PARTY SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER OF PROTECTION PROCEEDING DID NOT KNOWINGLY AND INTELLIGENTLY WAIVE HIS RIGHT TO COUNSEL.
The Second Department determined Family Court did not ensure that the party subject to an order of protection proceeding knowingly and intelligently waived his right to counsel:
A party in a proceeding pursuant to Family Court Act article 8 has the right to be represented by counsel (see Family Ct Act § 262[a][ii]), but may waive that right provided that he or she does so knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily … . In order to determine whether a party is validly waiving the right to counsel, the court must conduct a “searching inquiry” to ensure that the waiver is knowing, intelligent, and voluntary … . ” While there is no rigid formula to the court’s inquiry, there must be a showing that the party was aware of the dangers and disadvantages of proceeding without counsel'” … , and it is the “better practice” for the court to inquire about the litigant’s ” age, education, occupation, previous exposure to legal procedures and other relevant factors bearing on a competent, intelligent, voluntary waiver'” … .
Here, the record was inadequate to demonstrate that the appellant validly waived his right to counsel … . Accordingly, the order must be reversed, and the matter remitted to the Family Court, Kings County, for a new hearing at which the appellant shall either appear with counsel or knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently waive his right to counsel, and a new determination on the petition thereafter. Matter of Dixon v Marshall, 2017 NY Slip Op 05085, 2nd Dept 6-21-17
FAMILY LAW (PARTY SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER OF PROTECTION PROCEEDING DID NOT KNOWINGLY AND INTELLIGENTLY WAIVE HIS RIGHT TO COUNSEL)/ATTORNEYS (FAMILY LAW, ORDER OF PROTECTION, PARTY SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER OF PROTECTION PROCEEDING DID NOT KNOWINGLY AND INTELLIGENTLY WAIVE HIS RIGHT TO COUNSEL)/RIGHT TO COUNSEL (FAMILY LAW, ORDER OF PROTECTION, PARTY SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER OF PROTECTION PROCEEDING DID NOT KNOWINGLY AND INTELLIGENTLY WAIVE HIS RIGHT TO COUNSEL)/ORDER OF PROTECTION (FAMILY LAW, RIGHT TO COUNSEL, PARTY SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER OF PROTECTION PROCEEDING DID NOT KNOWINGLY AND INTELLIGENTLY WAIVE HIS RIGHT TO COUNSEL)