DEFENDANT MOTHER, WHO SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED AN ORDER REQUIRING PLAINTIFF TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT, WAS JUDICIALLY ESTOPPED FROM ARGUING PLAINTIFF WAS NOT A PARENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF VISITATION.
The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined defendant mother was judicially estopped from arguing plaintiff was not a parent for the purpose of visitation. Defendant had previously successfully obtain an order requiring plaintiff to pay child support:
The defendant was judicially estopped from arguing that the plaintiff was not a parent for the purpose of visitation. First, by asserting in her child support petition that the plaintiff was chargeable with support for the subject child, the plaintiff assumed the position before the Family Court that the plaintiff was the subject child’s parent, as it is parents who are chargeable with the support of their children (see Family Ct Act § 413[1][a]). Next, based on her assertion that the plaintiff was chargeable with the subject child’s support, the defendant successfully obtained an order compelling the plaintiff to pay child support for the subject child … . Under this order, the plaintiff was required to pay child support for his children, including the subject child. Furthermore, the record does not support the court’s finding that the defendant unequivocally waived the right to child support. Therefore, the defendant is judicially estopped from arguing that the plaintiff is not a parent for the purpose of visitation … . Paese v Paese, 2016 NY Slip Op 07304, 2nd Dept 11-9-16
FAMILY LAW (DEFENDANT MOTHER, WHO SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED AN ORDER REQUIRING DEFENDANT TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT, WAS JUDICIALLY ESTOPPED FROM ARGUING DEFENDANT WAS NOT A PARENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF VISITATION)/VISITATION (DEFENDANT MOTHER, WHO SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED AN ORDER REQUIRING DEFENDANT TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT, WAS JUDICIALLY ESTOPPED FROM ARGUING DEFENDANT WAS NOT A PARENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF VISITATION)/CHILD SUPPORT (DEFENDANT MOTHER, WHO SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED AN ORDER REQUIRING DEFENDANT TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT, WAS JUDICIALLY ESTOPPED FROM ARGUING DEFENDANT WAS NOT A PARENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF VISITATION)/JUDICIAL ESTOPPEL (FAMILY LAW, DEFENDANT MOTHER, WHO SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED AN ORDER REQUIRING DEFENDANT TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT, WAS JUDICIALLY ESTOPPED FROM ARGUING DEFENDANT WAS NOT A PARENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF VISITATION)