Serapilio v. Staszak

Decision Date19 November 1998
Citation255 A.D.2d 824,680 N.Y.S.2d 296
Parties1998 N.Y. Slip Op. 10,232 Arnold R. SERAPILIO et al., Appellants, v. Richard J. STASZAK, as Commissioner of the Schenectady County Department of Social Services, Respondent.
CourtNew York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

Paul H. Tocker, Schenectady, for Appellants.

Frank Tedeschi, Department of Social Services, Schenectady, for Respondent.

Before MIKOLL, J.P., CREW, YESAWICH, CARPINELLO and GRAFFEO, JJ.

CARPINELLO, Justice.

Appeal from an order of the Supreme Court (Lynch, J.), entered October 6, 1997 in Schenectady County, which denied plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment.

As a condition to their continued receipt of public assistance, plaintiffs were required to execute a mortgage in favor of defendant on their property located in the Town of Rotterdam, Schenectady County. The amount secured by the mortgage lien was approximately $17,700, the sum which plaintiffs had received in public assistance at the time the mortgage was executed in August 1976. The mortgage provided that payment was to be made "on the terms and conditions set forth in the Social Services Law". In September 1996, plaintiffs commenced the instant action pursuant to RPAPL article 15, seeking the cancellation of the mortgage in order to clear the title to their property. Plaintiffs thereafter made a motion for partial summary judgment on their first cause of action which alleged that the mortgage was time barred from enforcement and should be canceled pursuant to CPLR 213(4). Supreme Court denied the motion and we affirm.

Plaintiffs correctly assert that CPLR 213(4) requires a foreclosure action to be commenced within six years of the time the mortgagee is entitled to demand full payment; however, defendant as the mortgagee herein is not yet entitled to demand full payment. By its own terms, the mortgage is governed by the dictates of the Social Services Law. Social Services Law § 106(2)(c) provides that the mortgagee may begin foreclosure proceedings "upon the death of the [mortgagor] or his [or her] receiving institutional care". As plaintiffs have neither died nor been institutionalized, defendant is prohibited from commencing foreclosure proceedings on their property. Hence, not only has the Statute of Limitations not run on a potential foreclosure action, it has not yet begun to run.

There is no support for plaintiffs' contention that the mortgage debt became payable on the date that they ceased to receive...

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5 cases
  • Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Burke
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • 17 d2 Abril d2 2012
    ...exercise an option to accelerate the maturity of a loan in accordance with the terms of the note and mortgage ( see Serapilio v. Staszak, 255 A.D.2d 824, 824, 680 N.Y.S.2d 296; Loiacono v. Goldberg, 240 A.D.2d at 477, 658 N.Y.S.2d 138; see generally Island Auto Seat Cover Co., Inc. v. Minun......
  • Samet v. Countrywide Home Loans, Inc.
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court
    • 26 d3 Fevereiro d3 2020
    ...full payment, or when the mortgage has been accelerated by a demand or by the commencement of an action (see, Serapilio v. Staszak, 255 A.D.2d 824, 680 N.Y.S.2d 296; Loiacono v. Goldberg, 240 A.D.2d 476, 477, 658 N.Y.S.2d 138; Pagano v. Smith, 201 A.D.2d 632, 63 608 N.Y.S.2d 268). An accele......
  • Taylor v. Bank of N.Y. Mellon (In re Taylor), Case No. 1–17–41643–cec
    • United States
    • United States Bankruptcy Courts. Second Circuit. U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Eastern District of New York
    • 4 d5 Maio d5 2018
    ...an action is brought." Saini v. Cinelli Enterprises Inc., 289 A.D.2d 770, 733 N.Y.S.2d 824, 826 (2001) (citing Serapilio v. Staszak, 255 A.D.2d 824, 680 N.Y.S.2d 296, 297 (1998) ; Loiacono v. Goldberg, 240 A.D.2d 476, 658 N.Y.S.2d 138, 139 (1997) ; Pagano v. Smith, 201 A.D.2d 632, 608 N.Y.S......
  • Saini v. Cinelli Enterprises
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • 13 d4 Dezembro d4 2001
    ...is entitled to demand full payment, or when the mortgage has been accelerated by a demand or an action is brought (see, Serapilio v Staszak, 255 A.D.2d 824; Loiacono v Goldberg, 240 A.D.2d 476, 477; Pagano v Smith, 201 A.D.2d 632, 633). Here, defendant claims -- and plaintiffs have not disp......
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