Case Notes in

Eviction/Termination

First published: Jan 2026
A Key Refusal, Among Other Things

TAKEAWAY Before terminating a proprietary lease based on objectionable conduct, boards must carefully document specific incidents of default and clearly explain how the shareholder’s actions harmed other residents or the building. The dates and times of the incidents as well as the specific clauses of the proprietary lease and house rules that are allegedly breached should be sufficiently detailed as well. In appropriate circumstances, especially in view of a well drafted complaint, the court will order an eviction/ejectment of the defaulting shareholder as well as referral to a referee for a calculation of damages. This, in turn, enables a co-op to bypass landlord-tenant court and tenant friendly judges who may sympathize with the shareholder and provide an unjustified opportunity to cure.

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First published: Jan 2023
Tomfol Owners Corp. v Hernandez

It should be noted that although the eviction action in this case was unsuccessful, it was rejected for technical reasons. It’s extremely important to remember that eviction is an extreme and drastic remedy, and that every step required by the lease must be followed. Even today, some 20 years after the Pullman decision, lawyers are very careful when they attempt to evict a shareholder based upon objectionable behavior. Following every step outlined in the lease, and even going beyond the requirement to establish that there was no bad faith involved in the process, is essential to winning a Pullman eviction action.

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