You are here: / / Grandmother’s Pro Se Petition to Modify Visitation Is To Be Construed...

Grandmother’s Pro Se Petition to Modify Visitation Is To Be Construed Liberally and Should Not Have Been Dismissed Without a Hearing

The Third Department determined Family Court should not have dismissed grandmother's petition to increase her visitation with the child without a hearing.  The court noted that because the grandmother filed her petition pro se, it should be construed liberally:

“A party seeking to modify a visitation order must show a change in circumstances resulting in a need for the modification to ensure the best interests of the child” … . Inasmuch as the grandmother filed her petition pro se, it should be construed liberally when considering whether she sufficiently alleged a change in circumstances (…see also CPLR 3026). Here, the grandmother alleged that an increase in visitation was warranted given that the child was older, the grandmother and child had developed a close bond, overnight visitation had never been addressed, and an overnight would permit the grandmother and the child to do more together, including spending time with family members who live farther away. While the mere passage of time and the child getting older do not constitute unanticipated changes in circumstances …, more was alleged here. Liberally construed, the grandmother's allegations in the petition adequately asserted that a sufficient change in circumstances has occurred. Matter of Ford v Baldi, 2014 NY Slip Op 09078, 3rd Dept 12-31-14


You might also like
MOTHER’S PETITION TO REGAIN CUSTODY FROM GRANDMOTHER SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED FOR FAILURE TO DEMONSTRATE A CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE THE AWARD OF CUSTODY TO GRANDMOTHER WAS BY CONSENT, GRANDMOTHER DEMONSTRATED EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES JUSTIFYING THE AWARD OF CUSTODY TO HER, MATTER REMITTED FOR HEARING TO DETERMINE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD (THIRD DEPT).
DEFENDANT’S 140-YEARS-TO-LIFE SENTENCE IN THIS PREDATORY-SEXUAL-ASSAULT-OF-A-CHILD PROSECUTION DEEMED UNDULY HARSH AND SEVERE; THE PEOPLE HAD TWICE OFFERED A 15-20-YEAR SENTENCE; SENTENCE REDUCED TO 20-TO-LIFE (THIRD DEPT).
THE FAILURE TO TIMELY SERVE THE COUNTY TREASURER WITH THE PETITION SEEKING JUDICIAL REVIEW OF A PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT, A VIOLATION OF RPTL 708 (3), REQUIRED DISMISSAL OF THE PETITION (THIRD DEPT).
THE NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF A LEASE DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE HUD REGULATION REQUIRING THAT THE REASONS FOR TERMINATION BE STATED WITH ENOUGH SPECIFICITY TO ALLOW THE TENANT TO MOUNT A DEFENSE; EVICTION ORDER REVERSED (THIRD DEPT).
Appraisal of Value of Gas-Line Easements Insufficient 
DEFENDANTS DID NOT AFFIRMATIVELY DEMONSTRATE THEIR PRODUCTS WERE NOT THE SOURCE OF ASBESTOS EXPOSURE, POINTING TO GAPS IN PLAINTIFFS’ PROOF IS NOT ENOUGH, DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED 3RD DEPT.
PLAINTIFF, A LANDSCAPING CONTRACTOR, DID YARD WORK FOR DEFENDANT HOMEOWNER, INCLUDING SPREADING MULCH AND USING HIS OWN LADDER TO TRIM A TREE; PLAINTIFF POSITIONED THE LADDER ON THE MULCH; THE LADDER FELL OVER WHEN PLAINTIFF WAS STANDING ON IT; DEFENDANT HOMEOWNER DID NOT CREATE OR HAVE NOTICE OF THE DANGEROUS CONDITION (THE MULCH) AND DID NOT SUPERVISE OR DIRECT PLAINTIFF’S TREE-TRIMMING WORK; DEFENDANT’S SUMMARY JUDGMENT MOTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (THIRD DEPT).
Participation in One’s Own Business, Even If the Business Generates No Income, Can Render One Ineligible for Unemployment Benefits

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2026 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy

Only the Board of Parole Has the Authority to Impose Conditions On Postrelease... Child Unborn When Sibling Found to Be Neglected Properly Found to Be Derivatively...