DECISION ORDER
ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with costs.
CPLR 5015(a)(1) permits a court to vacate a default where the moving party demonstrates both a reasonable excuse for the default and the existence of a meritorious cause of action or defense ( see Orwell Bldg. Corp. v. Bessaha, 5 A.D.3d 573; Scarlett v. McCarthy, 2 A.D.3d 623; Westchester Med. Ctr. v. Clarendon Ins. Co., 304 A.D.2d 753). The determination of what constitutes a reasonable excuse is left to the sound discretion of the court ( see Scarlett v. McCarthy, supra; Westchester Med. Ctr. v. Clarendon Ins. Co., supra; Holt Constr. Corp. v. JR Music World, 294 A.D.2d 540). Further, public policy favors a determination of controversies on their merits ( see Scarlett v. McCarthy, supra; Eastern Resource Serv. v. Mountbatten Sur. Co., 289 A.D.2d 283, 284). Contrary to the plaintiffs' contention, the Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in accepting the defendant's excuses for his failure to comply with the self-executing conditional order of preclusion and appear at the inquest ( see Scarlett v. McCarthy, supra; Vita v. Alstom Signaling, 308 A.D.2d 582; Crystal Run Sand Gravel v. Milnor Constr. Corp., 301 A.D.2d 491; see also Gorokhova v. Belulovich, 267 A.D.2d 202). Furthermore, the defendant sufficiently demonstrated the existence of a meritorious defense to the action. We also note that although the motion to vacate the conditional order of preclusion was made more than one year after it became absolute, the Supreme Court has inherent discretionary power to vacate a default which is not subject to the one-year limitations period set forth in CPLR 5015 ( see Hunter v. Enquirer/Star, Inc., 210 A.D.2d 32; F C Gen. Contrs. Corp. v. Atlantic Mut. Mtge. Corp., 202 A.D.2d 629; Luna Baking Co. v. Myerwold, 69 A.D.2d 832).
The plaintiffs' remaining contentions are without merit.
FLORIO, J.P., KRAUSMAN, COZIER and RIVERA, JJ., concur.