FATHER’S PARENTAL ACCESS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED UPON HIS PARTICIPATION IN COUNSELING OR TREATMENT (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Family Court, determined father’s access to the child should not have been conditioned upon his participation in counseling or treatment:
“A court deciding a custody proceeding may direct a party to submit to counseling or treatment as a component of a [parental access] or custody order” … . However, a court may not direct that a parent undergo counseling or treatment as a condition of future parental access or reapplication for parental access rights … . Here, the Family Court erred in conditioning the filing of any future parental access petitions by the father upon his completion of a parenting class, and we modify the order … , so as to eliminate that condition … . Matter of Coley v Steiz, 2023 NY Slip Op 01995, Second Dept 4-19-23
Practice Point: In a custody proceeding, father’s parental access should not be conditioned upon his participation in counseling or treatment.