Fromartz v. Bodner

• Decision Date: 23 November 1999
• Citation: 266 A.D.2d 122,698 N.Y.S.2d 142
• Parties: BERNARD FROMARTZ, Respondent,<BR>v.<BR>AL BODNER et al., Appellants.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

266 A.D.2d 122

698 N.Y.S.2d 142

BERNARD FROMARTZ, Respondent,

v.AL BODNER et al., Appellants.

Decided November 23, 1999.

Concur — Williams, J. P., Rubin, Saxe and Friedman, JJ.

Given our preference for disposition of cases on the merits (see, Santora & McKay v Mazzella, 211 AD2d 460, 463; DFI Communications v Golden Penn Theatre Ticket Serv., 87 AD2d 778, 779), we find that Supreme Court improvidently exercised its discretion in denying defendants' motion to vacate their default where they had demonstrated both a meritorious defense to this action and a reasonable excuse for their default. In this regard, counsel's actual engagement in Family Court constituted a reasonable excuse for the default under the circumstances (Abate v Long, 261 AD2d 252; Salerno v Geller, 260 AD2d 153).