You are here: / / THE PARTY SEEKING A CONTEMPT FINDING DID NOT DEMONSTRATE PREJUDICE FROM...
, ,

THE PARTY SEEKING A CONTEMPT FINDING DID NOT DEMONSTRATE PREJUDICE FROM THE FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ONE COURT ORDER AND THE OTHER COURT ORDER DID NOT EXPRESS AN UNEQUIVOCAL MANDATE; CONTEMPT FINDING REVERSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the evidence did not support a contempt finding against the trustee of a special needs trust (Wiltshire). The guardian of the incapacitated person (Daniels) demonstrated that Wiltshire failed to provide an accounting and failed to promptly pay certain expenses, but the proof of Wiltshire’s alleged failure to comply with a court order was not sufficient to support a contempt finding. For instance, it was not demonstrated that Daniels was prejudiced by Wiltshire’s inaction:

“In order to find that contempt has occurred in a given case, it must be determined that a lawful order of the court, clearly expressing an unequivocal mandate, was in effect. It must appear, with reasonable certainty, that the order has been disobeyed. Moreover, the party to be held in contempt must have had knowledge of the court’s order. . . . Finally, prejudice to the right of a party to the litigation must be demonstrated” . “The burden of proof is on the proponent of a contempt motion, and the contempt must be established by clear and convincing evidence” … .

Here, Daniels did not establish that she was prejudiced in any way by Wiltshire’s failure to furnish an accounting of the SNT in violation of the … so-ordered stipulation … . Moreover, the [other] order directed Wiltshire to pay Daniels’s guardianship fees from the SNT, but did not provide a deadline for the payment. That order thus did not clearly express an unequivocal mandate which would support holding Wiltshire in contempt of court … . Matter of Serena W., 2023 NY Slip Op 03797, Second Dept 7-12-23

Practice Point: A party seeking a contempt finding must demonstrate prejudice from the failure to comply with a court order.

Practice Point: In order to support a contempt finding, the subject order must include an unequivocal mandate which was not obeyed.

 

You might also like
Under Powers Reserved to the Town by an 1818 Law, the Town Cannot Regulate Shoreline Dune Reconstruction and Erosion Control Undertaken by a Village within the Town
Instructions In Will Re: Payment of Estate Taxes Properly Followed
A FORUM SELECTION CLAUSE IN AN INSURANCE POLICY WHICH VIOLATES NEW YORK LAW IS NOT ENFORCEABLE (SECOND DEPT).
Mistake in Name of Party Did Not Warrant Striking Candidate’s Name from Ballot
FAMILY COURT SHOULD HAVE MADE FINDINGS ALLOWING JUVENILE TO PETITION FOR SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE STATUS, PARENTAL NEGLECT PRECLUDED REUNIFICATION.
Evidence of Mother’s Mental Illness, Without More, Did Not Justify Neglect Finding
THE PROCESS SERVER DID NOT MAKE SUFFICIENT EFFORTS TO PERSONALLY DELIVER THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT BEFORE RESORTING TO NAIL AND MAIL SERVICE; COMPLAINT DISMISSED FOR LACK OF PERSONAL JURISDICTION OVER DEFENDANT (SECOND DEPT).
PLAINTIFF’S SUBMISSIONS, INCLUDING CERTIFIED CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA AND THE DEPOSITION OF A NONPARTY, RAISED QUESTIONS OF FACT ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF ICE AND THE DEFENDANTS’ NOTICE OF IT, DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2025 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy

THE CHILDREN’S HEARSAY EVIDENCE AND KNOWLEDGE FATHER LEGALLY POSSESSED... ​IN A FORECLOSURE PROCEEDING, A REFEREE’S REPORT BASED UPON UNPRODUCED...