SENTENCE WHICH INCLUDED BOTH JAIL TIME AND PROBATION FOR VIOLATION OF A CHILD SUPPORT ORDER IS ILLEGAL; AN ILLEGAL SENTENCE IS APPEALABLE WITHOUT PRESERVATION OF THE ERROR (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the imposition of a jail sentence and probation for father’s failure to pay support in violation of a court order was illegal. An illegal sentence is appealable without preservation of the error:

Although the father failed to preserve his challenge to the legality of his sentence, a challenge to an unlawful sentence is not subject to the preservation rule … . Family Court Act § 454 expressly delineates the authority of the Family Court to impose either probation or a term of incarceration upon a finding of a willful violation of an order of support, not both (… Family Court Act § 454[3]). Thus, the Family Court was without authority to impose both a jail term and probation (see Family Court Act § 454[3] …). Since the father completed his 90-day term of incarceration, that portion of his sentence imposing probation must be vacated … . Matter of Lopez v Wessin, 2020 NY Slip Op 00137, Second Dept 1-8-20