Case Name: Joseph A. Galindo, Appellant, v. Michael W. Keller et al., Respondents, et al., Defendants
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 2017-02-02
Citations: 147 A.D.3d 427
Docket Number: 
Parties: Joseph A. Galindo, Appellant, v Michael W. Keller et al., Respondents, et al., Defendants.
Judges: Concur — Sweeny, J.P., Acosta, Moskowitz, Kapnick and Kahn, JJ.
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 147
Pages: 427–427

Head Matter:
Joseph A. Galindo, Appellant, v Michael W. Keller et al., Respondents, et al., Defendants.
[45 NYS3d 799]

Opinion:
Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Shlomo Hagler, J.), entered on or about October 19, 2015, which denied plaintiff's motion for a default judgment and granted defendants-respondents' cross motion to vacate their default and extend their time to answer, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
Although plaintiff made a prima facie showing of his entitlement to a default judgment against defendants (see CPLR 3215), Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in vacating defendants' default (see CPLR 3012 [d]; Johnson v Deas, 32 AD3d 253, 254 [1st Dept 2006]). Defendants provided a reasonable excuse for failing to answer — namely, that they mistakenly believed that defendant Bootlegger's insurance company was asserting a defense on their behalf. Defendants also demonstrated potentially meritorious defenses of justification and lack of ownership.
Concur — Sweeny, J.P., Acosta, Moskowitz, Kapnick and Kahn, JJ.