Family Court Has Power to Issue Judgment for Child Support Arrearages
After Family Court ruled it did not have jurisdiction to issue a judgment for child support arrearages, the Third Department determined that the court did in fact have jurisdiction. In a full-fledged opinion by Justice Peters, the Third Department wrote:
While “Family Court is a court of limited jurisdiction, constrained to exercise only those powers granted to it by the State Constitution or by statute” …, it is empowered “to determine applications to modify or enforce judgments and orders of support” … .In that regard, petitioner [child support collection unit] is authorized to commence violation proceedings “on behalf of persons” who receive child support pursuant to a court order … . * * *
Petitioner thus acted well within its statutory authority in commencing this proceeding to enforce a child support order that respondent had “fail[ed] to obey,” and Family Court likewise had subject matter jurisdiction to consider it… . In the Matter of Chemung County Support Collection Unit…v Greenfield, 515864, 3rd Dept, 5-30-13
