Defendant Izmirligil is thus without an entitlement to be heard in opposition to this motion or to demand affirmative relief in his favor (see e.g. U.S. Bank N.A. v Gonzalez, 99 AD3d 694 [2d Dept 2012]; Deutsche Bank Trust Co., Ams. v Stathakis, 90 AD3d 983 [2d Dept 2011]; Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v Posner, 89 AD3d 674 [2d Dept 2011]; Citimortgage, Inc. v Guarino, 42 Misc 3d 962 [Sup Ct, Suffolk County 2014]; Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v Espinoza, 39 Misc 3d 1238[A], 2013 NY Slip Op 50926[U] [Sup Ct, Suffolk County 2013]; US Bank [413]*413N.A. v Orellana, 40 Misc 3d 1204[A], 2013 NY Slip Op 51037[U] [Sup Ct, Suffolk County 2013]; see also Marc C. Dillon, Unsettled Times Make Well-Settled Law: Recent Developments in New York State’s Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Statutes and Case Law, 76 Alb L Rev 1085, 1105 [2012-2013]).

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Bluebook (online)
43 Misc. 3d 409, 980 N.Y.S.2d 733, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bank-of-new-york-mellon-v-izmirligil-nysupct-2014.