Helfand v. Cohen, 110 A.D.2d 751 (N.Y. App. Div. 1985). · Go Syfert
Helfand v. Cohen, 110 A.D.2d 751 (N.Y. App. Div. 1985). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
29 citation events (20 in the last 25 years) across 6 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Martin v. Witkowski (nyappdiv, 2017-12-22)
Treatment trajectory · 1986 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1986 2006 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 7 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Martin v. Witkowski
N.Y. App. Div. · 2017 · confidence medium
Accordingly, the November 2013 "re-service was entirely appropriate and served to cure the jurisdictional defects of which [Junior] complained" (Helfand v Cohen, 110 AD2d 751, 751 [2d Dept 1985]; see e.g.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Heights Properties 1388, LLC v. Make Realty Corp.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2017 · confidence medium
Business Corporation Law § 1005 — not § 909 — governs corporate procedure where, as here, the company has been dissolved by proclamation (see Helfand v Cohen, 110 AD2d 751, 753 [1985]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Conde v. Zaganjor
N.Y. App. Div. · 2009 · confidence medium
Ordered that the order is reversed, on the law, with costs, and the respondents’ motion pursuant to CPLR 3211 to dismiss the complaint insofar as asserted against them is denied. ‘‘[T]he requirement in CPLR 308 (4) that proof of service be filed with the clerk of the court within 20 days of affixing or mailing of the summons and complaint, whichever is effected later, ‘pertains solely to the time within which a defendant must answer, and does not relate to the jurisdiction acquired by service of the summons’ ” (Penachio v Penachio, 27 AD3d 540, 541 [2006], quoting Helfand v Cohen, …
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Penachio v. Penachio
N.Y. App. Div. · 2006 · confidence medium
Contrary to the contention of the defendant Dahlia Penachio, the requirement in CPLR 308 (4) that proof of service be filed with the clerk of the court within 20 days of affixing or mailing of the summons and complaint, whichever is effected later, “pertains solely to the time within which a defendant must answer, and does not relate to the jurisdiction acquired by service of the summons” (Helfand v Cohen, 110 AD2d 751, 752 [1985]; see Lancaster v Kindor, 98 AD2d 300, 306 [1984], affd 65 NY2d 804 [1985]).
discussed Cited "see" Emerald Green Phase II L.P. v. Rivera
unknown court · 2025 · signal: see · confidence high
Furthermore, the filing of proof of service does not relate to the jurisdiction of the Court, which is acquired by the service of the summons or, in this case, by the service of the petition and notice of petition (Martin, 46 Misc 3d 1216[A] ; see Helfand v Cohen , 110 AD2d 751, 752 [2d Dept 1985].
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Kingvision Pay-Per-View Ltd. v. Villalobos (2×)
E.D.N.Y · 2008 · signal: see also · confidence low
Corp. v. Scaduto, 581 N.Y.S.2d 370 , 181 A.D.2d 776 (2d Dep’t 1992)); see also Helfand v. Cohen, 487 N.Y.S.2d 836 , 110 A.D.2d 751 (2d Dep’t 1985) (service on individual defendant, who was also officer of corporation, constituted effective service on both).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Brown v. Sagamore Hotel
N.Y. App. Div. · 1992 · signal: see also · confidence low
Co. v Ronbed Corp., 28 AD2d 1008 ; see also, Helfand v Cohen, 110 AD2d 751 ; Manfrida v City of New Rochelle, 63 AD2d 710 ; Lac Leasing Corp. v Dutchess Aero, 32 AD2d 949 ; John’s Inc. v Island Garden Ctr., 49 Misc 2d 1086 , affd sub nom.
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Marshall Helfand
v.
Sol Cohen
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Apr 15, 1985.
110 A.D.2d 751
1985 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 48653
Cited by 25 opinions  |  Published

The subject of this action is an undeveloped parcel of real property owned by the defendant Five Star Realty Corporation, a close corporation of which plaintiff is the president and a 20% shareholder. He brings this action, inter alia, to enjoin the sale of such property, Five Star’s sole asset, to defendant MontaukStar Island Realty Group, Inc. for $1,250,000 under a contract of sale which his fellow shareholders, the individual defendants herein, approved by a unanimous vote. Plaintiff bases his claim to relief on an alleged right of first refusal to purchase Five Star’s property under a shareholders’ agreement executed by him and the individual defendants. Although we disagree with Special Term’s conclusion that it lacked personal jurisdiction over the defendants, we nevertheless affirm th'e denial of a preliminary injunction and the dismissal of the complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211 (a) (7), (8).

Plaintiff initially served the defendants with an order to show cause and underlying papers via certified mail in accordance with the provisions of the order to show cause. Thereafter, he reserved the defendants pursuant to CPLR 308 (1), (2) to obviate the jurisdictional objections which defendants raised in their cross motions to dismiss. Such reservice was entirely appropriate and served to cure the jurisdictional defects of which defendants complained (see, Heusinger v Russo, 96 AD2d 883; Dashew v Cantor, 85 AD2d 619). Moreover, that service was not as yet complete as to three of the individual defendants as of the adjourned return date of the motion for a preliminary injunction, did not deprive the court of jurisdiction to entertain the[*752] motion. The purpose of requiring filing of proof of service, along with the 10-day grace period, pertains solely to the time within which a defendant must answer, and does not relate to the jurisdiction acquired by service of the summons (see, Lancaster v Kindor, 98 AD2d 300, 306; 1 Weinstein-Korn-Miller, NY Civ Prac ¶ 308.16). Finally, plaintiff’s service of a copy of the summons and complaint upon the individual defendants, who were also officers and directors of defendant Five Star, constituted effective service on both the individuals and Five Star (Boyd v United States Mtge. & Trust Co., 187 NY 262; Port Chester Elec. Co. v Ronbed Corp., 28 AD2d 1008).

Nevertheless, Special Term properly denied plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction since he failed to satisfy the three-prong test necessary for such relief (see, Chrysler Realty Corp. v Urban Investing Corp., 100 AD2d 921; Shelborne Beach Club v Hellman, 49 AD2d 933). Specifically, plaintiff failed to establish a clear right to the relief he sought under the shareholders’ agreement, i.e., the opportunity to acquire Five Star’s property in his own behalf. The provisions of the shareholders’ agreement upon which he relies provide for restrictions on the transfer of shares of Five Star by granting each shareholder a right of first refusal in the event that one or more shareholders desires to sell his shares. These provisions do not restrict the sale of the corporation’s sole asset, and the mere fact that the agreement contains an evaluation mechanism whereby the value of the shares is measured in accordance with the fair market value of the corporation’s property does not give rise to a right of first refusal in each shareholder to purchase the corporation’s property. Plaintiff is equating the corporation’s shares with its property. Following plaintiff’s argument, if one of the shareholders decided to sell out his interest, the remaining shareholders would each have a right to purchase the property. How then would the right be exercised and the property distributed? This is but one example demonstrating that the parties to the shareholders’ agreement could not have intended for each shareholder to have a right of first refusal to purchase the corporation’s asset.

Moreover, to construe the agreement otherwise would be to ignore the fundamental distinction between the property interests of a shareholder and the property interests of the corporation. As the Court of Appeals has only recently stated: “It is well settled that the property interests of a shareholder and the corporation are distinct. ‘[T]he corporation in respect of corporate property and rights is entirely distinct from the stockholders who are the ultimate or equitable owners of its assets * * *[*753] even complete ownership of capital stock does not operate to transfer the title to corporate property and * * * ownership of capital stock is by no means identical with or equivalent to ownership of corporate property.’ (Brock v Poor, 216 NY 387, 401)” (5303 Realty Corp. v O & Y Equity Corp., 64 NY2d 313, 323). For these reasons, plaintiff’s argument that Five Star’s shares and property are so inextricably intertwined as to be synonymous and that, therefore, his right of first refusal to purchase the shares translates into a right of first refusal to purchase its asset, was properly rejected. Accordingly, Special Term correctly dismissed plaintiff’s first cause of action and his request for related preliminary injunctive relief, based on the shareholders’ agreement.

The remaining causes of action of the complaint also were properly dismissed. The second cause of action alleged that the individual shareholders failed to comply with the requirements of Business Corporation Law § 909 in authorizing the proposed sale of Five Star’s only asset. However, it was undisputed that Five Star was dissolved in 1981 by proclamation of the Secretary of State. Since Business Corporation Law § 1005, not § 909, governs corporate procedure following dissolution, the second cause of action failed to state a claim for relief. Finally, the third cause of action alleged that the individual defendants breached their fiduciary duties, inter alia, by negotiating the contract of sale without plaintiff’s knowledge or consent. However, plaintiff makes no claim that the purchase price of the property was unfair or that the other claimed improprieties damaged him in any way. Indeed, he admits that he received notice of the special shareholders’ meetings which were called and that he was not prevented from attending those meetings and registering his protests. A review of plaintiff’s affidavits reveals that the essence of his claim is that negotiations were conducted secretly in order to deprive him of his right of first refusal, a right which we find he never had. Accordingly, the third cause of action, likewise, was properly dismissed. Titone, J. P., Thompson, Niehoff and Rubin, JJ., concur.