LOT 20.06, LLC v. FURNITURE SOUP, INC. v. KENNETH HENICK (L-3193-18, MONMOUTH COUNTY AND STATEWIDE) ( 2022 )

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT THE
APPROVAL OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION
This opinion shall not "constitute precedent or be binding upon any court ." Although it is posted on the
internet, this opinion is binding only on the parties in the case and its use in other cases is limited. R. 1:36-3.
SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY
APPELLATE DIVISION
DOCKET NO. A-0402-20
LOT 20.06, LLC,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
FURNITURE SOUP, INC.,
Defendant/Third-Party
Plaintiff-Respondent,
v.
KENNETH HENICK,
Third-Party Defendant.
Submitted January 6, 2022 – Decided March 1, 2022
Before Judges Alvarez and Mitterhoff.
On appeal from the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law
Division, Monmouth County, Docket No. L-3193-18.
Mark Williams, attorney for appellant.
Seth D. Josephson, attorney for respondent.
PER CURIAM
Plaintiff Lot 20.06, LLC, appeals the February 15, 2019 grant of summary
judgment to defendant Furniture Soup, Inc., dismissing its complaint. Plaintiff
also appeals July 17, 2020 orders denying reconsideration and imposing Rule
1:4-8 sanctions. Plaintiff's central point on appeal, which we do not reach, is
the propriety of a September 5, 2014 judgment entered in a different lawsuit
under a different docket number imposing a $115,000 equitable lien on Block
34, Lot 20.06 in Upper Freehold Township. By way of background, on
September 4, the day before the lien was imposed, plaintiff acquired the land
knowing an application to enter the lien would be heard the following day. The
seller of the land, also the debtor, took back a $550,000 mortgage on the
property; the record seems to indicate no payments were ever made. We affirm
dismissal of the complaint and the 2020 orders.
On September 4, 2018, when defendant attempted to collect on the
judgment by obtaining a writ of execution, plaintiff filed its complaint.
Defendant filed an answer and counterclaim, demanding costs and fees for
frivolous litigation, and a third-party complaint against Kenneth Hennick,
plaintiff's owner, seeking to discharge the mortgage as "a legal fiction" only
intended to insulate the property from the lien.
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Plaintiff participated in a post-judgment October 24, 2014 argument,
initiated by the seller, regarding the equitable lien and related issues in the
earlier litigation. Plaintiff's counsel then acknowledged on the record that his
client knew of the pending application for an equitable lien before buying the
real estate. Thereafter, plaintiff did not appeal, renew its application for
intervention, or attempt to quiet title. Plaintiff's complaint sought relief from
the writ of execution and to vacate the lien.
On February 15, 2019, the trial judge denied plaintiff's summary judgment
motions and granted defendant the right to execute the writ. The judge found
that although plaintiff had not been a party in the prior matter, it was in direct
privity with the judgment debtor-seller who conveyed the property to plaintiff
the day before the issuance of the equitable lien. The court further concluded
that plaintiff's arguments should have been raised four years prior. Thus, the
judge dismissed the complaint pursuant to the doctrine of collateral estoppel and
laches, but imposed no sanctions.
Plaintiff filed a notice of motion seeking reconsideration of the court's
February 15, 2019 order, reinstatement of its complaint, discharge of the lien,
and the modification of certain clauses in the 2014 order. Defendant cross-
moved for counsel fees.
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When the parties appeared in court on July 17, 2020 to argue the motions,
plaintiff contended the court had erred by reading the September 4, 2018
complaint as requesting reconsideration of the 2014 order. Defendant in turn
argued fees and costs should be imposed. The judge granted defendant's
application and denied plaintiff's, observing that plaintiff's assertions were
nothing more than "a rehash of the argument that was made in front of me that
was decided in February 2019." She concluded there was no basis for the relief
plaintiff sought, and awarded defendant fees and costs.
Plaintiff's points on appeal continue the attack on the underlying 2014
order:
POINT I
STATEMENT C IN JUDGE O'BRIEN'S ORDER OF
SEPTEMBER 5, 2014, WHICH STATES THAT
"JUDGMENTS AS AGAINST STEVEN D.
CATALANO SHALL BE LIENS AND
ENCUMBRANCES AGAINST LOT 20.06 IN BLOCK
34 IN UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP" SHOULD
BE INVALIDATED.
A. Judge O'Brien correctly found in the same Order
that he had no jurisdiction over S.D. Catalano,
Inc., and repeatedly denied relief as to this
corporation, thus directly contradicting the
creation of a lien against Lot 20.06 owned by
S.D. Catalano, Inc.
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B. The Rules do not affect Plaintiff's right to bring
this action.
C. The equitable defenses of Collateral Estoppel and
Laches do not bar Plaintiff's action.
D. An Order entered against a non-party over whom
the Court has no jurisdiction can be challenged in
a collateral declaratory action under N.J.S.A.
2A:16-50.
The Complaint alleges this right of action. The
Court ignores this point and focuses on Plaintiff's
failure to pursue its relief in the prior Furniture
Soup action.
E. The remedy of imposing an equitable lien was
never available without proof of an agreement in
which the reasonable intent of the parties is to
designate a particular property as security for the
satisfaction of a contractual obligation; and was
therefore an improper exercise of Judge O'Brien's
discretion, and invalid.
POINT II
THE FINDINGS OF FACT IN JUDGE O'BRIEN'S
ORDER OF SEPTEMBER 5, 2014 WHICH STATES
THAT "IT APPEARING THAT S.D. WALKER, INC.
OWNS TEN PERCENT OF BLOCK 34, LOT
20.06 . . . ." HAD NO SUPPORT WHEN IT WAS
ENTERED, AND SHOULD BE INVALIDATED.
POINT III
THE WRIT OF EXECUTION ISSUED BY THE
SUPERIOR COURT DIRECTING THE SHERIFF'S
SALE OF LOT 20.06 SHOULD BE QUASHED.
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A. The Court never had jurisdiction over its owner.
B. The Writ should independently be quashed
because an equitable lien does not support
issuance of a Writ of Execution.
POINT IV
THE TRIAL JUDGE GRANTING ATTORNEY FEES
UNDER RULE 1:4-8 IGNORED HER PRIOR
DECISION ON THE GROUNDS FOR AWARDING
FEES, AND THE MOVANT'S BURDEN UNDER
RULE 4:49-2.
I.
"The general rule is that findings by a trial court are binding on appeal
when supported by adequate, substantial, credible evidence." Gnall v. Gnall,
222 N.J. 414, 428 (2015) (quoting Cesare v. Cesare, 154 N.J. 394, 411-12
(1998)); see Manalapan Realty, L.P. v. Twp. Comm. of Manalapan, 140 N.J.
366, 378 (1995) ("A trial court's interpretation of the law and the legal
consequences that flow from established facts are not entitled to any special
deference."). Here, we are bound by the court's factual findings, as they are
supported by the record. We also concur with the court's legal conclusion
regarding laches.
Because laches is dispositive, we do not address the trial judge's other
bases for dismissal. The doctrine of laches is properly "invoked to deny a party
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enforcement of a known right when the party engages in an inexcusable and
unexplained delay in exercising that right to the prejudice of the other party."
Knorr v. Smeal, 178 N.J. 169, 180-81 (2003) (citing In re Kietur, 332 N.J. Super.
18, 28 (App. Div. 2000)).
The policy underlying the doctrine of laches is to discourage stale claims.
Gladden v. Bd. of Trs., Pub. Emps.' Ret. Sys., 171 N.J. Super. 363, 371 (App.
Div. 1979) (citing Flammia v. Maller, 66 N.J. Super. 440, 453-54 (App. Div.
1961)). "The key factors . . . are the length of the delay, the reasons for the
delay, and the 'changing conditions of either or both parties during the delay.'"
Knorr, 178 N.J. at 181 (quoting Lavin v. Bd. of Educ., 90 N.J. 145, 152 (1982)).
As a matter of equity, "[w]hether laches should be applied depends upon the
facts of the particular case and is a matter within the sound discretion of the trial
court." Fox v. Millman, 210 N.J. 401, 418 (2012) (alteration in original)
(quoting Mancini v. Twp. of Teaneck, 179 N.J. 425, 436 (2004)).
When plaintiff purchased the real estate, it knew that the court would
address the creditor's application for an equitable lien against the seller's real
estate on the day following the closing and mortgage takeback. Plaintiff's
attorney had weeks of advance notice. Plaintiff's attorney attended the October
2014 hearing on seller's application for the court to reconsider the lien. In
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essence, plaintiff did nothing from 2014 until filing its complaint on September
4, 2018.
Some compelling reason must be expressed by a litigant seeking to avoid
the effect of the doctrine of laches. Zilberberg v. Bd. of Trs., 468 N.J. Super.
504, 513 (App. Div. 2021). Plaintiff offers none.
Laches is an equitable doctrine that
is invoked to deny a party enforcement of a known right
when the party engages in an inexcusable and
unexplained delay in exercising that right to the
prejudice of the other party. [In re Kietur, 332 N.J.
Super. at 28 (citing Cnty. of Morris v. Fauver, 153 N.J.
80, 105 (1998))]. Laches may only be enforced when
the delaying party had sufficient opportunity to assert
the right in the proper forum and the prejudiced party
acted in good faith believing that the right had been
abandoned. [Dorchester Manor v. Borough of New
Milford, 287 N.J. Super. 163, 172 (Law Div. 1994)].
The time constraints for the application of laches "are
not fixed but are characteristically flexible." [Lavin, 90
N.J. at 151.] The key factors to be considered in
deciding whether to apply the doctrine are the length of
the delay, the reasons for the delay, and the "changing
conditions of either or both parties during the delay."
[Id. at 152.] The core equitable concern in applying
laches is whether a party has been harmed by the delay.
[Chance v. McCann, 405 N.J. Super. 547, 567 (App.
Div. 2009) (citing Knorr, 178 N.J. at 180-81).]
Plaintiff does not explain its years-long failure to act despite knowing
about the equitable lien against property. That the record does not include any
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reference to any cash being exchanged at closing, and does not include the fact
the seller took back a mortgage for $550,000, may explain plaintiff's silence. In
any event, the doctrine of laches seems uniquely relevant. Having known of the
existence of the equitable lien for over four years and taken no action to relieve
the property of the encumbrance, plaintiff cannot do so now. No reason for
delay appears in the record. No changes in condition justify the delay. The trial
judge did not err in dismissing the complaint based on laches.
II.
One of plaintiff's points is that the writ failed to meet certain technical
requirements of Rule 4:59. Because plaintiff is barred from quashing the writ,
if any technical errors exist, they need not be addressed here. The point does
not require further discussion in a written opinion. See R. 2:11-3(e)(1)(E).
III.
A trial court's decisions regarding reconsideration under Rule 4:49-2 and
the imposition of counsel fees are afforded substantial deference, and will be
disturbed only upon a showing of a clear "abuse of discretion." See Branch v.
Cream-O-Land Dairy, 244 N.J. 567, 582 (2021); Litton Indus., Inc. v. IMO
Indus., Inc., 200 N.J. 372, 386 (2009) (quoting Packard-Bamberger & Co. v.
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Collier, 167 N.J. 427, 444 (2001)). In this case, the judge's denial of
reconsideration informed her decision to award counsel fees.
This court also reviews a judge's decision on a motion for sanctions under
Rule 1:4-8 for abuse of discretion. Bove v. AkPharma Inc., 460 N.J. Super. 123,
146 (App. Div. 2019). "Reversal is warranted 'only if [the decision] "was not
premised upon consideration of all relevant factors, was based upon
consideration of irrelevant or inappropriate factors, or amounts to a clear error
in judgment."'" Ibid. (alteration in original) (quoting McDaniel v. Man Wai Lee,
419 N.J. Super. 482, 498 (App. Div. 2011)). No abuse of discretion occurred
when the judge awarded legal fees to defendant.
Under Rule 1:4-8, an opposing party must first serve a "written notice and
demand" on the attorney who signed the pleading. R. 1:4-8(b)(1). That notice
must warn that sanctions will be sought "if the offending paper is not withdrawn
within [twenty-eight] days of service of the written demand[,]" but if "the
subject of the application for sanctions is a motion whose return date precedes
the expiration of the [twenty-eight]-day period, the demand shall give the
movant the option of either consenting to an adjournment of the return date or
waiving the balance of the [twenty-eight]-day period then remaining." Ibid.A-0402-20
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As the trial judge found, Rule 4:49-2 requires a motion for reconsideration
to "state with specificity the basis on which it is made, including a statement of
the matters or controlling decisions which counsel believes the court has
overlooked or as to which it has erred . . . ." Plaintiff failed to identify any
grounds for relief in the reconsideration application that had not already been
presented. Because it made exactly the same arguments in February 2019, the
judge also opined that the only basis for the motion was to increase the cost and
burden of litigation.
Here, defense counsel notified plaintiff's counsel via email of his intent to
request sanctions under Rule 1:4-8 before the motion was heard. Although the
record does not indicate precisely when notice was given, the judge noted the
initial return date of the motion was in either May or early June, and the motion
was decided on July 17, 2020. The twenty-eight-day deadline therefore had
expired.
Rule 1:4-8(b)(1) authorizes sanctions if a party's pleading, motion, or
other paper "violated [paragraph (a) of] this rule." Paragraph (a) requires that
counsel ensure that
(1) the paper is not being presented for any improper
purpose, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary delay
or needless increase in the cost of litigation;
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(2) the claims, defenses, and other legal contentions
therein are warranted by existing law or by a non-
frivolous argument for the extension, modification, or
reversal of existing law or the establishment of new
law;
(3) the factual allegations have evidentiary support or,
as to specifically identified allegations, they are either
likely to have evidentiary support or they will be
withdrawn or corrected if reasonable opportunity for
further investigation or discovery indicates insufficient
evidentiary support[.]
[R. 1:4-8(a).]
A review of the motion transcript reveals that the judge sufficiently
described how defendant filed a Rule 4:49-2 motion lacking any overlooked law
or facts warranting reconsideration. See Kornbleuth v. Westover, 241 N.J. 289,
301 (2020); Naik v. Naik, 399 N.J. Super. 390, 395 (App. Div. 2008). The judge
therefore properly exercised her discretion in imposing fees under Rule 1:4-8.
Any points we have not reached lack sufficient merit to warrant discussion
in a written opinion. See R. 2:11-3(e)(1)(E).
Affirmed.
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