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FORCING DEFENDANT MOTHER TO GO TO TRIAL IN A CUSTODY SUIT WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY, AFTER HER ATTORNEY WITHDREW FOR NONPAYMENT ON THE MORNING OF THE TRIAL, REQUIRED REVERSAL.

The Fourth Department determined Supreme Court’s failure to grant an adjournment to allow mother to find another attorney, after her attorney withdrew on the morning of the custody trial, required reversal:

We conclude that the court abused its discretion in denying defendant’s request for an adjournment … . The record establishes that defendant’s request was not a delay tactic and did not result from her lack of diligence … . We also agree with defendant that the court’s refusal to grant defendant an adjournment to obtain new counsel resulted in the absence of a full and complete record upon which the court could render an adequate and informed decision. “The custody determination of the trial court generally is entitled to great deference . . . , but [s]uch deference is not warranted . . . where the custody determination lacks a sound and substantial basis in the record” … . Zhu v Ye Cheng, 2016 NY Slip Op 06358, 4th Dept 9-30-16

FAMILY LAW (FORCING DEFENDANT MOTHER TO GO TO TRIAL IN A CUSTODY SUIT WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY, AFTER HER ATTORNEY WITHDREW FOR NONPAYMENT ON THE MORNING OF THE TRIAL, REQUIRED REVERSAL)/ATTORNEYS (FAMILY LAW, FORCING DEFENDANT MOTHER TO GO TO TRIAL IN A CUSTODY SUIT WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY, AFTER HER ATTORNEY WITHDREW FOR NONPAYMENT ON THE MORNING OF THE TRIAL, REQUIRED REVERSAL)

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CHILD’S STATEMENT ABOUT AGE-INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL CONDUCT NOT CORROBORATED; NEGLECT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MOTHER NOT PROVEN (FOURTH DEPT).
HERE THE NEW STATUTE REQUIRING THE PEOPLE TO FILE AND SERVE A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE WITH DISCOVERY OBLIGATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT AFTER THE PEOPLE HAD ANNOUNCED READINESS FOR TRIAL; THE STATUTE RETURNED THE PEOPLE TO A STATE OF UNREADINESS; DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS ON SPEEDY-TRIAL GROUNDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT).
DEFENDANT COMPLAINED THAT HIS ATTORNEY HAD NOT FILED OMNIBUS MOTIONS BUT DEFENSE COUNSEL SAID HE HAD FILED THEM AND THE COURT SAID IT HAD RECEIVED THEM; IN FACT, HOWEVER NO MOTIONS HAD BEEN FILED; DEFENDANT’S COMPLAINTS ABOUT HIS ASSIGNED COUNSEL WARRANTED FURTHER INQUIRY BY THE COURT; DEFENDANT WAS DEPRIVED OF HIS RIGHT TO COUNSEL, NEW TRIAL ORDERED (FOURTH DEPT).
DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO VACATE HIS CONVICTION BASED UPON INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE AND ACTUAL INNOCENCE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DENIED WITHOUT A HEARING, DEFENDANT PRESENTED EVIDENCE DEFENSE COUNSEL NEVER SUBPOENAED A WITNESS (FOURTH DEPT).
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE SUBSTANTIATING THE PURPORTED “OFF THE RECORD” STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT; THE TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WERE NEVER FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK; A PRETRIAL CONFERENCE WITH THE JUDGE’S CLERK DOES NOT MEET THE “OPEN COURT” REQUIREMENT FOR A STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT (FOURTH DEPT).
THE JUDGE SHOULD NOT HAVE LEFT IT TO THE AGENCY TO DETERMINE FATHER’S VISITATION AND SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE THERAPEUTIC COUNSELING A PREREQUISITE FOR VISITATION (FOURTH DEPT). ​
FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE SUSPENDED FATHER’S VISITATION WITHOUT MAKING FINDINGS OF FACT, MATTER REMITTED (FOURTH DEPT).
THE TRIAL JUDGE SHOULD NOT HAVE NEGOTIATED A PLEA DEAL WITH A CO-DEFENDANT REQUIRING TESTIMONY AGAINST THE DEFENDANT IN EXCHANGE FOR A MORE FAVORABLE SENTENCE; NEW TRIAL BEFORE A DIFFERENT JUDGE ORDERED (F0URTH DEPT).

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