Werner v. Werner

101 Misc. 2d 414, 423 N.Y.S.2d 780, 1979 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2693
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 2, 1979
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 101 Misc. 2d 414 (Werner v. Werner) 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
Werner v. Werner, 101 Misc. 2d 414, 423 N.Y.S.2d 780, 1979 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2693 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1979).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Arthur E. Blyn, J.

Motion by defendant wife, brought on by order to show cause, seeks an order dismissing this action against her for lack of subject matter and personal jurisdiction and dismissing the action against the codefendant, 10 Park Avenue Tenants’ Corp., is consolidated for the purpose of disposition with the application by plaintiff for attachment, the appointment of a receiver in sequestration and for omnibus injunctive relief.

Upon the submission of these motions, after argument by counsel, the court declined to extend a temporary restraining order contained in the order to show cause bringing on plaintiff’s motion except as to any disposition of the contents of the [416]*416marital apartment. An interim order to that effect was signed on August 16, 1979.

Initially, the court must deal with the propriety of a portion of an affidavit submitted in opposition to the defendant wife’s motion. It appears that some time in June, 1978 plaintiff and defendant wife consulted an attorney who specializes in immigration law. It is the affidavit of that attorney submitted by plaintiff which is at issue. The initial portion thereof recites the nature of a consultation with him by the plaintiff. The latter portion concerns a consultation with defendant wife to which disclosure her attorney in this action objects to as a breach of attorney-client privilege. The court agrees. Of course it had to read the objected to material to make that determination but the court is sophisticated enough to nonetheless be able to totally disregard the statements made in considering these motions. As to the fact that such portion of the affidavit physically remained a part of the record, the court has redacted the affidavit and removed the objected to material.

The undisputed facts gleaned from the papers submitted appears as follows. The parties were married in England in January, 1975 and resided there as husband and wife. They had an apartment in London and a home in Ilkley, title to both of which properties were originally in plaintiff’s name alone. Both parties were obviously British nationals and have traveled under British passports. Both have children from prior marriages currently residing in England.

In May, 1977, having secured employment in the United States, more particularly in New York, plaintiff came here on an E-2 treaty trader visa. Defendant wife followed plaintiff here in September, 1977 as a spouse under a similar visa. Both of the foregoing visas expire in 1981. Plaintiff subsequently obtained a B-2 visa which is indefinite. Upon her arrival here defendant wife also obtained employment.

In December, 1977 the parties took title as tenants by the entirety to the marital co-operative apartment, apartment 8A at 10 Park Avenue. Apparently, prior thereto they rented an apartment in the same building. In January, 1978 another apartment 12K was purchased for the purpose of investment and otherwise, title having ultimately been taken in plaintiff’s name alone.

In May, 1978 plaintiff severed his relationship with his employer and in the following month a corporation was orga[417]*417nized, with the business address being 10 Park Avenue, with both parties as corporate officers.

Plaintiff alleges that in June, 1978 he consulted an attorney who is an immigration specialist for the purpose of obtaining permanent residence status ("a green card”). He further alleges that defendant did so as well. Notwithstanding the court having stricken and disregarded statements by said attorney in his affidavit as they relate to defendant wife, this consultation is not denied by her.

It is alleged that defendant wife abandoned plaintiff on May 27, 1979 and returned to England where she was personally served with the summons and complaint in this action on May 31, 1979.

Sharply disputed is whether either party or both of them became domiciliaries of this State. In that regard substantial space is devoted by both parties to the indicia of domicile (employment, actual residence, drivers’ licenses, voting, tax returns, bank accounts, etc.) plaintiff, of course, contending that both parties became domiciled here and defendant wife alleging that neither became domiciliaries.

An analysis of the complaint is necessary. Plaintiff’s first cause of action seeks a divorce on grounds of cruel and inhuman treatment. Incidental thereto, he seeks support and counsel fees from defendant wife. Plaintiff’s second cause of action seeks to impose constructive trusts on apartment 12K at 10 Park Avenue, the proprietary lease on which was assigned to defendant wife in April, 1979 with the consent of the codefendant, shares of stock having been issued in her name at that time, the English apartment which was transferred to their joint names in March, 1975 and the English home title to which was transferred to the defendant wife in her name alone in September, 1978. Plaintiff’s third cause of action alleges defendant wife’s refusal to reconvey these properties, her unjust enrichment and substantial damage. As to the codefendant, plaintiff seeks recognition by them that he is the true owner of apartment 12K.

Defendant wife contends that the court lacks both subject matter and in personam jurisdiction in this case. Her claim of lack of subject matter jurisdiction is predicated on the alleged failure by plaintiff to satisfy the residence requirements of section 230 of the Domestic Relations Law. No citation to case authority is necessary for the well-established legal principle that the term "residence” in the statute is [418]*418synonymous with "domicile”. Whether a failure to satisfy the requirements of that statute deprives the court of subject matter jurisdiction is unclear in view of the holding by the Court of Appeals in Lacks v Lacks (41 NY2d 71, 73) where the court stated: "The requirements of section 230 * * * go only to the substance of the divorce cause of action, not to the competence of the court to adjudicate the cause”. At bar the permutations and combinations are varied. If plaintiff established a domicile in New York the requirements of section 230 may be met under either subdivision 2 or 3. Under those circumstances, if defendant wife was a domiciliary at the time she was personally served outside the jurisdiction, the court would have complete jurisdiction over her (CPLR 313), or if she was not a domiciliary at the time of such service, this court would only have jurisdiction over the marital res (CPLR 314), or perhaps the court might have some personal jurisdiction over her even if she were a nondomiciliary under CPLR 302 (subd [b]). In any event, the breadth of the court’s jurisdiction in this case could not be determined in the absence of an evidentiary hearing. Ordinarily such a hearing should take place at this point in time which might obviate the necessity for a lengthy trial relating to the issues of fault and perhaps finances (Lax v Lax, 59 AD2d 677).

The court finds, however, that it does have complete jurisdiction in one aspect of this case. CPLR 302 (subd [a], par 4) provides for the exercise of personal jurisdiction over nondomiciliaries who own, use or possess real property situated within the State as to a cause of action arising from such ownership, use or possession. Quite clearly to the extent that plaintiff’s second cause of action seeks to impose a constructive trust regarding apartment 12K at 10 Park Avenue the court has both subject matter and in personam jurisdiction over the defendant wife.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
101 Misc. 2d 414, 423 N.Y.S.2d 780, 1979 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2693, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/werner-v-werner-nysupct-1979.