Rule 202.16-a. Matrimonial Actions; Automatic Orders

(a) Applicability. This section shall be applicable to all matrimonial actions and proceedings in the Supreme Court authorized by section 236(2) of the Domestic Relations Law.

(b) Service. The plaintiff in a matrimonial action shall cause to be served upon the defendant, simultaneous with the service of the summons, a copy ofthe automatic orders set forth in this section in a notice that substantially conforms to the notice contained in Appendix F. The notice shall state legibly on its face that automatic orders have been entered against the parties named in the summons or in the summons and complaint pursuant to this rule, and that failure to comply with these orders may be deemed a contempt of court. The automatic orders shall take effect and be binding upon the plaintiff immediately upon filing of the summons, or summons and complaint, and shall be binding upon the defendant immediately upon service of the automatic orders with the summons. Each automatic order shall remain in full force and effect until the judgment of divorce is entered or the action is dismissed, discontinued or stayed, whichever shall occur first, unless the order is terminated, modified or amended by further order of the court or upon written agreement between the parties duly executed and acknowledged.

(c) Automatic Orders. Upon service of the summons in every matrimonial action, it is hereby ordered that:

(1) Neither part shall sell, transfer, encumber, conceal, assign, remove or in any way dispose of, without the consent of the other party in writing, or by order of the court, any property (including, but not limited to, real estate, personal property, cash accounts, stocks, mutual funds, bank accounts, cars and boats) individually or jointly held by the parties, except in the usual course of business, for customary and usual household expenses or for reasonable attorney's fees in connection with this action.

(2) Neither party shall transfer, encumber, assign, remove, withdraw or in any way dispose of any tax deferred funds, stocks or other assets held in any individual retirement accounts, 401K accounts, profit sharing plans, Keogh accounts, or any other pension or retirement account, and the parties shall further refrain from applying for or requesting the payment of retirement benefits or annuity payments of any kind, without the consent of the other party in writing, or upon further order of the court, except that any party who is already in pay status may continue to receive such payments thereunder.

(3) Neither party shall incur unreasonable debts hereafter, including but not limited to further borrowing against any credit line secured by the family residence, further encumbrancing any assets, or unreasonably using credit cards or cash advances against credit cards, except in the usual course of business or for customary or usual household expenses, or for reasonable attorney's fees in connection with this action.

(4) Neither party shall cause the other party or the children of the marriage to be removed from any existing medical, hospital and dental insurance coverage, and each party shall maintain the existing medical, hospital and dental insurance coverage in full force and effect.

(5) Neither party shall change the beneficiaries of any existing life insurance policies, and each party shall maintain the existing life insurance, automobile insurance, homeowners and renters insurance policies in full force and effect.

(6) If either party receives notice of a tax lien, foreclosure, bankruptcy, or litigation, or the filing of same, or the lifting of a stay in bankruptcy, that could adversely affect the marital estate, that party shall, within ten days after receiving such notice, send written notice of such event to the other party.

(7) These automatic orders shall remain in full force and effect until the judgment of divorce is entered or the action is dismissed, discontinued or stayed, whichever shall occur first, unless terminated, modified or amended bv further order of the court or upon written agreement between the parties duly executed and acknowledged.

(8) The failure to obey these automatic orders may be deemed a contempt of court. Notice of Automatic Orders (D.R.L. 236)