| Howe v Jeremiah |
| 2008 NY Slip Op 04836 [51 AD3d 975] |
| May 27, 2008 |
| Appellate Division, Second Department |
| Mary E. Howe, Appellant, v Costley A. Jeremiah,Respondent. |
—[*1] Borchert, Genovesi, LaSpina & Landicino, P.C., Whitestone, N.Y. (Gregory M. LaSpina andStephen J. Smith of counsel), for respondent.
In an action, inter alia, pursuant to RPAPL article 15 to determine the rights of the parties tocertain real property, the plaintiff appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Kings County(Schack, J.), dated January 26, 2007, which granted the defendant's motion pursuant to CPLR3126 to dismiss the complaint.
Ordered that the order is affirmed, with costs.
The nature and degree of the penalty to be imposed pursuant to CPLR 3126 lies within thesound discretion of the trial court (see Kihl v Pfeffer, 94 NY2d 118, 122-123 [1999]).The striking of a pleading may be appropriate where there is a clear showing that the failure tocomply with discovery demands is willful or contumacious (see Devito v J & J Towing, Inc., 17 AD3d 624 [2005]). The willfulor contumacious character of a party's conduct can be inferred from the party's repeated failure torespond to demands and/or to comply with discovery orders (see McArthur v New York City Hous. Auth., 48 AD3d 431[2008]). Contrary to the plaintiff's contentions, the willful or contumacious character of theconduct at issue could be properly inferred by the court from her repeated failures to comply withthe defendant's discovery demands and the court's discovery orders to provide certain disclosurewithout an adequate excuse (id.). Skelos, J.P., Ritter, Florio and Dickerson, JJ., concur.