13.15 2. Statute Of Limitations

• Jurisdiction: New York

2. Statute of Limitations

An action to foreclose a mortgage has a six-year statute of limitations.²¹⁰⁵ The six years begins to run (i) from the due date of each unpaid mortgage installment,²¹⁰⁶ (ii) from when the mortgagee is entitled to demand payment in full, or (iii) from when the mortgage is accelerated.²¹⁰⁷ Even if a mortgage is payable in installments, though, once a mortgage debt is accelerated, the entire amount is due, and the statute of limitations begins to run on the entire debt.²¹⁰⁸

Where a defendant raises statute of limitations as a defense to the foreclosure proceeding, and, for example, pursues the defense by moving to dismiss, that defendant bears the initial burden to prima facie show that the time to commence the action expired.²¹⁰⁹ If that burden is met, only then does the obligation shift to the plaintiff to demonstrate a question of fact to survive the motion, for examples, setting forth facts to show a tolling of the statute of limitations, showing why the statute of limitations is otherwise inapplicable, and/or showing that the action was timely commenced.²¹¹⁰

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Notes:

^[2105] . CPLR 213(4).

^[2106] . Cadlerock L.L.C. v. Renner, 72 A.D.3d 454, 898 N.Y.S.2d 127 (1st Dep’t 2010).

^[2107] . Plaia v. Safonte, 45 A.D.3d 747, 847 N.Y.S.2d 101 (2d Dep’t 2007); Saini v. Cinelli Enters., 289 A.D.2d 770, 733 N.Y.S.2d 824 (3d Dep’t 2001), lv. denied, 98 N.Y.2d 602, 744 N.Y.S.2d 762 (2002); Pidwell v. Duvall, 28 A.D.3d 829, 815 N.Y.S.2d 754 (3d Dep’t 2006). See also Sce v. Ach, 56 A.D.3d 457, 867 N.Y.S.2d 140 (2d Dep’t 2008), citing Phoenix Acquisition Corp. v. Campcore, Inc., 81 N.Y.2d 138, 141, 596 N.Y.S.2d 752 (1993); Fulgenzi v. Rink, 253 A.D.2d 846, 678 N.Y.S.2d 360 (2d Dep’t 1998); Pagano v. Smith, 201 A.D.2d 632, 633, 608 N.Y.S.2d 268 (2d Dep’t 1993); Business Loan Center v. Wagner, 31 A.D.3d 1122, 818 N.Y.S.2d 406 (4th Dep’t 2006).

^[2108] . EMC Mtge. Corp. v. Patella, 279 A.D.2d 604, 605, 720 N.Y.S.2d 161 (2001); 53 PL Realty, LLC v. US Bank N.A., 153 A.D.3d 894, 61 N.Y.S.3d 120 (2017); NMNT Realty Corp. v. Knoxville 2012 Trust, 151 A.D.3d 1068, 1069, 58 N.Y.S.3d 118 (2017); Nationstar Mtge., LLC v. Weisblum, 143 A.D.3d 866, 867, 39 N.Y.S.3d 491 (2016).

^[2109] . Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Eitani, 148 A.D.3d 193, 47 N.Y.S.3d 80 (2d Dep’t 2017); Bailey v. Peerstate Equity Fund, L.P., 126 A.D.3d 738, 7 N.Y.S.3d 142 (2d Dep’t 2015); J. A. Lee Elec., Inc. v. City of New York, 119 A.D.3d 652, 990 N.Y.S.2d 233 (2d Dep’t 2014), citing Fleetwood...