Union State Bank v. Werner

161 Misc. 2d 50, 612 N.Y.S.2d 819, 1994 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 197
CourtClarkstown Justice Court
DecidedMay 3, 1994
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 161 Misc. 2d 50 (Union State Bank v. Werner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Clarkstown Justice Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Union State Bank v. Werner, 161 Misc. 2d 50, 612 N.Y.S.2d 819, 1994 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 197 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1994).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Victor J. Alfieri, Jr., J.

The instant matter was commenced by service of a notice of petition and petition essentially alleging the respondents to have held over in the occupancy of the premises at 108 Laurel Road, New City, New York, after the expiration of service of a 30-day notice. (RPAPL 711 [1]; Real Property Law § 232-b.) The parties have supplied the court with memoranda of law concerning the issues which they believe are determinative in this proceeding. On April 19, 1994 the parties appeared before this court and stipulated certain facts on the record. The respondents move to dismiss claiming that the 30-day notice signed by petitioner’s attorney fails to comply with RPAPL 711 (1), and that a 10-day notice was required pursuant to RPAPL 713 (5).

Prior to the commencement of the respondents’ tenancy on September 1, 1992, the premises were owned by Eugene D’Alessio, Sr. and Eugene D’Alessio, Jr. who were then involved in a forfeiture proceeding wherein the United States of America sought forfeiture of the premises. The forfeiture action commenced on or about March 22, 1991 pursuant to 21 USC § 881 (a) (6) and (7) wherein the United States of America sought civil forfeiture of the premises in question, and termination of the rights of the D’Alessios. A notice of pendency was filed in the County Clerk’s office of the County of Rock-land on March 22, 1991. The D’Alessios were served with the summons and verified complaint on April 2, 1991.

At the time of the commencement of the proceedings pursuant to 21 USC § 881 as noted above, petitioner Union State Bank and Dime Savings Bank held mortgages on the premises. (By assignment of October 27, 1993 Union State Bank acquired the interest of Dime Savings Bank. Therefore, Dime is not a party to this proceeding.) As noted above, on September 1, 1992 the respondents entered into possession of the premises by virtue of an oral month-to-month tenancy with the D’Alessios.

The November 30, 1992 consent order and judgment of [52]*52forfeiture entered in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York provided that the premises be forfeited to the United States of America and be delivered by the D’Alessios to the United States of America "vacant * * * no later than December 31, 1992 * * * at which time any tenancy rights in the defendant-in-Rem shall be deemed terminated”.

The United States Marshall collected rent from the respondents up to July of 1993. There have been no payments to the United States Marshall since. Furthermore, rent is not sought, nor is rent an issue in these proceedings on stipulation of the parties.

On January 6, 1994 a quitclaim deed from the United States Department of Justice, United States Marshall Service, as grantor, was executed to the Union State Bank as grantee, conveying all the right, title and interest of the United States Government in the premises to the Union State Bank.

Thereafter, Isabel Becker, Esq., attorney for Union State Bank executed and had timely served upon the respondents a "Notice to Quit” dated January 25, 1994. Thereafter, on March 9, 1994 this proceeding was commenced against Bill Werner and Marianne Capuano the tenants in possession of the premises, by personal service of the notice of petition and petition. The respondents move to dismiss claiming that Ms. Becker was not the proper party to issue the 30-day notice, and the proceeding should have been commenced pursuant to RPAPL 713 (5).

The issue to be determined by this court is twofold: (1) whether the petitioner’s attorney, Isabel Becker, is the proper party to execute the notice to quit pursuant to Real Property Law § 232-b; and (2) does RPAPL 713 (5) apply to the instant proceedings requiring the exhibition of the deed to the respondents and a 10-day notice as a condition precedent to commencement of an action to evict.

This court agrees with the petitioner’s contention that the "rights of any tenants at the premises would be deemed terminated” upon entry of the order of forfeiture of November 30, 1992. The respondents entered into possession of the premises after a valid notice of pendency was filed at the County Clerk’s office of the County of Rockland wherein the premises is situated, giving notice to the world of the forfeiture proceedings which were then being undertaken by the United States Government. Clearly, the rights of the respon[53]*53dents were subject to the forfeiture action. (See, e.g., Mechanics Exch. Sav. Bank v Chesterfield, 34 AD2d 111.) Furthermore, this court also agrees with the respondents that the decision in Seigel v Kentucky Fried Chicken (108 AD2d 218, affd 67 NY2d 792), relied upon by respondents, is and should be limited to the facts contained therein.

Dealing first with the Seigel issue, the Seigel Courts, both at the Appellate Division and the Court of Appeals, relied heavily upon the fact that there existed a printed lease entered into by the petitioner and respondents. The lease specifically provided that the notice of termination was to be given by the "landlord” (see, 108 AD2d; supra, at 221; 67 NY2d, supra, at 793). The lease in Siegel provided that the notice must be served by a specifically designated person, a fact upon which the Siegel Court heavily relied: "that certain of the rights and immunities arising thereunder may be exercised and enjoyed by either the 'Landlord or Landlord’s agents’, and where it elsewhere designate^] a named third party, other than [the attorney serving the notice to quit], as the landlord’s attorney, ['to serve notices’] it appears only reasonable that a forfeiture provision calling for cancellation of the lease upon only three days’ written notice emanating specifically from the 'Landlord’ should be strictly construed against its drawer to require unequivocal notice by either the landlord himself or his authorized agent, accompanied by proof of the latter’s authority to bind the landlord in giving of such notice”. (Seigel v Kentucky Fried Chicken, 108 AD2d, at 221 [emphasis added].) Putting it succinctly, the Court of Appeals held that "[u]nder such a lease notices of default and of termination signed not by the owner or the attorney named in the lease, but by another attorney with whom the tenant had never previously dealt, were insufficient and the tenant was entitled to ignore them as not in compliance with the lease provisions concerning notice”. (Seigel v Kentucky Fried Chicken, 67 NY2d, at 794 [citations omitted].)

Further distinguishable from the facts at bar where the instant case involves an oral month-to-month tenancy and there is no written lease between the parties, the Seigel case (supra), on the other hand, specifically involved a provision for a five-day notice to cure "alleged breaches of the underlying covenants”. (Seigel v Kentucky Fried Chicken, 108 AD2d, at 219.) The lease provided for an initial five-day notice to cure defaults, and upon the inaction of the respondents to cure any [54]*54such defaults a further three-day notice of cancellation was provided for.

The said three-day notice of cancellation, as well as the five-day notice which preceded it were signed by an attorney for the landlord who was not named as the authorized party in the lease. Since Seigel (supra),

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
161 Misc. 2d 50, 612 N.Y.S.2d 819, 1994 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 197, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/union-state-bank-v-werner-nyjustctclarks-1994.