Petition for Modification of Custody Should Not Have Been Dismissed Without a Hearing
The Fourth Department determined Family Court should not have dismissed mother’s petition for a modification of custody without holding a hearing:
It is well settled that a party seeking a change in an established custody arrangement must show “a change in circumstances [that] reflects a real need for change to ensure the best interest[s] of the child[ren]” … . Although a “hearing is not automatically required whenever a parent seeks modification of a custody order”… , we conclude that the mother made a sufficient evidentiary showing of a change in circumstances to warrant a hearing … . “[T]he mother’s allegations that [the father] imposed excessive and inappropriate discipline on the subject children, including corporal punishment, [were] sufficient to warrant a hearing” … , as were the mother’s allegations that the father had refused to permit her to exercise visitation with the subject children for four weeks … . Consequently, we agree with the mother that the court erred in dismissing the petition without conducting a hearing. Matter of Isler v Johnson, 2014 NY Slip Op 04678, 4th Dept 6-20-14