Case Name: Mahamadu Trawally et al., Plaintiffs, v. East Clarke Realty Corp. et al., Defendants; Mahamadu Trawally et al., Appellants, v. 41 Elliot Place Corp. et al., Defendants, and 41 Inc. et al., Respondents
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 2012-02-09
Citations: 92 A.D.3d 471
Docket Number: 
Parties: Mahamadu Trawally et al., Plaintiffs, v East Clarke Realty Corp. et al., Defendants. Mahamadu Trawally et al., Appellants, v 41 Elliot Place Corp. et al., Defendants, and 41 Inc. et al., Respondents.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 92
Pages: 471–471

Head Matter:
Mahamadu Trawally et al., Plaintiffs, v East Clarke Realty Corp. et al., Defendants. Mahamadu Trawally et al., Appellants, v 41 Elliot Place Corp. et al., Defendants, and 41 Inc. et al., Respondents.
[937 NYS2d 851]

Opinion:
Defendants moved pursuant to CPLR 5015 (a) (1) to vacate the order striking their answer. A party seeking such relief must establish a reasonable excuse for its underlying default as well as a meritorious defense (see Ogen v Nordstrom, 85 AD3d 552 [2011]). Defendants' purported showing of a meritorious defense was insufficient because it was based on the affirmation of an attorney who had no personal knowledge of the facts alleged (see Thelen LLP v Omni Contr. Co., Inc., 79 AD3d 605, 606 [2010], lv denied 17 NY3d 713 [2011]). Concur — Saxe, J.E, Sweeny, Acosta and DeGrasse, JJ.