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ALTHOUGH FATHER FAILED TO APPEAR IN THE CUSTODY PROCEEDING, FAMILY COURT SHOULD HAVE HELD A HEARING AND MADE FINDINGS OF FACT; CUSTODY ORDER VACATED AND MATTER REMITTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined father’s motion to vacate the custody order should have been granted. Despite father’s failure to appear in this custody proceeding, Family Court should have held a hearing and made findings of fact in support of awarding custody to mother:

“Although the determination of whether to relieve a party of an order entered upon his or her default is a matter left to the sound discretion of the Family Court, the law favors resolution on the merits in child custody proceedings” … . In addition, the court’s authority to proceed by default “in no way diminishes the court’s primary responsibility to ensure that an award of custody is predicated on the child’s best interests, upon consideration of the totality of the circumstances, after a full and comprehensive hearing and a careful analysis of all relevant factors” … . “A custody determination, whether made upon the default of a party or not, must always have a sound and substantial basis in the record” … .

Here, the Family Court made a custody determination without a hearing and without making any specific findings of fact regarding the best interests of the child. Matter of Riera v Ayabaca, 2025 NY Slip Op 00661, Second Dept 2-5-25

Practice Point: Although Family Court can proceed by default in a custody matter, a hearing and findings of fact are necessary.

 

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