Opinion
4018.
Decided June 29, 2004.
Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Anne E. Targum, J.), entered on or about February 19, 2004, which granted plaintiff's motion to restore the action to the pre-trial calendar, subject to certain discovery deadlines, and denied defendants' cross motion to dismiss the action and impose costs and sanctions, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
Mendes Mount, LLP, New York (Kevin J. Philbin of counsel), for appellants.
Genet Getachew, Brooklyn, for respondent.
Before: Tom, J.P., Andrias, Williams, Marlow, Gonzalez, JJ.
There was no showing that this action had been abandoned. Conditions precedent to dismissal for want of prosecution require joinder of issue, passage of one year since joinder, and written demand by the party seeking dismissal, by registered or certified mail, that the plaintiff serve and file a note of issue within 90 days (CPLR 3216[b]). Questions remain, however, regarding service of the 90-day demand on plaintiff's counsel at the proper address ( Chase v. Scavuzzo, 87 N.Y.2d 228). There was also no clear showing that failure to comply with discovery was willful, contumacious or in bad faith, coupled with the absence or inadequacy of excuse ( compare Castrignano v. Flynn, 255 A.D.2d 352; CPLR 3126). Costs and sanctions were not warranted absent a showing of frivolous conduct by plaintiff's counsel to deliberately delay or prolong the action ( 22 NYCRR § 130-1.1).
THIS CONSTITUTES THE DECISION AND ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE DIVISION, FIRST DEPARTMENT.