| Vandeyar v Jenkins |
| 2018 NY Slip Op 50703(U) [59 Misc 3d 1225(A)] |
| Decided on April 16, 2018 |
| Supreme Court, Queens County |
| Modica, J. |
| Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. |
| This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports. |
Yonelle Vandeyar,
Plaintiff,
against Solomon Jenkins and Chavaun Jenkins, Defendants. |
This action was commenced on March 15, 2016. Solomon Jenkins, however, died on June 24, 2015, prior to the commencement of the litigation. Although the death of a party will divest the court of jurisdiction to conduct proceedings (CPLR 1015[a]; Aurora Bank FSB v Albright, 137 AD3d 1177 [2d Dept 2016]; Vapnersh v Tabak, 131 AD3d 472 [2d Dept 2015]), an action instituted against a dead person is a nullity. (See, US Bank N.A. v Cadeunag, 147 AD3d 881 [2d Dept 2017] ["Since a party may not commence a legal action or proceeding against a dead person, the 2009 action was a nullity from its inception, and the plaintiff was instead required to commence an action against the personal representative of the decedent's estate."]; Krysa v Estate of Qyra, 136 AD3d 760 [2d Dept 2016]; Zervis v. N.Y.C. Health and [*2]Hosp. Corp., 2018 WL 1697276 [Sup. Ct. Queens County 2018] [Kerrigan, J.] ["Since a dead person may not sue or be sued, this action commenced after the death of Maryann Zervas . . . is a nullity.").
Therefore, upon the foregoing enumerated papers, the Court vacates the previously imposed stay and decides that the substitution of a personal representative is not required under CPLR 1021.
The Court orders the Clerk of the Court to amend the caption by deleting Solomon Jenkins as a named party. The amended caption shall read as follows:
Accordingly, plaintiff's motion is granted, and defendant's cross motion is denied.
Plaintiff is directed to serve amended pleadings in conformance with this order on defendant Chavaun Jenkins within 30 days after service of a copy of this order with notice of entry. The parties are further directed to expeditiously proceed with disclosure.
All other requests are denied.
The foregoing constitutes the decision, order, and opinion of the Court.