“Economic Necessity” Justified Relocation

The Second Department determined the mother’s relocation was in the best interests of the child based upon “economic necessity:”

“[E]conomic necessity . . . may present a particularly persuasive ground for permitting the proposed move”… .. Here, the mother demonstrated that she was not able to meet her living expenses while residing in Queens, and the father conceded that he did not regularly pay his share of the childcare expenses. The mother also demonstrated that, if she were permitted to relocate, her mother would assist with the childcare and that she and the child would be able to reside, at a reduced rent, in her mother’s home, located only blocks from where the child would attend school. While the father’s loss of weekly weekday contact with the child is neither trivial nor insignificant…, the relocation is not a great distance and the visitation schedule devised by the court in this case allows for the continuation of a meaningful relationship between the father and the child… . Matter of Sahagun v Alix, 2013 NY Slip Op 04009, 2nd Dept, 6-5-13