Source: https://nyappellatedigest.com/category/family-law/
Timestamp: 2019-11-14 17:27:39
Document Index: 277643782

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1028', '§ 1028', '§ 1046', '§ 1028', '§ 1089', 'art 5', '§ 76', '§ 564']

Family Law Archives - New York Appellate Digest
Inasmuch as there has been a prior judicial determination of extraordinary circumstances supporting the award of custody to respondent, “the appropriate standard in addressing the possible modification of the prior order is whether there has been a change of circumstances” warranting an inquiry whether modification of custody or visitation is in the best interests of the children … . We agree with the mother that Family Court erred in granting respondent’s motion to dismiss the petitions at the close of the mother’s case on the ground that the mother failed to establish a sufficient change in circumstances since entry of the stipulated order … . At the time the prior order of custody and visitation was entered, the mother did not have a vehicle or employment, and she lived with a man who was prohibited by court order from having any contact with the subject children. The mother established that, at the time of the hearing, she owned a car, worked full-time, and no longer lived with or had a relationship with the aforementioned man. Indeed, in its oral decision dismissing the petitions, the court noted that the mother had “improved” herself and that it was “impressed” with her progress. Matter of Heinsler v Sero, 2019 NY Slip Op 08052, Fourth Dept 11-8-19
https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png 0 0 Bruce Freeman https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png Bruce Freeman2019-11-08 12:55:592019-11-10 13:07:56MOTHER ENTITLED TO A HEARING ON WHETHER A CHANGE IN HER CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANTED A RETURN OF HER CHILDREN; CUSTODY OF THE CHILDREN HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN AWARDED TO RESPONDENT (GREAT AUNT) (FOURTH DEPT).
SUPPORT MAGISTRATE SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED FATHER’S ATTORNEY TO WITHDRAW WITHOUT NOTICE TO FATHER AND SHOULD NOT HAVE PROCEEDED IN FATHER’S ABSENCE (FOURTH DEPT).
The Fourth Department, reversing Family Court, determined the Support Magistrate’s findings should not have been confirmed because the Support Magistrate allowed father’s attorney to withdraw without notice to father and proceeded in father’s absence:
… [T]he Support Magistrate erred in allowing the father’s attorney to withdraw as counsel and in proceeding with the hearing in the father’s absence. “An attorney may withdraw as counsel of record only upon a showing of good and sufficient cause and upon reasonable notice to the client . . . [, and a] purported withdrawal without proof that reasonable notice was given is ineffective” … . Here, the father’s attorney did not make a written motion to withdraw; rather, counsel merely agreed when the Support Magistrate, after noting the father’s failure to appear for the hearing, offered to relieve her of the assignment. The absence of evidence that the father was provided notice of his counsel’s decision to withdraw in accordance with CPLR 321 (b) (2) renders the Support Magistrate’s finding of default improper … . Matter of Gonzalez v Bebee, 2019 NY Slip Op 08027, Fourth Dept 11-8-19
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TRANSCRIPT OF FAMILY COURT ACT 1028 HEARING SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN USED AS A REPLACEMENT FOR AN ABUSE-NEGLECT FACT-FINDING HEARING BECAUSE THE PROOF REQUIREMENTS ARE DIFFERENT AND BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FINDING THAT THE WITNESS AT THE 1028 HEARING WAS UNAVAILABLE (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the transcript of the Family Court Act 1028 hearing (seeking the quick return of a child temporarily removed pending a fact-finding hearing) should not have been used to replace the abuse/neglect fact-finding hearing because the proof requirements are different:
Family Court Act § 1028 permits a parent to apply for the return of a child who has been temporarily removed from the custody of the parent pending the fact-finding hearing on the issue of abuse or neglect … . “[A] section 1028 hearing is intended to give a parent an opportunity for a prompt reunion with the child, pending trial” … . In analyzing an application for a child’s return under Family Court Act § 1028, a court must engage in a test balancing the imminent risk with the best interests of the child and, where appropriate, the reasonable efforts made to avoid removal or continuing removal … . Section 1028 hearings, however, were not intended to replace fact-finding hearings, as the evidentiary standards are different. Family Court Act § 1046 provides that “only competent, material and relevant evidence may be admitted” at a fact-finding hearing, whereas evidence “[i]n a dispositional hearing and during all other stages of a proceeding under” Family Court Act article 10 need only be “material and relevant” … . A determination on an application pursuant to section 1028 “should not be taken as any indication of what ultimate determination should be made by the Family Court as to [a] petition alleging abuse and neglect” … . “At a fact-finding hearing, any determination that a child is an abused or neglected child must be based on a preponderance of the evidence” … .
CPLR 4517, which governs the admissibility of prior testimony in a civil action, is applicable here … , as the Family Court Act does not prescribe the issue of whether testimony from a prior hearing pursuant to Family Court Act article 10 may be admitted into evidence on the petitioner’s direct case in a fact-finding hearing. Pursuant to CPLR 4517(a)(3), prior trial testimony of a witness may be used by any party for any purpose against another party if the court finds that such witness is dead or otherwise unavailable. In this matter, the Family Court made no such finding.
Here, the Family Court should not have admitted into evidence at the fact-finding hearing transcripts of testimony from the hearing conducted pursuant to Family Court Act § 1028. As ACS now correctly concedes, the caseworker’s testimony at the prior hearing, which included hearsay statements, actually formed the basis of the court’s neglect finding at the subsequent fact-finding hearing. Matter of Louie L. V. (Virzhiniya T. V.), 2019 NY Slip Op 07592, Second Dept 10-23-19
https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png 0 0 Bruce Freeman https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png Bruce Freeman2019-10-23 10:29:142019-10-26 11:15:17TRANSCRIPT OF FAMILY COURT ACT 1028 HEARING SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN USED AS A REPLACEMENT FOR AN ABUSE-NEGLECT FACT-FINDING HEARING BECAUSE THE PROOF REQUIREMENTS ARE DIFFERENT AND BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FINDING THAT THE WITNESS AT THE 1028 HEARING WAS UNAVAILABLE (SECOND DEPT).
MOTHER’S CUSTODY PETITION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED WITHOUT A HEARING; CUSTODY PETITION MAY BE HEARD JOINTLY WITH A PERMANENCY HEARING (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined than mother’s petition for custody should not have been dismissed without a hearing and noted that a custody petition may be heard jointly with a permanency hearing:
The appeal from the order dated September 27, 2018, has not been rendered academic by the permanency hearing order dated November 13, 2018, which apparently changed the permanency goal from working toward legal guardianship by the maternal grandmother to guardianship by a different relative. The order appealed from denied the mother’s petition for custody, and the issue of whether that order was proper will continue to affect the mother’s rights … .
Custody determinations should “[g]enerally be made only after a full and plenary hearing and inquiry” … . Here, the record does not reveal the existence of circumstances that would bring this case within the narrow exception to the general right to a hearing … .
However, the petition for custody may be heard jointly with any permanency hearing held pursuant to Family Court Act article 10-A (see Family Ct Act § 1089-a[a] …). Matter of Barcene v Parrilla, 2019 NY Slip Op 07575, Second Dept 10-23-19
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The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined Family Court should not have relinquished jurisdiction without considering the factors required by statute before finding New York to be an inconvenient forum. Mother had relocated to Florida with the children and father brought a petition and an order to show cause alleging mother refused to allow telephone and electronic contact with the children:
… [M]other’s counsel made a request for dismissal of the petition on jurisdictional grounds pursuant to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (see Domestic Relations Law art 5-A [hereinafter UCCJEA]). The father opposed this request, advising that he had not received the notice of limited appearance and did not know that jurisdiction would be contested at the initial appearance. Following a brief discussion with counsel, Family Court granted the mother’s request, dismissed the petition, denied the relief sought in the order to show cause and directed all further proceedings to take place in Florida. The father appeals.
Family Court erred in summarily relinquishing jurisdiction. As the court acknowledged, it had exclusive continuing jurisdiction over the matter pursuant to the UCCJEA … . Although a court may decline to exercise such jurisdiction upon finding that New York is an inconvenient forum and another state is a more appropriate forum … , such a determination must be made in accord with the statutory directives established within Domestic Relations Law § 76-f. The statutory requirements were not met here. Matter of Cody RR. v Alana SS., 2019 NY Slip Op 07471, Third Dept 10-17-19
https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png 0 0 Bruce Freeman https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png Bruce Freeman2019-10-17 19:22:552019-10-19 20:11:10FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE RELINQUISHED JURISDICTION WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE INCONVENIENT FORUM FACTORS MANDATED BY THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS LAW; MOTHER HAD RELOCATED TO FLORIDA WITH THE CHILDREN AND FATHER WAS SEEKING TELEPHONE AND ELECTRONIC CONTACT WITH THE CHILDREN (THIRD DEPT).
The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined an order of protective issue in a criminal proceeding before the child was born did not prohibit contact between the child and father. Father’s petition seeking custody and/or parenting time should not have been dismissed on that ground:
At the initial appearance on the petition, Family Court stated that the order of protection had been issued in a criminal matter and that it barred the putative father from having any direct or indirect contact with the mother. The mother then moved to dismiss the petition, arguing that the order of protection rendered the petition moot. Family Court agreed and granted the motion. The putative father appeals.
The order of protection at issue — a copy of which is not in the record but the terms of which we take judicial notice — was issued prior to the child’s birth and does not bar the putative father from having contact with the child. It is not, as a result, fatal to the putative father’s petition … . Remittal is therefore required for Family Court to consider whether an order of filiation should be issued (see Family Ct Act § 564) and, if so, whether contact with the putative father would be in the best interests of the child and could be accomplished without contravening the terms of the order of protection … . Matter of Justin M. v Valencia N., 2019 NY Slip Op 07453, Third Dept 10-17-19
https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png 0 0 Bruce Freeman https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png Bruce Freeman2019-10-17 16:46:472019-10-20 17:04:27FATHER'S PETITION FOR CUSTODY OR PARENTING TIME SHOULD NOT HAVE DISMISSED BASED UPON AN ORDER OF PROTECTION ISSUED IN A CRIMINAL MATTER BEFORE THE CHILD WAS BORN (THIRD DEPT).
EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANTED AWARDING CUSTODY TO STEPMOTHER WITH VISITATION BY BOTH PARENTS (THIRD DEPT).
The Third Department determined that extraordinary circumstances warranted awarding custody of the child to the stepmother with visitation from both parents. The child had been living with father and stepmother for years when father moved out:
… [T]he child was residing with the other parent — the father — pursuant to a court order. The mother did not originally expressly relinquish the child to the stepmother. Rather, the stepmother assumed parental responsibilities due to her relationship with the father and based on his custodial authority. Nevertheless, in considering the cumulative effect of all the issues, we note that the mother had very little contact with the child for five years, including not seeing him at all for three continuous years, while the child was at a formative age and being raised by the father and the stepmother. Starting in 2012, the mother began consistently exercising her visitation and has continued to do so. However, the mother remained uninvolved in the child’s medical and educational life and was only minimally involved in his extracurricular activities. * * *
Moving to the best interests of the child, he has lived with the stepmother since he was a toddler, has a close bond with her and was described as inseparable from his half brother, who also lives with them. The child has always attended schools in the same district, has an educational plan to address his difficulties, participates in sports in that district and all of his friends are there. The mother lives in a different school district. The stepmother has been managing the child’s medical conditions for a decade, whereas the mother did not even know the names of his doctors. The stepmother has been communicating with the mother regarding visits and providing the majority of the transportation; the mother has no vehicle and her driver’s license is suspended, although she drove to drop the child off on at least some occasions. Matter of Shanna O. v James P., 2019 NY Slip Op 07455, Third Dept 10-17-19
https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png 0 0 Bruce Freeman https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png Bruce Freeman2019-10-17 16:34:532019-10-20 16:46:32EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANTED AWARDING CUSTODY TO STEPMOTHER WITH VISITATION BY BOTH PARENTS (THIRD DEPT).
The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined the neglect finding against father was not supported by the evidence. Father fired a shotgun through the front door into the driveway when the child was not home. The fact that the child could have returned home and could have been in the driveway was not sufficient:
Although a finding of imminent danger can be established through a single incident or circumstance, the danger “must be near or impending, not merely possible” … . As such, it has been held that a finding of imminent danger is contingent on the child being present … .
Here, it is undisputed that the child was not present during the shooting. Despite this, petitioner and the attorney for the child argue that the child and the mother could have returned to the home at any time and traveled through the likely path of the shotgun pellets. However, this did not occur, nor can such danger be said to have been imminent as it was only hypothetical, rather than “near or impending” … . Put another way, the issue is not that there was no imminent risk because, fortuitously, nothing happened to the child, but rather that nothing could have happened under the particular scenario because the child was not home … . “While respondent’s conduct was far from ideal and it is possible to speculate about ways that events could have turned out differently for the child[], nonetheless, the record fails to establish that the child[] [was] in imminent danger” … . Matter of Jordyn WW. (Tyrell WW.), 2019 NY Slip Op 07460, Third Dept 10-17-19
https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png 0 0 Bruce Freeman https://nyappellatedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NYAppelateLogo-White-1.png Bruce Freeman2019-10-17 15:54:152019-10-20 16:11:28FIRING A SHOTGUN THROUGH A SCREEN DOOR INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE CHILD WAS NOT HOME DOES NOT CONSTITUTE NEGLECT (THIRD DEPT).