MOTHER’S PETITION FOR A MODIFICATION OF CUSTODY TO ALLOW RELOCATION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED WITHOUT A HEARING (FOURTH DEPT).
The Fourth Department, reversing Family Court, determined mother’s petition for a modification of custody to accommodate relocation should not have been dismissed without holding a hearing:
… [T]he mother alleged that she had specific employment advancement opportunities at her job in Monroe County, and “economic necessity . . . may present a particularly persuasive ground for permitting the proposed move” … . In addition, the mother alleged that the relocation would enhance the child’s extracurricular activities, a factor that may support a relocation … . In addition, the Attorney for the Child indicated that the child favored the relocation, another factor that may support a relocation petition … . Consequently, the petition sufficiently alleged that the relocation would be in the child’s best interests … , and the court erred in dismissing it on the ground that it did not. Finally, to the extent that the decision indicates that the court dismissed the petition on the ground that the mother failed to allege a sufficient change in circumstances, that was error … . Matter of Betts v Moore, 2020 NY Slip Op 06907, Fourth Dept 11-20-20