HERE THE CUSTODY CASE WAS TRANSFERRED TO A NEW JUDGE; THE PREVIOUS JUDGE’S ORDERS CONSTITUTED THE LAW OF THE CASE WHICH CANNOT BE VIOLATED BY SUBSEQUENT ORDERS BY THE NEW JUDGE (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined the judge to whom the case was transferred should not have issued orders which conflicted with those issued by the previous judge, which constituted the law of the case:

The March 21, 2023 order, which directed a hearing on the father’s motion to vacate the 2017 custody order, constituted the law of the case and was thus binding on all judges of coordinate jurisdiction … . Thus, the order denying the motion to vacate the custody order, without holding a hearing, constitutes a violation of the law of the case doctrine, and the order should be reversed on that basis alone … . …

… [W]e further find that the [previous judge’s] decision to so-order the subpoena … likewise constituted law of the case. Family Court therefore erred when it denied the motion to compel solely on the basis that the judicial subpoena was overbroad. Matter of Jahir I. v Sharon E.W., 2024 NY Slip Op 05635, Third Dept 11-14-24

Practice Point: When a case is transferred to a new judge, the orders issued by the previous judge are the law of the case and must be adhered to by the new judge.