Court Opinion

ID: 9950812
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-14 20:10:06.089119+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:36:55.142691
License: Public Domain

Federal Natl. Mtge. Assoc. ("Fannie Mae") v
                       Lagonikos
               2024 NY Slip Op 30756(U)
                     March 12, 2024
             Supreme Court, Nassau County
        Docket Number: Index No. 609058/2018
                  Judge: Lisa A. Cairo
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                                                                                                               INDEX NO. 609058/2018
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 201                                                                                 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/12/2024

            SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
            COUNTY OF NASSAU

            PRESENT: HON. LISA A. CAIRO, J.S.C.

             -------------------------------------------------------------------------X    TRIAL/IAS PART 25
             FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION
             ("FANNIE MAE"), A CORPORATION ORGANIZED                                        DECISION AND ORDER
             AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE                                                 ON MOTION
             UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
                                                                                           INDEX No. 609058/2018

                                                                Plaintiff(s),              Motion Seq. No. 5

                                        -against-                                                           XXX

             HARRY LAGONIKOS A/KIA HARILAOS I.
             LAGONIKOS A/K/A HARRY J. LAGONIKOS,
             VASLIKI LAGONIKOS A/KIA VICKY
             LAGONIKOS, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
             SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO FLEET NATIONAL
             BANK, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
             SU CESSOR BY MERGER TO WASHING TON
             MUTUAL BANK, FA; JAMES CHIERCHIO ; "JANE
             DOE"(REFUSED NAME) AS JOHN DOE #2; ".JANE
             DOE" (REFUSED NAME) AS .JOHN DOE #3,

                                                                Defcndant(s ).
             -------------------------------------------------------------------------X

            The following papers were read on this motion                                           DOCS NUMBERED

            Notice of Motion, Affidavits, Affirmations, Exhibits, Memos ................... ..                175-182
            Opposition Papers .................................. ..................................... .      185
            Reply Papers ........... .................................................................. .     189-1 90

                   Defendant Harry Lagonikos moves by order to show cause pursuant to CPLR 1015(a) to
           stay a pending foreclosure sale and for leave to renew his prior motion to dismiss pursuant to
           CPLR 2221(e), and upon such renewal vacating the prior orders and Judgment of Foreclosure and
           Sale (Judgment) and dismissing this action as time-barred. In addition, Defendant asserts that
           because his spouse and co-mortgagor died prior to entry of the Judgment, the Judgment entered in
           this case is a legal nullity.

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                                                                                                    INDEX NO. 609058/2018
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 201                                                                       RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/12/2024

                    On January 8, 2008, Defendant executed a promissory note for the sum of $215,000 plus
           interest, secured by a mortgage on real property located at 2957 Curtis Place, Wantagh, New York.
           The mortgage was also executed by Defendant's spouse Vasiliki Lagonikos. By August 26, 2008,
           Citimortgage commenced a first foreclosure action against the mortgagors under Index No.
           15965/2008. On December 23, 2010, Citimortgage filed a discontinuance of that action.
           Meanwhile, on March 22, 2010, Citimortage filed a second foreclosure action against the
           mortgagors under Index No. 5862/10. An order discontinuing the second foreclosure action
           without prejudice was entered on or about January 9, 2014. A purported de-acceleration letter was
           sent to the mortgagors on August 25, 2014, just prior to the expiration of the statute oflimitations
           period based upon the 2008 acceleration.

                   The instant action was commenced by Plaintiff as successor-in-interest to Citimortgage on
           July 9, 2018. On December 14, 2018, Defendant's motion to dismiss the action as untimely was
           denied based upon the de-acceleration letter. Vasiliki Lagonikos died on August 26, 2020.
           Plaintiffs motion for judgment of foreclosure and sale was submitted without opposition on June
           14, 2022 and a Judgment issued on March 22, 2023. Service of the Judgment with notice of entry
           on the Defendant was accomplished on April 28, 2023 and the instant application was filed on July
           6, 2023.

                   First, as to the effect of the death of Vasiliki Lagonikos on this action, " [i]n the context of
           a mortgage foreclosure action, where a deceased defendant made an absolute conveyance of all
           his or her interest in the mortgaged premises to another defendant, including his or her equity of
           redemption, and the plaintiff either discontinued the action as against the deceased defendant or
           elected not to seek a deficiency judgment against the deceased defendant's estate, then the
           deceased defendant is not a necessary party to the action." (US Bank Nat. Ass 'n v. Essess, 132
           Ad3 d 847 [2d Dept 2015]; see also PHH Mortgage Corp. v. Burt , 176 AD3d 1242 [2d Dept 2019]).
           In this case, the Judgment indicates that the Plaintiff may seek to recover a deficiency judgment
           against Defendant Harry Lagonikos only as the sole executor of the note and the Estate of Vasiliki
           Lagonikos is not a necessary party.

                   Next, pursuant to CPLR 2221(e)(2), a motion to renew "shall demonstrate that there has
           been a change in the law that would change the prior determination." The change in law upon
           which Defendant relies on the Foreclosure Abuse Prevention Act [L 2022, ch 821] (F AP A), which
           went into effect on December 30, 2022. However, a motion to renew based upon a change in the
           law must be made prior to the entry of a final judgment or before the time to appeal has expired,
           absent circumstances set forth in CPLR 5015. (Opalinski v. City ofNew York, 205 AD3d 917,918
           [2d Dept 2022]; 160 East 84 th Street v. New York State Division of Housing and Community
           Renewal, 203 AD3d 501 [1st Dept 2022]). Defendant brought the instant motion after the time to
           appeal the Judgment had expired.

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                                                                                             INDEX NO. 609058/2018
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 201                                                                  RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/12/2024

                    For these reasons, it is hereby

                    ORDERED, that Defendan t's motion is denied in its entirety.

                     The foregoing constitutes the decision and order of this court.    All applications not
             specifically addressed herein are denied.

             Dated: Mineola, NY                                ENTER :

                                                                     ~~a~/
                    March 12, 2024

                                                                     HON. LISA A. CAIRO, J. S. C.

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