Opinion
April 1, 1996
Appeal from the Supreme Court, Kings County (Vaccaro, J.).
Ordered that the order is reversed, as a matter of discretion, with costs, and the motion is denied.
In moving to vacate a default judgment entered against him, the respondent was required to establish both a valid excuse for the default and a meritorious defense to the underlying action ( see, Matter of Hostomsky v. Electronic Data Sys. Corp., 214 A.D.2d 733; Schiavetta v. McKeon, 190 A.D.2d 724). In this case, the respondent failed to proffer a reasonable excuse for his delay of seven months in serving an answer. The record shows a pattern of repeated neglect and intentional default. Accordingly, it was an improvident exercise of discretion to vacate the default judgment ( see, Torres v. Houses "R" Us, 182 A.D.2d 684; Perellie v Crimson's Rest., 108 A.D.2d 903; Passalacqua v. Banat, 103 A.D.2d 769). Balletta, J.P., Sullivan, Joy and Krausman, JJ., concur.