ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with costs.
The Supreme Court properly struck the defendants' answer to the complaint. The remedy of striking a pleading pursuant to CPLR 3126 for failure to comply with court-ordered disclosure should be granted only where the conduct of the resisting party is shown to be willful, contumacious, or in bad faith. The willful and contumacious character of the defendants' conduct can be inferred from their repeated noncompliance with court orders directing depositions, coupled with inadequate excuses (see, Bodine v. Ladjevardi, 284 A.D.2d 351; Kingsley v. Kantor, 265 A.D.2d 529; Castrignano v. Flynn, 255 A.D.2d 352; Garcia v. Kraniotakis, 232 A.D.2d 369).
The defendants' remaining contentions are either not properly before this court or without merit.
O'BRIEN, J.P., S. MILLER, McGINITY, SCHMIDT and TOWNES, JJ., concur.