Defective Lien Notices Can Be Amended Under New York’s Lien Law if Defects Are Not Substantial

New York’s mechanic’s lien law sets forth seven items that must be included in a claimant’s notice of lien. See New York Lien Law § 9. While the statute states that the lien notice “shall” include each of the seven items, a recent New York Supreme Court decision demonstrates that failure to include one or more of these seven items can have varying consequences depending upon whether the omission is considered a substantial or a technical defect. See Avon Contractors v. D.C.M. of New York, LLC, et al. In Avon, plaintiff-general contractor D.C.M. of New York, LLC (“DCM”) moved to discharge a mechanic’s lien filed by subcontractor J.E. Berkowitz, L.P. (“JEB”), claiming that the notice of lien violated subdivisions 1 and 1-a of New York Lien Law Section 9 (which provides that a lien notice must include “1. The name and residence of the lienor; and if the lienor is a partnership or corporation, the business address of such firm, or corporation, the names of partners and principal place of business, and if a foreign corporation, its principal place of business within the state; [and] 1-a. The name and address of the lienor’s attorney, if any”). Specifically, DCM claimed JEB’s lien should be discharged because the lien notice was defective because it listed a P.O. Box...