Kochenthal v. Kochenthal

52 Misc. 2d 437, 275 N.Y.S.2d 951, 1966 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1306
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 21, 1966
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 52 Misc. 2d 437 (Kochenthal v. Kochenthal) 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
Kochenthal v. Kochenthal, 52 Misc. 2d 437, 275 N.Y.S.2d 951, 1966 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1306 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1966).

Opinion

Daniel G. Albert, J.

This is a motion to dismiss the complaint in this action and to vacate and set aside the service of the summons and complaint upon the ground that the defendant, presently a nondomiciliary, was not served with process in this State, and that this court accordingly lacks jurisdiction over the person of the defendant.

The issue for determination before the court on this application is the applicability of the so-called ‘1 long arm statute ” (CPLR 302, subd. [a], par. 1) to an action brought in New York by the plaintiff wife based on a separation agreement executed in New York by the litigating parties, both of whom at the time of the agreement were residents of New York.

The action herein is by the plaintiff wife against the defendant husband for alleged breach of contract and for damages under the terms of the separation agreement entered into between the parties when both resided in this State in 1957.

The defendant now resides in the State of Indiana and was served with process personally in that State, but claims that he is immune from the jurisdiction of this court to entertain an action against him for breach of a separation agreement between him and his wife.

The moving party relies upon the interpretation given to CPLR 302 (subd. [a]) (the single transaction portion) by the court in the case of Willis v. Willis (42 Misc 2d 473). That case was also relied upon by the Civil Court of the City of New York in Durgon v. Durgon (47 Misc 2d 513). These cases stand for the broad proposition that the execution of a separation agreement in New York by a person who at the time of the execution of the agreement was, but at the present time is not, a resident or domiciliary of New York, is not a transaction of business within the meaning of the statute sufficient to give the courts of New York jurisdiction of such nonresident and nondomiciliary although personally served with, process outside of this State.

[439]*439A reading of the decision of the learned Justice in the Willis case (supra), indicates that the court there construed the word “business” as being limited to commercial transactions, and that based upon such assumption the court arrived at the conclusion that it was not therefore ‘ necessary to determine whether the exercise of jurisdiction would be violative of due process ” (citing McGee v. International Life Ins. Co., 355 U. S. 220; Hanson v. Denckla, 357 U. S. 235; Vanderbilt v. Vanderbilt, 354 U. S. 416).

We may assume that the factual situation in the Willis case (supra), militated toward the conclusion reached therein by the court; for in that case the defendant was not a resident or a domiciliary of this State at the time the agreements were executed. In the case at bar, however, both parties in this action were residents and domiciliarles of New York over a period of years prior to and at the time when the separation agreement was made; they had an infant son of the marriage in this State; the terms of the separation agreement show no indication on the part of either of the parties at the time of the agreement of an intention to remove from the State of New York in the foreseeable future; the fruits of the agreement, by its terms were to be performed in the State of New York in the form of payments for alimony and support to the wife and for the support and education of the child of the marriage, and visitation by the defendant father with his infant son in this State; and the parties agreed upon an address in the City of New York where all mail or other communications or papers were to be sent by either of the parties to the other.

Although some legal commentators are inclined to believe that an agreement between a husband and wife does not constitute doing business in this State pursuant to CPLR 302 (subd. [a], par. 1), I disagree.

The courts of Massachusetts, in construing CPLR 302 (subd. [a], par. 1) have also held to the contrary. In the case of Spitz v. Spitz decided in the Municipal Court of the City of Boston and subsequently on appeal decided by the Appellate Division of that court in Massachusetts on March 11, 1965 (31 Mass. App. Div. Dec.-) there was a somewhat analogous situation to that of the instant case. In that case a wife obtained a default judgment in an action to recover for arrears under a separation agreement in the courts of the State of New York. The husband, then residing in Massachusetts, was served in that State with the New York process pursuant to CPLR 302 (subd. [a], par. 1), and after failing to appear in the New York [440]*440action the husband was then sued in Massachusetts on the New York judgment and was personally served with process in Massachusetts. The husband there claimed that the execution of the separation agreement did not constitute doing business in New York under New York law. In holding that the husband did not suffer a denial of due process in the New York action, the Massachusetts court stated:

‘ ‘ Another issue raised by the defendant concerns the right of the New York courts to claim jurisdiction over the defendant who was concededly a non-resident and who was not personally served in New York. The statute confers jurisdiction over a non-resident who in person or through an agent transacts any business within the state. While there are decisions in New York which declare that the execution of an agreement between husband and wife does not constitute doing business, Willis v. Willis, 248 N. Y. S. 2d 260; Cockrum v. Cockrum, 20 App. Div. Rep. 2d 642, we do not consider the construction given the law by these courts as authoritative or binding. What is involved in this litigation concerns more than an isolated transaction. The contract on which the plaintiff declared in New York is a mere incident in a complex domestic situation which involves the responsibility of the defendant as the head of a family, over a long period of time. Whether an arrangement whereby one lives apart from his wife and family and leaves the state of their residence can be designated ‘ doing business ’ is beside the point. The expression is not a term of art, and the reports of our highest courts reveal the great difficulty experienced in explaining it.

“ See International Shoe Co. v. Washington, 326 U. S. 310 (1945). What does matter is that a course of action inextricably involved in the status and legal responsibilities of the defendant is going on in the State of New York. The jurisdiction of the courts of New York over such a situation is by no means casual. The State of New York can, if it so desires, invoke criminal sanctions to enforce the claims of this plaintiff on the defendant. There is a strong social interest in the security of family life. In our opinion the many considerations which justify the exercise of jurisdiction by the courts over non-resident automobilists apply with equal effect to the situation under review. Pawloski v. Hess, 250 Mass. 22, 24; Hess v. Pawloski, 274 U. S. 352 (1927). Aside from the nature of the claim providing ample ground for the exercise of jurisdiction by the New York courts, the statute provides for notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard.

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Bluebook (online)
52 Misc. 2d 437, 275 N.Y.S.2d 951, 1966 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1306, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kochenthal-v-kochenthal-nysupct-1966.