Walczak v. Walczak

Order unanimously affirmed with costs. Memorandum: Generally, in matrimonial matters, the courts have adopted a liberal policy of vacating default judgments (see, Schrader v Schrader, 152 AD2d 987; Otto v Otto, 150 AD2d 57, 60; Black v Black, 141 AD2d 689; Antonovich v Antonovich, 84 AD2d 799). The vacatur of a default judgment, however, is discretionary with the court (see, Black v Black, supra, at 689; Candeloro v Candeloro, 133 AD2d 731) and it is still incumbent upon the moving defendant to proffer a reasonable excuse for the default and to demonstrate the existence of a meritorious…