Majority
Appeal by the defendant from an order of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Jeffrey S. Sunshine, J.) dated December 20, 2013. The order, insofar as appealed from, denied those branches of the defendant’s motion which were to set aside the parties’ stipulation of settlement or, in the alternative, for a hearing as to the validity of the stipulation, and granted those branches of the plaintiff’s cross motion which were to enforce certain provisions of the stipulation and to direct the defendant to pay the plaintiff the sum of $9,460 in accordance with a prior order of that court dated May 29, 2013.
Ordered that the order dated December 20, 2013, is affirmed insofar as appealed from, with costs.
In this matrimonial action, the parties executed a written stipulation of settlement as to equitable distribution, child support, and related financial matters. Approximately two years after the execution of that stipulation, the defendant moved to set aside the stipulation or, in the alternative, for a hearing as to the validity of the stipulation, on the grounds that he had not received the effective assistance of counsel in connection with the settlement, that he signed the stipulation under duress, and that the stipulation was unconscionable.
The plaintiff cross-moved to direct the defendant to comply with the terms of the stipulation. She also sought to direct the defendant to pay her the sum of $9,460 in accordance with a prior order of the Supreme Court dated May 29, 2013.
“ A separation agreement or stipulation of settlement which is fair on its face will be enforced according to its terms unless there is proof of fraud, duress, overreaching, or unconscionability’ ” (Brennan-Duffy v Duffy, 22 AD3d 699 , 699 [2005], quoting Linder v Linder, 297 AD2d 710 , 711 [2002]; see Hallock v State of New York, 64 NY2d 224 , 230 [1984]; Cervera v Bressler, 85 AD3d 839 , 841 [2011]; Sweeney v Sweeney, 71 AD3d 989 , 990 [2010]; Cohn v Cohn, 15 AD3d 332 [2005]). “It is the party seeking to set aside the stipulation . . . who has the burden of showing that the agreement was the result of fraud, duress, or overreaching, or that its terms were unconscionable” (Sweeney v Sweeney, 71 AD3d at 992 ; see Rubin v Rubin, 33 AD3d 983 , 985 [2006]; Chambers v McIntyre, 5 AD3d 344 , 345 [2004]).
Moreover, the defendant failed to show that the stipulation is unconscionable, and failed to allege facts warranting a hearing as to that matter. “An unconscionable bargain is regarded as one ‘such as no [person] in his [or her] senses and not under delusion would make on the one hand, and as no honest and fair [person] would accept on the other’ ” (Wasserman v Wasserman, 217 AD2d 544 [1995] [internal quotation marks omitted], quoting Christian v Christian, 42 NY2d 63 , 71 [1977]). Under the circumstances presented, the defendant failed to show that the stipulation is unconscionable and, contrary to his contention, he failed to allege any specific fraud or nondisclosure that would warrant a hearing as to that matter (see Sweeney v Sweeney, 71 AD3d at 990 ; Brennan-Duffy v Duffy, 22 AD3d at 700 ; Linder v Linder, 297 AD2d at 711 ).
Since there is no ground for setting aside the stipulation, the Supreme Court did not err in granting that branch of the plaintiff’s cross motion which was to enforce certain provisions of the stipulation (see generally Ambrose v Ambrose, 128 AD3d 746 , 747 [2015]; Hanau v Cohen, 121 AD3d 940 , 941-942 [2014]). In addition, in view of the defendant’s acknowledgment that he has not complied with so much of the order dated May 29, 2013, as directed him to pay the plaintiff the sum of $9,460, the court properly granted that branch of the plaintiff’s cross motion which was to direct the defendant to pay that sum to the plaintiff in accordance with that prior order (see generally Ioppolo v Ioppolo, 132 AD3d 727 , 728 [2015]).
Balkin, J.P., Hall, Sgroi and Barros, JJ., concur.
Cases cited
- Brennan-Duffy v. Duffy 22 AD3d 699 at 699 p. 1081, p. 1082
- Hallock v. State 64 NY2d 224 at 230 p. 1081
- Cervera v. Bressler 85 AD3d 839 at 841 p. 1081
- Rubin v. Rubin 33 AD3d 983 at 985 p. 1081
- Chambers v. McIntyre 5 AD3d 344 at 345 p. 1081
- Rosado v. Rosado 136 AD3d 927 at 928 p. 1082
- Salvatore v. Salvatore 68 AD3d 966 at 967 p. 1082
- McVeigh v. Curry 74 AD3d 915 at 916 p. 1082
- Wasserman v. Wasserman 217 AD2d 544 p. 1082
- Christian v. Christian 42 NY2d 63 at 71 p. 1082
- Ambrose v. Ambrose 128 AD3d 746 at 747 p. 1082
- Hanau v. Cohen 121 AD3d 940 at 941-942 p. 1082