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193 A.D. 477

In re Bleistift

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York · decided 1920-10-22

Appeal by the New Lots Talmud Torah Society, Inc., from an order of the Supreme Court, made at the Kings County Special Term and entered in the office of the clerk of the county of Bangs on the 24th day of May, 1920, consenting to the removal of Abraham Bleistift’s body from a burial lot of the appellant in the Mount Judah Cemetery.

Decided 1920-10-22

Putnam, J.:

¶1The primary question here is whether appellant comes within section 71 of the Membership Corporations Law. It appears to be formed to teach the Hebrew religion, especially its ancient law (Torah), and is organized as a religious corporation. It is only in the instance of a membership corporation that the court’s consent can be substituted for that of the corporation, so as to authorize such disinterment and removal of a body lawfully buried in a cemetery. (Matter of Cohen, 76 App. Div. 401; Matter of Owens, 79 id. 236; Matter of Berezoff, 166 id. 903.)

¶2We are constrained, therefore, to-hold that the order should be reversed, with ten dollars costs and disbursements, and the petition denied, without costs.

¶3This determination, however, is without prejudice to a suit in equity or otherwise for the enforcement of the rights of the family of the deceased either as to a deed of the lot, or in regard to the removal of the body therefrom. (Cohen v. Congregation Shearith Israel, 114 App. Div. 117; affd., 189 N. Y, 528.)

¶4Jenks, P. J., Mills, Rich and Kelly, JJ., concur.

¶5Order reversed, with ten dollars costs and disbursements, and petition denied, without costs; same to be without prejudice to petitioner’s remedy by a suit in equity or otherwise.

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