Case Name: Barbara C. Malamut, Respondent, v. Richard M. Malamut, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1994-12-19
Citations: 210 A.D.2d 382
Docket Number: 
Parties: Barbara C. Malamut, Respondent, v Richard M. Malamut, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 210
Pages: 382–383

Head Matter:
Barbara C. Malamut, Respondent, v Richard M. Malamut, Appellant.
[621 NYS2d 86]

Opinion:
—In a matrimonial action in which the parties were divorced by a judgment dated April 3, 1986, the defendant former husband appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Nassau County (O'Brien, J.), dated January 26,1993, which, inter alia, denied, without a hearing, that branch of his motion which was for a downward modification of his $3,600 monthly maintenance obligation.
Ordered that the order is reversed, on the law, without costs or disbursements, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Nassau County, for a hearing and new determination.
It is well settled that a hearing is warranted on the issue of whether there has been a "substantial change in circumstances" (Domestic Relations Law § 236 [B] [9] [b]), where the parties' affidavits disclose the existence of genuine questions of fact (see, Wyser-Pratte v Wyser-Pratte, 66 NY2d 715; Schnoor v Schnoor, 189 AD2d 809, 810). Here, the conflicting affidavits raise questions as to the plaintiff's ability to be self-supporting. We therefore remit the matter to the Supreme Court, Nassau County, for a hearing. Sullivan, J. P., Lawrence, Ritter and Joy, JJ., concur.