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Relationship Between Mother and Father Had Not Deteriorated to the Extent that the Joint Custody Arrangement Should Have Been Modified to Award Sole Custody to Mother

The Third Department reversed Family Court’s award of sole custody to the mother in a modification proceeding:

“A parent seeking to modify an existing custody order bears the burden of demonstrating a sufficient change in circumstances since the entry of the prior order to warrant modification thereof in the child[]’s best interests” … . Although the requisite change in circumstances may be found to exist where “the parties’ relationship has deteriorated to a point where there is no meaningful communication or cooperation for the sake of the child” …, the record before us falls short of establishing that the mother and father’s relationship has become so acrimonious as to preclude an award of joint custody. * * *

…[W]e note that the father’s stated basis for seeking sole custody stemmed not from an expressed or demonstrated inability to get along with the mother but, rather, from his concerns regarding the mother’s stability in light of her documented — and undisputed — mental health and alcohol dependency issues. Similarly, although the mother — both in the context of her modification petition and during the course of her testimony at the hearing — requested that Family Court alter the physical custody arrangement, she did not ask that Family Court award her sole custody of the child … . Under these circumstances, and inasmuch as the parties otherwise failed to demonstrate a sufficient change in circumstances to warrant modification of the prior custody order, Family Court erred in awarding sole legal and physical custody to the mother … . Matter of Dornburgh v Yearry, 2015 NY Slip OP 00260, 3rd Dept 1-8-15

 

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