New York Appellate Digest
  • Home
  • About
  • Just Released
  • Update Service
  • Streamlined Research
  • CLE Courses
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu
You are here: Home1 / INSUFFICIENT PROOF SIGNATURE ON A POWER OF ATTORNEY WAS FORGED, SUPREME...

Search Results

/ Civil Procedure, Evidence

INSUFFICIENT PROOF SIGNATURE ON A POWER OF ATTORNEY WAS FORGED, SUPREME COURT REVERSED.

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the proof of the allegedly forged signature on a power of attorney was insufficient to support declaring the power of attorney null and void:

​

“A certificate of acknowledgment attached to an instrument such as a deed or a mortgage raises the presumption of due execution, which presumption . . . can be rebutted only after being weighed against any evidence adduced to show that the subject instrument was not duly executed'”… . ” [A] certificate of acknowledgment should not be overthrown upon evidence of a doubtful character, such as the unsupported testimony of interested witnesses, nor upon a bare preponderance of evidence, but only on proof so clear and convincing so as to amount to a moral certainty'” … .

​

Here, the plaintiff failed to rebut the presumption of validity of the acknowledged power of attorney. Although an expert opinion is not necessarily required in order to establish that a document is a forgery, where an expert opinion is offered, the expert must “state with reasonable professional certainty that the signature at issue is not authentic” … . The plaintiff failed to present evidence authenticating the group of 31 exemplars upon which the plaintiff’s handwriting expert primarily relied … . Further, although the handwriting expert testified that he relied on several additional exemplars, those exemplars likewise were not authenticated … . Consequently, the testimony of the handwriting expert should not have been considered … .

The testimony of the plaintiff and other witnesses was not sufficient to establish, to a moral certainty, that the 2002 power of attorney was forged. The plaintiff denied having signed the 2002 power of attorney. However, “[s]omething more than a bald assertion of forgery is required to create an issue of fact contesting the authenticity of a signature”… . Kanterakis v Minos Realty I, LLC, 2017 NY Slip Op 05074, 2nd Dept 6-21-17

 

CIVIL PROCEDURE (FORGERY, POWER OF ATTORNEY, INSUFFICIENT PROOF SIGNATURE ON A POWER OF ATTORNEY WAS FORGED, SUPREME COURT REVERSED)/EVIDENCE (FORGERY, POWER OF ATTORNEY, INSUFFICIENT PROOF SIGNATURE ON A POWER OF ATTORNEY WAS FORGED, SUPREME COURT REVERSED)/FORGERY (POWER OF ATTORNEY, INSUFFICIENT PROOF SIGNATURE ON A POWER OF ATTORNEY WAS FORGED, SUPREME COURT REVERSED)/EXPERT OPINION (FORGERY, POWER OF ATTORNEY, INSUFFICIENT PROOF SIGNATURE ON A POWER OF ATTORNEY WAS FORGED, SUPREME COURT REVERSED)/FORGERY (POWER OF ATTORNEY, INSUFFICIENT PROOF SIGNATURE ON A POWER OF ATTORNEY WAS FORGED, SUPREME COURT REVERSED)/CERTIFICATE OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT (POWER OF ATTORNEY, INSUFFICIENT PROOF SIGNATURE ON A POWER OF ATTORNEY WAS FORGED, SUPREME COURT REVERSED)

June 21, 2017
/ Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law

ATTORNEY GENERAL PROPERLY SUBPOENAED DOCUMENTS RELEVANT TO WHETHER A NON-PROFIT WHICH COUNSELS WOMEN AGAINST TERMINATING THEIR PREGNANCIES WAS PRACTICING MEDICINE WITHOUT A LICENSE, HOWEVER THE SUBPOENA MUST BE TAILORED TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION.

The Second Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Cohen, determined the attorney general properly subpoenaed documents relevant to whether the non-profit Evergreen was practicing medicine without a license, but the subpoena had to be tailored to protect the First Amendment rights of Evergreen personnel. Evergreen counsels women in an effort to convince them not to terminate their pregnancies:

​

There is no question that the Attorney General’s investigation is of the utmost importance to protecting the health and safety of women. However, it is equally important that such investigation be carried out with respect and sensitivity to the constitutional rights of those involved. While the subpoena seeks documents that generally bear a reasonable relation to the subject matter of the Attorney General’s investigation, the demands are not narrowly tailored to require production of only those documents directly related to Evergreen’s alleged unauthorized practice of medicine. Thus, we limit in scope the demands set forth in the subpoena to require the disclosure of only those documents that are substantially related to the Attorney General’s legitimate need to gather evidence to determine whether Evergreen has engaged in the unauthorized practice of medicine and which do not unnecessarily intrude on Evergreen’s First Amendment right to freedom of association. Matter of Evergreen Assn., Inc. v Schneiderman, 2017 NY Slip Op 05086, 2nd Dept 6-21-17

CIVIL PROCEDURE (SUBPOENAS, FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, ATTORNEY GENERAL PROPERLY SUBPOENAED DOCUMENTS RELEVANT TO WHETHER A NON-PROFIT WHICH COUNSELS WOMEN AGAINST TERMINATING THEIR PREGNANCIES WAS PRACTICING MEDICINE WITHOUT A LICENSE, HOWEVER THE SUBPOENA MUST BE TAILORED TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION)/CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (SUBPOENAS, FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, ATTORNEY GENERAL PROPERLY SUBPOENAED DOCUMENTS RELEVANT TO WHETHER A NON-PROFIT WHICH COUNSELS WOMEN AGAINST TERMINATING THEIR PREGNANCIES WAS PRACTICING MEDICINE WITHOUT A LICENSE, HOWEVER THE SUBPOENA MUST BE TAILORED TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION)/ABORTION (SUBPOENAS, FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, ATTORNEY GENERAL PROPERLY SUBPOENAED DOCUMENTS RELEVANT TO WHETHER A NON-PROFIT WHICH COUNSELS WOMEN AGAINST TERMINATING THEIR PREGNANCIES WAS PRACTICING MEDICINE WITHOUT A LICENSE, HOWEVER THE SUBPOENA MUST BE TAILORED TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION)/SUBPOENAS (FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, ATTORNEY GENERAL PROPERLY SUBPOENAED DOCUMENTS RELEVANT TO WHETHER A NON-PROFIT WHICH COUNSELS WOMEN AGAINST TERMINATING THEIR PREGNANCIES WAS PRACTICING MEDICINE WITHOUT A LICENSE, HOWEVER THE SUBPOENA MUST BE TAILORED TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION)/FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION (SUBPOENAS, ATTORNEY GENERAL PROPERLY SUBPOENAED DOCUMENTS RELEVANT TO WHETHER A NON-PROFIT WHICH COUNSELS WOMEN AGAINST TERMINATING THEIR PREGNANCIES WAS PRACTICING MEDICINE WITHOUT A LICENSE, HOWEVER THE SUBPOENA MUST BE TAILORED TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION)

June 21, 2017
/ Civil Procedure

NOTICE OF APPEARANCE FILED ON BEHALF OF DEFENDANT BEFORE DEFENDANT WAS MADE A PARTY WAIVED ANY SUBSEQUENT LACK-OF-PERSONAL-JURISDICTION DEFENSE.

The Second Department determined a notice of appearance filed on behalf of a defendant (Dariusz Lojek) before he was made a party waived any subsequent defense alleging lack of personal jurisdiction. The subsequent amended summons and complaint naming Lojek as a party was deemed a nullity. After the statute of limitations passed, Lojek moved to dismiss:

​

On August 22, 2011, the plaintiff commenced this action to recover damages for personal injuries against Asconcio, Inter Euro, Darek Cake Company, and the Grimaldi Bakery Co. Dariusz Lojek, the principal of both Inter Euro and Darek Cake, Inc., was not initially named as a defendant in the action. However, on June 20, 2012, Dariusz Lojek’s attorney filed a notice of appearance on his behalf, and demanded “that all Notices and Demands in this action be served upon the undersigned attorney at the address set forth below.” In a letter to the attorneys for the plaintiff and the defendants in the action, Dariusz Lojek’s attorney asked for “copies of any legal papers which you may have already filed in this action,” and requested to be advised of “pending appearances.”

Over three months later, on September 24, 2012, the plaintiff filed a supplemental summons and amended complaint deleting the defendant Grimaldi Bakery Co. from the caption, correcting the name of the defendant Darek Cake Company to Darek Cake, Inc., and adding Marzena Lojek and Dariusz Lojek, the alleged principals of Inter Euro and Darek Cake, Inc., as defendants in the action. Darek Cake, Inc., Marzena Lojek, and Dariusz Lojek were served with the supplemental summons and amended complaint in December 2012. …

Since the plaintiff failed to obtain leave of court or a stipulation between the parties before serving and filing the supplemental summons and amended complaint, that service may be deemed a nullity, and the amended complaint dismissed insofar as asserted against the additional parties for lack of personal jurisdiction … .

However, lack of personal jurisdiction may be waived … . Under the circumstances of this case, by his appearance in June 2012 and his voluntary participation in the action, Dariusz Lojek submitted to the jurisdiction of the court and waived any defense of lack of personal jurisdiction within the applicable statute of limitations … . Jaramillo v Asconcio, 2017 NY Slip Op 05073, 2nd Dept 6-21-17

 

CIVIL PROCEDURE (NOTICE OF APPEARANCE, WAIVER OF DEFENSES, NOTICE OF APPEARANCE FILED ON BEHALF OF DEFENDANT BEFORE DEFENDANT WAS MADE A PARTY WAIVED ANY SUBSEQUENT LACK-OF-PERSONAL-JURISDICTION DEFENSE)/ATTORNEYS (NOTICE OF APPEARANCE, WAIVER OF DEFENSES, NOTICE OF APPEARANCE FILED ON BEHALF OF DEFENDANT BEFORE DEFENDANT WAS MADE A PARTY WAIVED ANY SUBSEQUENT LACK-OF-PERSONAL-JURISDICTION DEFENSE)/NOTICE OF APPEARANCE (WAIVER OF JURISDICTIONAL DEFENSE,  NOTICE OF APPEARANCE FILED ON BEHALF OF DEFENDANT BEFORE DEFENDANT WAS MADE A PARTY WAIVED ANY SUBSEQUENT LACK-OF-PERSONAL-JURISDICTION DEFENSE)

June 21, 2017
/ Civil Procedure

FURTHER LAWSUITS BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE PROPERLY PROHIBITED BY THE COURT.

The Second Department determined it was appropriate to prohibit further lawsuits in this long-standing series of actions between husband and wife:

​

The plaintiff appeals from the denial of that branch of his motion which was to enjoin the defendants from commencing any new litigation against, or engaging in any applications or motion practice in existing actions involving, the plaintiff, his medical practice, his wife, Janet Rugg Lew, or his counsel, Wand & Goody, LLP, without prior written permission of the Supreme Court. Although public policy generally mandates free access to the courts, a party may forfeit that right if he or she abuses the judicial process by engaging in vexatious litigation … . Here, the record reflects that both the plaintiff and the defendants have engaged in extensive vexatious litigation against each other in the Family Court and the Supreme Court from 2003 to the present. Under the circumstances of this case, it would only be appropriate to enjoin the defendants from engaging in further litigation if the plaintiff was enjoined as well. Accordingly, we reverse the order entered September 3, 2014, insofar as appealed from, and grant the subject branch of the plaintiff’s motion on condition that he stipulate that he be likewise enjoined from commencing any new litigation against the defendants or engaging in any applications or motion practice in existing actions involving the defendants without written permission of the Supreme Court. If the plaintiff does not so stipulate and serve and file such stipulation in accordance with the terms of this order, then we affirm the order insofar as appealed from. Lew v Sobel, 2017 NY Slip Op 05076, 2nd Dept 6-21-17

CIVIL PROCEDURE (FURTHER LAWSUITS BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE PROPERLY PROHIBITED BY THE COURT)/VEXATIOUS LITIGATION (CIVIL PROCEDURE, FURTHER LAWSUITS BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE PROPERLY PROHIBITED BY THE COURT)

​

June 21, 2017
/ Appeals, Criminal Law

DEFENDANT EXPRESSLY DENIED THE INTENT ELEMENT OF UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON DURING THE PLEA COLLOQUY, THE JUDGE DID NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE ISSUE, CONVICTION REVERSED DESPITE FAILURE TO PRESERVE THE ERROR.

The First Department, reversing defendant’s conviction by guilty plea, in the absence of preservation of the error, determined the plea colloquy negated an essential element of the crime. Unlawful possession of a weapon requires an intent to use the weapon unlawfully. Although such intent can be presumed, here defendant expressly negated it:

​

This is a “rare case” where the preservation requirement for challenges to guilty pleas does not apply because “defendant’s factual recitation negate[d] an essential element of the crime pleaded to” and the court “accept[ed] the plea without making further inquiry to ensure that defendant underst[ood] the nature of the charge and that the plea [was] intelligently entered” .. . The crime of attempted possession of a weapon in the second degree requires that a defendant intend to use the weapon unlawfully against another. However, during the plea colloquy, defendant explicitly, repeatedly and consistently denied any intent to use the weapon against anyone, lawfully or otherwise, at the time the police recovered it or at any other time. The court asked followup questions, but they were ineffectual because defendant’s responses only reconfirmed that he expressly denied having the requisite intent. Although an express admission of unlawful intent may not have been necessary in the first place, particularly because such intent is presumed (see Penal Law § 265.15[4]), defendant expressly negated that intent. People v Medina-Feliz, 2017 NY Slip Op 05053, 1st Dept 6-20-17

CRIMINAL LAW (GUILTY PLEA, DEFENDANT EXPRESSLY DENIED THE INTENT ELEMENT OF UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON DURING THE PLEA COLLOQUY, THE JUDGE DID NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE ISSUE, CONVICTION REVERSED DESPITE FAILURE TO PRESERVE THE ERROR)/APPEALS, (CRIMINAL LAW, GUILTY PLEA, DEFENDANT EXPRESSLY DENIED THE INTENT ELEMENT OF UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON DURING THE PLEA COLLOQUY, THE JUDGE DID NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE ISSUE, CONVICTION REVERSED DESPITE FAILURE TO PRESERVE THE ERROR)/GUILTY PLEA (DEFENDANT EXPRESSLY DENIED THE INTENT ELEMENT OF UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON DURING THE PLEA COLLOQUY, THE JUDGE DID NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE ISSUE, CONVICTION REVERSED DESPITE FAILURE TO PRESERVE THE ERROR)/WEAPON POSSESSION (UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON REQUIRES AN INTENT TO USE THE WEAPON UNLAWFULLY, EXPRESS DENIAL OF THAT ELEMENT REQUIRED REVERSAL OF GUILTY PLEA)

June 20, 2017
/ Civil Procedure

MOTION TO COMPEL DISCOVERY OF INFORMATION POSTED ON FACEBOOK SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED.

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the defendant city was entitled to compel discovery of plaintiff’s Facebook posts in this wrongful arrest and prosecution action. The Facebook information tended to show the use of an alias by plaintiff (Moe), which plaintiff had denied, and included a photograph of plaintiff’s nephew who was present at the premises where the search warrant was executed:

​

… [T]he City made a threshold showing that examination of the above Facebook accounts will result in the disclosure of relevant evidence bearing on the claim… . As such, plaintiff is directed to review and provide or permit access to those Facebook and associated Messenger accounts, including their messenger components, and any deleted materials which contain any information connecting plaintiff to the accounts in question, connecting him to any variation of the nickname “Moe,” or relevant to his claims that he has had no connection to the apartment searched or the contraband located thereat. Plaintiff shall also provide an authorization permitting Facebook to release the photograph purported to be of plaintiff’s nephew, including any metadata associated with the photograph. Production shall be made within 30 days of this order and it is without prejudice to plaintiff seeking, prior to the expiration of the 30-day period, a protective order for expressly identified materials on these Facebook accounts seeking protection from discovery for reasons other than relevancy. Flowers v City of New York, 2017 NY Slip Op 05040, 1st Dept 6-20-17

CIVIL PROCEDURE (DISCOVERY, FACEBOOK POSTS, MOTION TO COMPEL DISCOVERY OF INFORMATION POSTED ON FACEBOOK SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED)/DISCOVERY (CIVIL PROCEDURE, FACEBOOK POSTS, MOTION TO COMPEL DISCOVERY OF INFORMATION POSTED ON FACEBOOK SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED)/FACEBOOK (CIVIL PROCEDURE, MOTION TO COMPEL DISCOVERY OF INFORMATION POSTED ON FACEBOOK SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED)

June 20, 2017
/ Zoning

NO SHOWING A REASONABLE RETURN ON THE PROPERTY WAS NOT POSSIBLE WITH A CONFORMING USE, USE VARIANCE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED.

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the grant of a use variance by the zoning board of appeals (ZBA) should have been annulled. The parties seeking the variance (JCC and Lynn) did not present any proof that a reasonable return was not possible with a conforming use:

​

“No . . . use variance shall be granted without a showing by the applicant that applicable zoning regulations and restrictions have caused unnecessary hardship.” In order to prove such unnecessary hardship, the Zoning Ordinance requires the applicant to establish, among other things, that, for each and every permitted use under the zoning regulations for the particular district where the property is located, the applicant cannot realize a reasonable return and that the lack of return is substantial as demonstrated by competent financial evidence… . In other words, the applicant must demonstrate “by dollars and cents proof” that he or she cannot realize a reasonable return by any conforming use… . As part of that demonstration, the applicant must necessarily establish what a reasonable return for the property is … . An applicant’s failure to establish that he or she cannot realize a reasonable return by any conforming use requires denial of the use variance by the ZBA … .

Here, JCC and Lynn failed to present any evidence to the ZBA to satisfy the first requirement of unnecessary hardship, i.e., that they could not realize a reasonable return on the property by any conforming use. In the absence of such evidence in dollars and cents form, there is no rational basis for the ZBA’s finding that the premises would not yield a reasonable return in the absence of the requested use variance and, for that reason, we conclude that the ZBA’s determination must be annulled … . Leone v City of Jamestown Zoning Bd. of Appeals, 2017 NY Slip Op 04980, 4th Dept 6-16-17

 

ZONING (USE VARIANCE, NO SHOWING A REASONABLE RETURN ON THE PROPERTY WAS NOT POSSIBLE WITH A CONFORMING USE, USE VARIANCE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED)/USE VARIANCE (ZONING, NO SHOWING A REASONABLE RETURN ON THE PROPERTY WAS NOT POSSIBLE WITH A CONFORMING USE, USE VARIANCE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED)

June 16, 2017
/ Foreclosure, Real Property Law

SOLAR AND WIND EASEMENTS, WHICH WERE RECORDED AFTER THE MORTGAGES, ARE SUBJECT TO FORECLOSURE.

The Fourth Department determined solar and wind easements granted subsequent to the mortgages are subject to foreclosure:

​

… [D]efendant’s easements constitute interests in the realty that are subject to foreclosure by plaintiff. A mortgage creates a lien upon the property to the extent of the mortgagor’s own interest or title at the time of the giving of the mortgage. Thus, “[t]he effect of the foreclosure [judgment and sale] . . . is to vest in the purchaser the entire interest and estate of mortgagor and mortgagee as it existed at the date of the mortgage, and unaffected by the subsequent [e]ncumbrances and conveyances of the mortgagor” … . Given that defendant’s easements were not granted and recorded until June 2015, after the subject mortgages were given and recorded in August 2012 and April 2014, respectively, the mortgagors’ interests at the time of the giving of the mortgages included the use or control of the airspace above their properties. Thus, the mortgages are prior in time and right to defendant’s easements … . Bank of Akron v Spring Cr. Athletic Club, Inc., 2017 NY Slip Op 05008, 4th Dept 6-16-17

​

REAL PROPERTY (FORECLOSURE, SOLAR AND WIND EASEMENTS, SOLAR AND WIND EASEMENTS, WHICH WERE RECORDED AFTER THE MORTGAGES, ARE SUBJECT TO FORECLOSURE)/FORECLOSURE (SOLAR AND WIND EASEMENTS , WHICH WERE RECORDED AFTER THE MORTGAGES, ARE SUBJECT TO FORECLOSURE)/EASEMENTS (FORECLOSURE, SOLAR AND WIND EASEMENTS , WHICH WERE RECORDED AFTER THE MORTGAGES, ARE SUBJECT TO FORECLOSURE)/SOLAR EASEMENTS (FORECLOSURE, SOLAR AND WIND EASEMENTS , WHICH WERE RECORDED AFTER THE MORTGAGES, ARE SUBJECT TO FORECLOSURE)/WIND EASEMENTS (FORECLOSURE, SOLAR AND WIND EASEMENTS , WHICH WERE RECORDED AFTER THE MORTGAGES, ARE SUBJECT TO FORECLOSURE)

June 16, 2017
/ Civil Procedure, Labor Law-Construction Law

SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO PLAINTIFF ON THE LABOR LAW 240 (1) CAUSE OF ACTION, BASED UPON A FALL FROM A LADDER, WAS PREMATURE AS IT WAS BASED SOLELY ON PLAINTIFF’S DEPOSITION.

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the grant of summary judgment to plaintiff in this Labor Law 240 (1) action, based on plaintiff’s fall from a ladder, was premature. The ruling on the motion was based solely on the deposition of the plaintiff:

​

Stephen J. Jones (plaintiff), an employee and owner of third-party defendant Stephen J. Jones Contracting, Inc., fell from a ladder while working on a single-family home. Plaintiff and his wife thereafter commenced this Labor Law and common-law negligence action against, inter alia, defendant-third-party plaintiff Jay P. Tovey Co., Inc. (defendant), the general contractor on the project. Insofar as relevant to this appeal, plaintiffs cross-moved for partial summary judgment on the issue of defendant’s liability under Labor Law § 240 (1). We agree with defendant that, in view of the limited discovery that has been conducted, Supreme Court erred in granting the cross motion … . Notably, discovery has been limited to plaintiff’s own account of the accident during his examination before trial, and defendant has not had an opportunity to explore potential defenses … . Jones v Jay P. Tovey Co., Inc., 2017 NY Slip Op 05017, 4th Dept 6-16-17

LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW (SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO PLAINTIFF ON THE LABOR LAW 240 (1) CAUSE OF ACTION, BASED UPON A FALL FROM A LADDER, WAS PREMATURE AS IT WAS BASED SOLELY ON PLAINTIFF’S DEPOSITION)/CIVIL PROCEDURE (LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW, SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO PLAINTIFF ON THE LABOR LAW 240 (1) CAUSE OF ACTION, BASED UPON A FALL FROM A LADDER, WAS PREMATURE AS IT WAS BASED SOLELY ON PLAINTIFF’S DEPOSITION)

June 16, 2017
/ Family Law

MOTHER’S PETITION FOR A DOWNWARD MODIFICATION OF CHILD SUPPORT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED BASED ON MOTHER’S PARAMOUR’S REFUSAL TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE.

The Fourth Department, reversing (modifying) Family Court, determined mother’s petition for a downward modification of child support should not have been dismissed based on the refusal of mother’s paramour to provide financial disclosure:

​

… [T]he Support Magistrate erred in dismissing the mother’s cross petition for a downward modification of child support. The sole justification for that dismissal was the mother’s failure to provide financial disclosure from her paramour, a nonparty, who had filed an affidavit stating that he refused to provide financial disclosure to the court. “While certain penalties or sanctions may be appropriate for the individual conduct of [the mother] . . . , it is apparent that the actions of a nonparty weighed heavily in the decision to invoke the ultimate penalty’ “… . Under the circumstances of this case, we conclude that the court erred in dismissing the cross petition based on a nonparty’s refusal to disclose financial information voluntarily … . We therefore modify the order … by granting the mother’s objection in part and reinstating the mother’s cross petition for a downward modification of child support, and we remit the matter to Family Court for a new hearing on the cross petition. Matter of Deshotel v Mandile, 2017 NY Slip Op 04972, 4th Dept 6-16-17

​

FAMILY LAW (CHILD SUPPORT, MOTHER’S PETITION FOR A DOWNWARD MODIFICATION OF CHILD SUPPORT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED BASED ON MOTHER’S PARAMOUR’S REFUSAL TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE)/CHILD SUPPORT (FAMILY LAW,  MOTHER’S PETITION FOR A DOWNWARD MODIFICATION OF CHILD SUPPORT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED BASED ON MOTHER’S PARAMOUR’S REFUSAL TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE)

June 16, 2017
Page 1096 of 1798«‹10941095109610971098›»

Categories

  • Abuse of Process
  • Account Stated
  • Accountant Malpractice
  • Administrative Law
  • Agency
  • Animal Law
  • Appeals
  • Arbitration
  • Architectural Malpractice
  • Associations
  • Attorneys
  • Banking Law
  • Bankruptcy
  • Battery
  • Chiropractor Malpractice
  • Civil Commitment
  • Civil Conspiracy
  • Civil Forfeiture
  • Civil Procedure
  • Civil Rights Law
  • Condominium Corporations
  • Condominiums
  • Constitutional Law
  • Consumer Law
  • Contempt
  • Contract Law
  • Conversion
  • Cooperatives
  • Copyright
  • Corporation Law
  • Correction Law
  • County Law
  • Court of Claims
  • Criminal Law
  • Debtor-Creditor
  • Defamation
  • Dental Malpractice
  • Disciplinary Hearings (Inmates)
  • Education-School Law
  • Election Law
  • Eminent Domain
  • Employment Law
  • Engineering Malpractice
  • Environmental Law
  • Equitable Recoupment
  • Evidence
  • Fair Credit Reporting Act
  • Fair Housing Act
  • Fair Housing Amendments Act
  • False Arrest
  • False Claims Act
  • False Imprisonment
  • Family Law
  • Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA)
  • Fiduciary Duty
  • Forcible Touching
  • Foreclosure
  • Fraud
  • Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)
  • Human Rights Law
  • Immigration Law
  • Immunity
  • Indian Law
  • Insurance Law
  • Intellectual Property
  • Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
  • Involuntary Medical Treatment and Feeding (Inmates)
  • Judges
  • Judiciary Law
  • Labor Law
  • Labor Law-Construction Law
  • Land Use
  • Landlord-Tenant
  • Legal Malpractice
  • Lien Law
  • Limited Liability Company Law
  • Longshoreman's and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act
  • Malicious Prosecution
  • Maritime Law
  • Medicaid
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Mental Hygiene Law
  • Military Law
  • Money Had and Received
  • Municipal Law
  • Navigation Law
  • Negligence
  • Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress
  • Negligent Misrepresentation
  • Notarial Misconduct
  • Nuisance
  • Partnership Law
  • Personal Property
  • Pharmacist Malpractice
  • Physician Patient Confidentiality
  • Pistol Permits
  • Prima Facie Tort
  • Private Nuisance
  • Privilege
  • Products Liability
  • Professional Malpractice
  • Public Authorities Law
  • Public Corporations
  • Public Health Law
  • Public Nuisance
  • Real Estate
  • Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (RPAPL)
  • Real Property Law
  • Real Property Tax Law
  • Religion
  • Replevin
  • Retirement and Social Security Law
  • Securities
  • Sepulcher
  • Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA)
  • Social Services Law
  • Statutes
  • Tax Law
  • Tenant Harassment
  • Tortious Interference with Contract
  • Tortious Interference with Employment
  • Tortious Interference with Prospective Business Relations
  • Tortious Interference With Prospective Economic Advantage
  • Town Law
  • Toxic Torts
  • Trade Secrets
  • Trademarks
  • Trespass
  • Trespass to Chattels
  • Trusts and Estates
  • Uncategorized
  • Unemployment Insurance
  • Unfair Competition
  • Uniform Commercial Code
  • Usury
  • Utilities
  • Vehicle and Traffic Law
  • Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law (VGM)
  • Village Law
  • Water Law
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Zoning

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

Scroll to top