Case Name: Alice Cooper et al., Respondents, v. United Veterans Mutual Housing Co., Inc., Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1963-02-25
Citations: 18 A.D.2d 937
Docket Number: 
Parties: Alice Cooper et al., Respondents, v. United Veterans Mutual Housing Co., Inc., Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 18
Pages: 937–937

Head Matter:
(February 25, 1963)
Alice Cooper et al., Respondents, v. United Veterans Mutual Housing Co., Inc., Appellant.

Opinion:
In a negligence action to recover damages for personal injury, loss of services and medical expenses, defendant appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Queens County, dated September 5, 1962, which denied its motion to dismiss the complaint for lack of prosecution (Civ. Prac. Act., § 181; Rules Civ. Prac., rule 156). Order reversed, without costs, and motion granted. Defendant's motion to dismiss the complaint was made approximately 33 months after joinder of issue. In opposition, plaintiffs failed to submit an affidavit setting forth the merits of their action. Nor did the plaintiffs or their attorneys attempt to explain the unusual delay in the prosecution of the action. An affidavit by one of plaintiffs' attorneys stated merely that a note of issue had been served. Service of the note of issue occurred subsequent to defendant's motion. Upon such a showing there was no adequate basis for the Special Term's exercise of discretion to deny the defendant's motion to dismiss the complaint for lack of prosecution (see Costanzo v. Schwedler, 14 A D 2d 814). Beldock, P. J., Ughetta, Christ, Rabin and Hopkins, JJ., concur.