A LONG JOURNEY TO COLLECT LEGAL FEES OWED

In November 2001, the defendant retained the plaintiff (actually predecessor in interest) for a matrimonial.  And 16 years later, the issue of collecting fees due is still at issue. Jones Morrison, LLP v Schloss, 2017 NY Slip Op 07712, Decided on November 8, 2017, Appellate Division, Second Department:

"This action arises out of the entry of a judgment in November 2004 (hereinafter the original judgment), in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant for unpaid legal fees in the sum of $97,119.17 for services the plaintiff had performed on behalf of the defendant in a matrimonial action. This Court dismissed the defendant's appeal from the original judgment as untimely (see [*2]Jones Sledzik Garneau & Nardone, LLP v Schloss, 37 AD3d 417).

Subsequent to the dismissal of her appeal, the defendant commenced an action against the plaintiff seeking damages for, inter alia, fraud. In July 2008, the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Loehr, J.), granted dismissal of the action on the merits, and this Court affirmed that determination (see Schloss v Jones, 67 AD3d 770). In May 2014, the plaintiff commenced this action by summary judgment in lieu of complaint, seeking a renewal judgment for the unsatisfied portion of the original judgment. The defendant cross-moved, inter alia, to vacate the original judgment. The Supreme Court, Westchester County (Jamieson, J.), granted the plaintiff's motion and denied the defendant's cross motion, noting that the arguments raised by the defendant had been raised in the prior actions. These appeals ensued.

The Supreme Court properly granted the plaintiff's motion for summary judgment and entered a renewal judgment pursuant to CPLR 5014(1). The plaintiff established its prima facie entitlement to a renewal judgment as a matter of law by showing: (1) the existence of the original judgment; (2) that the defendant was the judgment debtor; (3) that the original judgment was docketed at least nine years prior to the commencement of this action; and (4) that the original judgment remains partially or completely unsatisfied (see Rose v Gulizia, 104 AD3d 757, 758; Premier Capital, LLC v Best Traders, Inc., 88 AD3d 677, 678; Schiff Food Prods. Co., Inc. v M & M Import Export, 84 AD3d 1346, 1348).

In opposition, the defendant failed to raise a triable issue of fact. Her arguments in opposition to the motion and in support of her cross motion were or could have been made in the prior actions, and are therefore barred by res judicata (see O'Brien v City of Syracuse, 54 NY2d 353, 357; Schloss v Jones, 67 AD3d at 770; Matter of City of New York v Schmitt, 50 AD3d 1032, 1033)."