You are here: / / MOTHER ASKED TO REPRESENT HERSELF IN THIS CUSTODY PROCEEDING AND THEN DEFAULTED;...
, , , ,

MOTHER ASKED TO REPRESENT HERSELF IN THIS CUSTODY PROCEEDING AND THEN DEFAULTED; THE ISSUE IS APPEALABLE DESPITE THE DEFAULT; THE JUDGE’S FAILURE TO CONDUCT A SEARCHING INQUIRY UPON MOTHER’S REQUEST TO REPRESENT HERSELF REQUIRED REMITTAL AND A NEW HEARING ON THE PETITION (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Family Court and ordering a new custody hearing, determined Family Court did not conduct an adequate inquiry before accepting mother’s waiver of the right to counsel. The issue was appealable despite mother’s default:

At the mother’s initial appearance, Family Court advised the mother that she had the right to counsel, and the mother indicated that she planned to represent herself. The court scheduled a hearing on the petitions and warned the parties that, if a party failed to appear, the court would dismiss that party’s petition and proceed without the party. The mother failed to appear at the hearing, and the court noted her default and proceeded on the father’s petition. The mother now appeals from an order that, inter alia, dismissed her petition and awarded the parties joint custody of the children. * * *

 The “request by a party to waive the right to counsel and proceed pro se . . . places in issue whether the court fulfilled its obligation to ensure a valid waiver” and may be reviewed by this Court on an appeal by the subsequently defaulting pro se party … .

“[A] court’s decision to permit a party who is entitled to counsel to proceed pro se must be supported by a showing on the record of a knowing, voluntary and intelligent waiver of [the right to counsel]” … . “If a timely and unequivocal request [to proceed pro se] has been asserted, then the trial court is obligated to conduct a ‘searching inquiry’ to ensure that the [party’s] waiver is knowing, intelligent, and voluntary” … . Although “[a] ‘searching inquiry’ does not have to be made in a formulaic manner” … , “the record must demonstrate that the party was aware of the dangers and disadvantages of proceeding without counsel” … . Matter of Crespo v Wynn, 2026 NY Slip Op 02517, Fourth Dept 4-24-26

Practice Point: In a custody proceeding, before accepting a party’s request to represent herself, the court must conduct a searching inquiry to make sure the party understands the dangers and disadvantages. The issue is appealable despite a subsequent default.

 

You might also like
THE MAJORITY HELD THE INSTALLATION OF AN AIR TANK ON A FLATBED TRAILER WAS NOT A COVERED ACTIVITY UNDER LABOR LAW 240(1); THE DISSENT ARGUED THE TRAILER WAS A “STRUCTURE” WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE STATUTE (FOURTH DEPT). ​
LEAVE TO FILE LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM FOR HUSBAND’S DERIVATIVE CLAIM SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED.
DEFENDANT PHYSICIAN’S AFFIDAVIT DID NOT PROVE PLAINTIFF’S DECEDENT WAS INFORMED OF THE PRESENCE OF A FOREIGN BODY IN HIS PELVIS; THE AFFIDAVIT RELIED ON INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE OF THE DEFENDANT’S CUSTOM OR HABIT; THE COMPLAINT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AS TIME-BARRED (FOURTH DEPT). ​
DURING THE BATSON PROCEDURE, THE PROSECUTOR’S RACE-NEUTRAL EXPLANATION FOR A PEREMPTORY JUROR CHALLENGE WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE RECORD AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE COURT, NEW TRIAL ORDERED; TWO-JUSTICE DISSENT (FOURTH DEPT).
QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER DEFENDANT ACTED RECKLESSLY IN THIS SKIING ACCIDENT CASE, DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT).
New Evidence Demonstrated the Declarant, Not the Defendant, Committed the Murders of Which Defendant Was Convicted—Motion to Vacate Defendants’ Convictions Properly Granted
FAILURE TO INCLUDE RETURN DATE IN A NOTICE OF PETITION IS NO LONGER A JURISDICTIONAL DEFECT, HERE THERE WAS ACTUAL NOTICE AND NO PREJUDICE (FOURTH DEPT).
PLAINTIFF WAS KILLED WHEN A HEAVY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT HE WAS WELDING FELL; ALTHOUGH THE EQUIPMENT WAS FABRICATED FOR A POWER PLANT BEING CONSTRUCTED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, PLAINTIFF WAS NOT ENGAGED IN CONSTRUCTION WORK WITHIN THE MEANING OF LABOR LAW 240 (1) (FOURTH 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 © 2026 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy

THE RESPONDENT CORRECTION OFFICER PARTICIPATED IN A GANG ASSAULT ON AN INMATE... IN A MEDICAL MALPRACTICE TRIAL, THE “ERROR IN JUDGMENT” JURY INSTRUCTION...