§ 205-a. Termination of certain actions related to real property. (a) If an action upon an instrument described under subdivision four of section two hundred thirteen of this article is timely commenced and is terminated in any manner other than a voluntary discontinuance, a failure to obtain personal jurisdiction over the defendant, a dismissal of the complaint for any form of neglect, including, but not limited to those specified in subdivision three of section thirty-one hundred twenty-six, section thirty-two hundred fifteen, rule thirty-two hundred sixteen and rule thirty-four hundred four of this chapter, for violation of any court rules or individual part rules, for failure to comply with any court scheduling orders, or by default due to nonappearance for conference or at a calendar call, or by failure to timely submit any order or judgment, or upon a final judgment upon the merits, the original plaintiff, or, if the original plaintiff dies and the cause of action survives, his or her executor or administrator, may commence a new action upon the same transaction or occurrence or series of transactions or occurrences within six months following the termination, provided that the new action would have been timely commenced within the applicable limitations period prescribed by law at the time of the commencement of the prior action and that service upon the original defendant is completed within such six-month period. For purposes of this subdivision: 1. a successor in interest or an assignee of the original plaintiff shall not be permitted to commence the new action, unless pleading and proving that such assignee is acting on behalf of the original plaintiff; and 2. in no event shall the original plaintiff receive more than one six-month extension.(b) Where the defendant has served an answer and the action upon an instrument described under subdivision four of section two hundred thirteen of this article is terminated in any manner, and a new action upon the same transaction or occurrence or series of transactions or occurrences is commenced by the original plaintiff, or a successor in interest or assignee of the original plaintiff, the assertion of any cause of action or defense by the defendant in the new action shall be timely if such cause of action or defense was timely asserted in the prior action.
