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MATTER OF GOLDEN v. WHITTEMORE

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department.
Dec 19, 1986

Order unanimously affirmed, without costs. Memorandum: In 1982 petitioner represented respondent in an action for divorce and was never paid $2,459 in attorney's fees. Pursuant to the settlement of that action, respondent continues to own an undivided one-half interest in the marital residence. In 1983, respondent's debts, including petitioner's attorney's fees, were discharged in bankruptcy. Petitioner now seeks to impress a lien against the marital residence pursuant to Judiciary Law ยง 475. Special Term properly dismissed the petition. Since respondent already owned the marital residence, no proceeds were created and thus no charging lien attaches to this realty. (Ekelman v Marano, 251 N.Y. 173, 176; Goldstein, Goldman, Kessler Underberg v. 4000 E. Riv. Rd. Assoc., 64 A.D.2d 484, 487, affd 48 N.Y.2d 890; Matter of Desmond v. Socha, 38 A.D.2d 22, 24, affd 31 N.Y.2d 687).