Nettie Francis had executed a mortgage. The holder of the mortgage brought a foreclosure lawsuit against her. In May of 2010, the court had declined to sign a proposed judgement of foreclosure and sale. The court took this action because there had not been a submission of an order showing the mandatory residential foreclosure court conference had been held in the case.
Husband Seeks to be Named Administrator of Wife’s Estate
In July 2010, Nettie died. Nettie’s husband brought an action to intervene in the case. In this proceeding he submitted, to the court, a death certificate proving Nettie died in July 2010. His paperwork also showed since her death he had been taking care of the home. He indicated in his motion he was in the process of bringing an application in the Surrogate’s Court to be appointed the administrator of Nettie’s estate. He brought this action as an intervenor to be named a defendant in the foreclosure lawsuit.
Counsel for the financial institution argued against Nettie’s husband being allowed to intervene in the lawsuit. He claimed this application didn’t set forth a claim or defense for which the intervention in the suit was sought. He also claimed the motion being made by the husband was not made in a timely basis.
Supreme Court Justice Robert McDonald sitting in Queens County held the death of a party divested the court of jurisdiction. Upon Nettie’s death the proceedings were automatically stayed. The proceedings could not proceed without the substitution of a personal representative or an executor for the deceased party.
