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DERIVATIVE NEGLECT FINDING REVERSED.

The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined the derivative neglect was not supported by the evidence:

Here, the proof relied upon by petitioner to support its claim of derivative neglect — namely, 1999 and 2010 indicated hotline reports involving different children — was insufficient to support a finding of derivative neglect. Neither the 1999 report nor the 2010 report resulted in a finding of neglect against respondent … . Moreover, the conduct that formed the basis for each of the indicated reports failed to demonstrate that respondent’s understanding of the responsibilities accompanying parenthood were fundamentally flawed at the time of this proceeding … . In addition to its remoteness, the 1999 report was made against the biological parents of the child who was the subject of the report, as well as respondent, who was temporarily residing with the biological parents of the child at the age of 18, and did not conclusively establish which of the three adults had engaged in the conduct giving rise to the indicated findings. The 2010 report was indicated against respondent and his then-paramour for inadequate guardianship based on the children witnessing domestic violence, conduct that may not necessarily form the basis for a neglect finding … . Accordingly, inasmuch as petitioner failed to satisfy its burden of proof, Family Court’s finding of neglect cannot stand. Matter of Choice I. (Warren I.), 2016 NY Slip Op 07899, 3rd Dept 11-23-16

FAMILY LAW (DERIVATIVE NEGLECT FINDING REVERSED)/NEGLECT (DERIVATIVE NEGLECT FINDING REVERSED

FATHER DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO A TRANSCRIPT OF LINCOLN HEARING.

The Third Department, in rejecting father’s request for a transcript of a Lincoln hearing (in a custody matter), explained why children’s testimony in a Lincoln hearing must be kept confidential:

A child’s testimony in a Lincoln hearing in a proceeding pursuant to Family Ct Act article 6 is not akin to the testimony that may be taken from a child in proceedings pursuant to Family Ct Act article 10. In an article 10 proceeding, an adversarial relationship may exist between the child and the accused parent. As the child’s testimony may be the sole basis for a finding of abuse or neglect, the parent’s due process rights are implicated. Although there are circumstances in which a child’s testimony in such a proceeding may be obtained in camera or outside the presence of the respondent parent, this must be carefully balanced with the rights of the accused parent … .

By clear contrast, in a Family Ct Act article 6 proceeding, in which a Lincoln hearing may be conducted, such a hearing serves entirely different, nonadversarial purposes, and a parent’s constitutional rights are not implicated. The purpose of a Lincoln hearing is not primarily evidentiary; it is instead to assist the court in making the determination of what serves the best interests of the child. The Lincoln hearing is allowed as a manner of directly ascertaining the child’s wishes and may also serve to corroborate information that has been adduced on the record during the course of the fact-finding hearing … .

“[T]he right to confidentiality during a Lincoln hearing belongs to the child and is superior to the rights or preferences of the parents” … . Matter of Heasley v Morse, 2016 NY Slip Op 07883, 3rd Dept 11-23-16

 

FAMILY LAW (CUSTODY, FATHER DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO A TRANSCRIPT OF LINCOLN HEARING)CUSTODY (LINCOLN HEARING, FATHER DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO A TRANSCRIPT OF LINCOLN HEARING)/LINCOLN HEARING (CUSTODY,  FATHER DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO A TRANSCRIPT OF LINCOLN HEARING)

QUESTION OF FACT RAISED ABOUT WHETHER A SEPARATION AGREEMENT WAS UNCONSCIONABLE.

The Second Department determined summary judgment should not have been granted enforcing the parties’ separation agreement. Defendant had raised a question of fact about whether the agreement was unconscionable:

Under the terms of the separation agreement, the defendant relinquished all of the property rights that he acquired during the marriage, including any interest that he may have had in the plaintiff’s partnership interest in a neurological practice and the parties’ four properties in Florida, as well as any spousal maintenance. Given the vast disparity in the parties’ earnings, the evidence that the defendant had no assets of value, and the defendant’s documented medical condition which inhibits his future earning capacity, the defendant’s submissions were sufficient to create an inference that the separation agreement was unconscionable … . In addition, the defendant’s evidence indicating that the plaintiff sold almost $1 million in securities in the months preceding his execution of the separation agreement, the value of which were not accounted for in the list of her bank and brokerage accounts therein, raises a triable issue of fact as to whether the plaintiff concealed assets … . Under these circumstances, the Supreme Court should have exercised its equitable powers and directed further financial disclosure, to be followed by a hearing to test the validity of the separation agreement … . Gardella v Remizov, 2016 NY Slip Op 07924, 2nd Dept 11-23-16

FAMILY LAW (QUESTION OF FACT RAISED ABOUT WHETHER A SEPARATION AGREEMENT WAS UNCONSCIONABLE)/SEPARATION AGREEMENT (QUESTION OF FACT RAISED ABOUT WHETHER A SEPARATION AGREEMENT WAS UNCONSCIONABLE)/UNCONSCIONABILITY (FAMILY LAW, QUESTION OF FACT RAISED ABOUT WHETHER A SEPARATION AGREEMENT WAS UNCONSCIONABLE)

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FAMILY COURT JUDGE SHOULD HAVE RECUSED HERSELF AFTER DEATH THREAT BY FATHER.

The Fourth Department determined the Family Court judge should have recused herself from a dispositional hearing in a permanent neglect proceeding. Father had made a death threat against the judge following the finding of permanent neglect:

It is well settled that, “[a]bsent a legal disqualification under Judiciary Law § 14, a . . . Judge is the sole arbiter of recusal” … , and the decision whether to recuse is committed to his or her discretion … . Under these circumstances, and particularly in view of the order of protection, we conclude that the court abused its discretion in refusing to recuse itself … . Matter of Trinity E. (Robert E.), 2016 NY Slip Op 07804, 4th Dept 11-18-16

FAMILY LAW (FAMILY COURT JUDGE SHOULD HAVE RECUSED HERSELF AFTER DEATH THREAT BY FATHER)/JUDGES (FAMILY COURT JUDGE SHOULD HAVE RECUSED HERSELF AFTER DEATH THREAT BY FATHER)/RECUSAL (FAMILY COURT JUDGE SHOULD HAVE RECUSED HERSELF AFTER DEATH THREAT BY FATHER)

APPELLANT PROPERLY FOUND TO BE A PERSON LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHILD, CRITERIA EXPLAINED.

The First Department, affirming a neglect finding, explained that appellant was properly found to be “a person legally responsible for the subject child:”

A person legally responsible for a child is defined as the child’s “custodian, guardian, or any other person responsible for the child’s care at the relevant time.” A “[c]ustodian may include any person continually or at regular intervals found in the same household as the child when the conduct of such person causes or contributes to the . . . neglect of the child” (Family Ct Act § 1012[g]). A person who “acts as the functional equivalent of a parent in a familial or household setting” is a person legally responsible for a child’s care … .

The determination of whether a particular person has acted as the functional equivalent of a parent is a discretionary, fact-intensive inquiry which will vary according to the circumstances in each case. Factors to be considered include the frequency and nature of the contact, the nature and extent of the control exercised by appellant over the child’s environment, the duration of appellant’s contact with the child, and appellant’s relationship with the child’s parent … .

Appellant testified that he cared for the younger children every work day by taking them to school and picking them up, preparing meals, cleaning the home, preparing the children’s clothing, grocery shopping, and providing financial assistance to the household. The school social worker and appellant both testified that M.W. lived in the home in September 2014, when the incident took place. Although appellant later changed his testimony concerning her residence, the court properly credited his initial statement and found that he was a person legally responsible for M.W. Given her age, she did not require the same hands-on care as the younger children, but his testimony reflected that he contributed to the functioning of the household of which she was a part and had frequent regular contact with her … . Matter of Keniya G. (Avery P.), 2016 NY Slip Op 07752, 1st Dept 11-17-16

 

FAMILY LAW (APPELLANT PROPERLY FOUND TO BE A PERSON LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHILD, CRITERIA EXPLAINED)/NEGLECT (APPELLANT PROPERLY FOUND TO BE A PERSON LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHILD, CRITERIA EXPLAINED)/PERSON LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILD (FAMILY LAW, NEGLECT, APPELLANT PROPERLY FOUND TO BE A PERSON LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHILD, CRITERIA EXPLAINED)

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WHERE A PARTY IS REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL, THE FAMILY COURT ACT TIME-LIMIT FOR OBJECTING TO AN ORDER BEGINS TO RUN WHEN THE ATTORNEY, NOT THE PARTY, IS NOTIFIED OF THE ORDER.

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Fahey, reversing the Appellate Division, determined the Family Court Act time-limit for objecting to a support order begins to run when the party’s counsel, not the party, is notified of the order. Here the party was notified of the order by mail, but counsel was not. The objections to the order were filed more than 35 days after the order was mailed to the party and were rejected on that ground. The Court of Appeals held that, even if a statutory time-limit for service is silent about the issue, where a party is represented by counsel, the time-limit does not start to run until counsel is notified:

“[O]nce a party chooses to be represented by counsel in an action or proceeding, whether administrative or judicial, the attorney is deemed to act as his agent in all respects relevant to the proceeding. Thus any documents, particularly those purporting to have legal effect on the proceeding, should be served on the attorney the party has chosen to handle the matter on his behalf” (Bianca, 43 NY2d at 173). Indeed, “[t]his is not simply a matter of courtesy and fairness; it is the traditional and accepted practice which has been all but universally codified” (id.). In particular, as the Court noted, CPLR 2103 (b) provides that “[e]xcept where otherwise prescribed by law or order of court, papers to be served upon a party in a pending action shall be served upon the party’s attorney.”

Bianca governs here. The reference to the mailing of the order to a “party or parties” in Family Court Act § 439 (e) must be read to require that the order be mailed to the party’s counsel, in order for the statutory time requirement to commence. Matter of Odunbaku v Odunbaku, 2016 NY Slip Op 07705, CtApp 11-17-16

 

FAMILY LAW (WHERE A PARTY IS REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL, THE FAMILY COURT ACT TIME-LIMIT FOR OBJECTING TO AN ORDER BEGINS TO RUN WHEN THE ATTORNEY, NOT THE PARTY, IS NOTIFIED OF THE ORDER)/CIVIL PROCEDURE (FAMILY COURT ACT, WHERE A PARTY IS REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL, THE FAMILY COURT ACT TIME-LIMIT FOR OBJECTING TO AN ORDER BEGINS TO RUN WHEN THE ATTORNEY, NOT THE PARTY, IS NOTIFIED OF THE ORDER)

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FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE APPLIED THE DOCTRINE OF COLLATERAL ESTOPPEL TO DENY A PETITION TO VACATE AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PATERNITY.

Under the unique facts, the Second Department determined Family Court should not have applied the doctrine of collateral estoppel to prohibit Omar from contesting paternity. Omar had signed an acknowledgment of paternity two days after the child was born. However, twice thereafter Omar filed petitions to vacate his acknowledgment supported by DNA tests:

Family Court should have declined to apply the doctrine of collateral estoppel. ” Collateral estoppel, an equitable doctrine, is based upon the general notion that a party, or one in privity with a party, should not be permitted to relitigate an issue decided against it'” … . “[W]hether to apply collateral estoppel in a particular case depends upon general notions of fairness involving a practical inquiry into the realities of the litigation'” … . The doctrine is highly flexible in nature, and should not be rigidly or mechanically applied, even where its technical requirements are met … . “[T]he fundamental inquiry is whether relitigation should be permitted in a particular case in light of what are often competing policy considerations, including fairness to the parties, conservation of the resources of the court and the litigants, and the societal interests in consistent and accurate results. No rigid rules are possible, because even these factors may vary in relative importance depending on the nature of the proceedings” … .

Here, the nature of the proceedings is highly relevant, as it involves the determination of the paternity of a child not yet seven years of age. Although Omar executed an acknowledgment of paternity two days after the subject child’s birth in November 2009, he obtained, in 2011, a private DNA test indicating that he could not be the father. In 2013, the mother consented to the vacatur of the acknowledgment of paternity based upon the results of a second DNA test. Moreover, at a 2014 court appearance, the mother advised the Support Magistrate, in contrast to statements she made in connection with Omar’s first petition, that she was involved in an ongoing sexual relationship with Britton at the time of the child’s conception. Under these circumstances, there is potential merit to Omar’s second petition … . It is also significant to note that neither Omar nor the mother was represented by counsel in connection with Omar’s first petition … , and that Omar was still unrepresented when the Support Magistrate instructed him to file a second petition after he unsuccessfully attempted to restore the first petition.

Taking into consideration the particular facts of this case, we are persuaded that application of the doctrine of collateral estoppel would not promote fairness to the parties. Matter of Kaori (Omar J.–Shalette S.), 2016 NY Slip Op 07649, 2nd Dept 11-16-16

 

FAMILY LAW (PATERNITY, FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE APPLIED THE DOCTRINE OF COLLATERAL ESTOPPEL TO DENY A PETITION TO VACATE AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PATERNITY)/PATERNITY (FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE APPLIED THE DOCTRINE OF COLLATERAL ESTOPPEL TO DENY A PETITION TO VACATE AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PATERNITY)/COLLATERAL ESTOPPEL (FAMILY LAW, PATERNITY, FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE APPLIED THE DOCTRINE OF COLLATERAL ESTOPPEL TO DENY A PETITION TO VACATE AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PATERNITY)

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FATHER DID NOT ABUSE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS, FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE PROHIBITED FUTURE PETITIONS.

The Fourth Department determined father, who was incarcerated in Michigan, was afforded due process in the proceedings in which his petition for visitation was denied. However, the court noted that Family Court did not have the power, under the circumstances, to prohibit any further petitions by father:

… [W]e agree with the father that the court erred in sua sponte imposing conditions restricting him from filing new petitions. It is well settled that “[p]ublic policy mandates free access to the courts” … , but ” a party may forfeit that right if she or he abuses the judicial process by engaging in meritless litigation motivated by spite or ill will’ ” … . Here, however, there is no basis in the record from which to conclude that the father had engaged in meritless, frivolous, or vexatious litigation, or that he had otherwise abused the judicial process … . Matter of Otrosinka v Hageman, 2016 NY Slip Op 07553, 4th Dept 11-10-16

FAMILY LAW (FATHER DID NOT ABUSE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS, FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE PROHIBITED FUTURE PETITIONS)/CIVIL PROCEDURE (FATHER DID NOT ABUSE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS, FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE PROHIBITED FUTURE PETITIONS)

FAMILY COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION TO CONDUCT A PERMANENCY HEARING (RE: PLACEMENT IN FOSTER CARE) AFTER THE UNDERLYING NEGLECT PETITION (WHICH LED TO TEMPORARY PLACEMENT) HAS BEEN DISMISSED.

The Fourth Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Scudder, over a two-justice dissent, determined Family Court had jurisdiction to conduct a permanency hearing (re: placement in foster care) even though the underlying neglect petition which led to temporary placement of the child was dismissed:

We … conclude, based upon the plain language of the provisions of Family Court Act article 10-A, that the court obtains jurisdiction as a result of a placement with petitioner pursuant to section 1022 (see § 1088), and that the court is required to make a determination whether to return the child to the parent based upon the best interests and safety of the child, including whether the child would be at risk of abuse or neglect if the child were to return to the parent (see § 1089 [d] [1], [2] [i]). Thus, we conclude that the court retained jurisdiction to conduct the permanency hearing despite the dismissal of the neglect petition. Moreover, our interpretation of the statutory provisions of article 10-A comports with the longstanding principle that “an overarching consideration always obtains for children to be returned to biological parents, if at all possible and responsible . . . When that cannot be done, the emphasis shifts to securing permanent, stable solutions and settings”… . Matter of Jamie J. (Michelle E.C.), 2016 NY Slip Op 07424, 4th Dept 11-10-16

FAMILY LAW (FAMILY COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION TO CONDUCT A PERMANeNCY HEARING (RE: PLACEMENT IN FOSTER CARE) AFTER THE UNDERLYING NEGLECT PETITION (WHICH LED TO TEMPORARY PLACEMENT) HAS BEEN DISMISSED)/NEGLECT (FAMILY COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION TO CONDUCT A PERMANENCY HEARING (RE: PLACEMENT IN FOSTER CARE) AFTER THE UNDERLYING NEGLECT PETITION (WHICH LED TO TEMPORARY PLACEMENT) HAS BEEN DISMISSED)/PERMANENCY HEARING (FAMILY COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION TO CONDUCT A PERMANENCY HEARING (RE: PLACEMENT IN FOSTER CARE) AFTER THE UNDERLYING NEGLECT PETITION (WHICH LED TO TEMPORARY PLACEMENT) HAS BEEN DISMISSED)/SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION (FAMILY COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION TO CONDUCT A PERMANENCY HEARING (RE: PLACEMENT IN FOSTER CARE) AFTER THE UNDERLYING NEGLECT PETITION (WHICH LED TO TEMPORARY PLACEMENT) HAS BEEN DISMISSED)

WHEN PARENTS HAVE EQUAL PARENTING TIME, THE PARENT WITH THE HIGHER INCOME SHOULD BE DEEMED THE NONCUSTODIAL PARENT FOR CHILD SUPPORT PURPOSES.

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined that mother, who had a substantially higher income than father, should be deemed the noncustodial parent because mother and father had equal parenting time. Therefore, father was entitled to child support from mother:

The “custodial parent” within the meaning of the Child Support Standards Act is the parent who has physical custody of the child for the majority of the time … . Where neither parent has the child for a majority of the time, the parent with the higher income, who bears the greater share of the child support obligation, should be deemed the noncustodial parent for the purposes of child support … . Matter of Conway v Gartmond, 2016 NY Slip Op 07319, 2nd Dept 11-9-16

FAMILY LAW (WHEN PARENTS HAVE EQUAL PARENTING TIME, THE PARENT WITH THE HIGHER INCOME SHOULD BE DEEMED THE NONCUSTODIAL PARENT FOR CHILD SUPPORT PURPOSES)/CHILD SUPPORT (WHEN PARENTS HAVE EQUAL PARENTING TIME, THE PARENT WITH THE HIGHER INCOME SHOULD BE DEEMED THE NONCUSTODIAL PARENT FOR CHILD SUPPORT PURPOSES)/NONCUSTODIAL PARENT (WHEN PARENTS HAVE EQUAL PARENTING TIME, THE PARENT WITH THE HIGHER INCOME SHOULD BE DEEMED THE NONCUSTODIAL PARENT FOR CHILD SUPPORT PURPOSES)

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