Case Name: Raphael C. Jiminez, an Infant, by His Mother and Natural Guardian, Milagros Cardec, et al., Respondents, v. St. John's Riverside Hospital et al., Appellants
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1990-05-24
Citations: 161 A.D.2d 497
Docket Number: 
Parties: Raphael C. Jiminez, an Infant, by His Mother and Natural Guardian, Milagros Cardec, et al., Respondents, v St. John’s Riverside Hospital et al., Appellants.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 161
Pages: 497–497

Head Matter:
Raphael C. Jiminez, an Infant, by His Mother and Natural Guardian, Milagros Cardec, et al., Respondents, v St. John’s Riverside Hospital et al., Appellants.

Opinion:
Order, Supreme Court, Westchester County (Sondra Miller, J.), entered March 31, 1989, which, on a motion by defendants Florio, Gomez and Brittis pursuant to CPLR 2221, withdrew its prior decision vacating plaintiffs' default without sanctions, and vacated plaintiffs' default with money sanctions of $1,000, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
Plaintiffs were required to show a reasonable excuse for not serving a complaint and the existence of a meritorious cause of action. The determination that supervising counsel's alcohol problem constituted a reasonable excuse for the default was within the IAS court's sound discretion (see, Sanders & Assocs. v Hague Dev. Corp., 100 AD2d 964, 965). Merit was shown by a medical affidavit that included "a sufficient, though hardly overwhelming, demonstration" (Santana v Prospect Hosp., 84 AD2d 714, 715). Concur—Ross, J. P., Milonas, Kassal, Wallach and Rubin, JJ.