Statutorily imposed deadlines are not optional for commercial litigants; this much should be obvious. Notwithstanding, and despite numerous technological calendaring options available to commercial litigators, deadlines are blown in the Commercial Division, including the mother of all deadlines: the defendant’s time to answer or otherwise move against a complaint (see CPLR 3012). As should also be obvious, the defaulting defendant’s request for a “Get out of Jail Free Card” – a motion to extend the time to appear or plead (see CPLR § 3012 [d]) – will not be taken lightly.

A recent ruling provides such a reminder.  In State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co. v. Austin Diagnostic Med., P.C., the Appellate Division, Second Department recently considered the Queen’s County Commercial Division’s (Dufficy, J.) denial of such a motion. State Farm commenced the action seeking a declaratory judgment that it was not obligated to pay certain no-fault insurance benefits to the defendant. The defendant blew its deadline and, three and a half months late, filed its answer. State Farm rejected the answer and the defendant moved to extend its time to answer, “or in the alternative, to compel the plaintiff to accept” it.

In affirming the Commercial Division’s denial of the motion, the Appellate Division offered a clear reminder of the defaulting defendant’s bright-line burden: in addition to providing a reasonable excuse for its delay, it must demonstrate that it has a potentially meritorious defense. The Appellate Division held that the documents offered in support of a potentially meritorious defense – the untimely answer, which was verified by the defendant’s attorney, and an affirmation of the defendant’s attorney – were insufficient because the attorney lacked personal knowledge of the facts.

The take-away here is fundamental, but critical: do what you must to avoid a default and, if you do miss your deadline, be sure your motion for an extension establishes a reasonable excuse for the delay and a potentially meritorious defense, both of which are attested to by someone having personal knowledge of those facts.