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FAMILY COURT SHOULD NOT HAVE DELEGATED TO MOTHER THE AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE FATHER’S PARENTING TIME (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing (modifying) Family Court, determined mother should not have been given the authority over father’s parenting time:

… Family Court improperly delegated its authority to the mother over the father’s in-person parenting time and telephone and electronic contact with the daughter … . With respect to the father’s telephone and electronic contact with the daughter, inasmuch as the mother agrees that the father should have telephone and electronic contact three times per week, we modify that portion of the order accordingly. With respect to the father’s in-person parenting time, although we are empowered to independently review the record and decide parenting time issues, given the father’s instability, the fact that the mother has relocated to Mississippi and the passage of time, we cannot make that determination here. As such, we remit the matter to Family Court for a hearing for the purpose of fashioning a schedule of supervised in-person parenting time … . Matter of Leslie QQ. v Daniel RR., 2024 NY Slip Op 05857, Third Dept 11-21-24

Practice Point: A Family Court cannot delegate authority over parenting time schedules to mother or father.

 

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ALTHOUGH THE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PETITION WAS PROPERLY DISMISSED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO NONHEARSAY EVIDENCE OF THE IDENTITY OF THE ASSAILANT, IT WAS AN ABUSE OF DISCRETION TO DISMISS THE PETITION WITH PREJUDICE (THIRD DEPT). ​

The Third Department, reversing (modifying) Family Court, agreed the hearsay evidence identifying respondent as the assailant was not sufficient to support the juvenile delinquency petition, the petition should not have been dismissed with prejudice:

… Family Court abused its discretion in dismissing the petition with prejudice. “Where a petition is dismissed as jurisdictionally defective, dismissal is generally without prejudice, and the presentment agency’s proper recourse is to refile the petition” … . The court indicated that the error here was “egregious” because there were no nonhearsay allegations identifying respondent as the individual who committed the charged crime, and that this error could not be remedied by allowing for petitioner to refile. Although this error could not have been remedied by amendment of the petition (see Family Ct Act § 311.5 [2] [b]), it could have been remedied by refiling. Specifically, upon refiling there could be clarification from the deputy as to the specifics of the investigation including, as is relevant here, how the video of the incident was acquired and what that video depicted, based upon the deputy’s personal knowledge after review of the video. This is not a case where the presenting agency will necessarily be unable to establish respondent’s identity … and, therefore, the petition should have been dismissed without prejudice to allow for refiling … . Matter of Savannah F., 2024 NY Slip Op 05860, Third Dept 11-21-24

Practice Point: There was no nonhearsay proof the respondent was the assailant in this juvenile delinquency proceeding. But the petition should not have been dismissed with prejudice because the presenting agency may be able to provide sufficient proof of the identity of the assailant upon refiling.

 

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MOTHER SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DEEMED COLLATERALLY ESTOPPED FROM PRESENTING EVIDENCE OF HER MENTAL HEALTH IN THIS TERMINATION-OF-PARENTAL-RIGHTS ACTION; THE PRIOR MENTAL-HEALTH-BASED RULING WAS BASED ON THREE-TO-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD EVIDENCE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Family Court, determined mother should not have been prevented from presenting evidence of her mental health in this termination-of-parental-rights proceeding under the collateral estoppel doctrine. Although mother had previously been adjudicated unable to provide proper and adequate care of the children in 2018, there was no evidence of mother’s current mental health:

Neither the relied-upon 2018 order of disposition nor its supporting decision … contains a finding of fact or conclusion of law that the mother’s mental illness or intellectual disability permanently impaired the mother’s ability to provide adequate care for a child … . Instead, the prior judicial determination that the mother was “presently and for the foreseeable future” unable to provide adequate care was premised upon evaluations of the mother conducted in 2012 and 2017. Further, that determination was issued a year prior to the birth of the subject child in the present proceeding and, although the subject child was ordered into petitioner’s care almost immediately following her birth, the instant petition was nonetheless not filed for yet another two years. Thus, the 2018 judicial determination, premised on three- to eight-year-old evidence, is insufficient to establish by clear and convincing evidence, as a matter of law, that the mother was, at the time of this proceeding, “presently and for the foreseeable future unable, by reason of mental illness or intellectual disability, to provide proper and adequate care for [the subject] child” (Social Services Law § 384-b [4] [c] …). Matter of Juliet W. (Amy W.), 2024 NY Slip Op 05690, Fourth Dept 11-15-24

Practice Point: Here there was a prior ruling based on three-to-eight-year-old evidence that mother’s mental health prevented her from adequately caring for her children. The collateral estoppel doctrine should not have been applied to prevent her from presenting evidence of her current mental health.

 

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HERE THE CUSTODY CASE WAS TRANSFERRED TO A NEW JUDGE; THE PREVIOUS JUDGE’S ORDERS CONSTITUTED THE LAW OF THE CASE WHICH CANNOT BE VIOLATED BY SUBSEQUENT ORDERS BY THE NEW JUDGE (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined the judge to whom the case was transferred should not have issued orders which conflicted with those issued by the previous judge, which constituted the law of the case:

The March 21, 2023 order, which directed a hearing on the father’s motion to vacate the 2017 custody order, constituted the law of the case and was thus binding on all judges of coordinate jurisdiction … . Thus, the order denying the motion to vacate the custody order, without holding a hearing, constitutes a violation of the law of the case doctrine, and the order should be reversed on that basis alone … . …

… [W]e further find that the [previous judge’s] decision to so-order the subpoena … likewise constituted law of the case. Family Court therefore erred when it denied the motion to compel solely on the basis that the judicial subpoena was overbroad. Matter of Jahir I. v Sharon E.W., 2024 NY Slip Op 05635, Third Dept 11-14-24

Practice Point: When a case is transferred to a new judge, the orders issued by the previous judge are the law of the case and must be adhered to by the new judge.

 

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FATHER’S ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF ONE CHILD, HANNAH D, SUPPORTED THE FINDING FATHER DERIVATIVELY ABUSED TWO OTHER CHILDREN, EVEN THOUGH ONE WAS AN INFANT AND THE OTHER HAD NOT BEEN BORN AT THE TIME OF THE ABUSE OF HANNAH D (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the abuse of one daughter, Hannah D, supported a finding father derivatively abused two other children, even though one was an infant and the other had not been born at the time of the abuse of Hannah D:

… [A] preponderance of the evidence supported a finding of derivative abuse and neglect. The nature of the father’s direct abuse of Hannah D., the frequency of the father’s acts, and the circumstances of the father’s commission of the acts evidence fundamental flaws in the father’s understanding of the duties of parenthood. In addition, the father’s actions affirmatively created a substantial risk of physical injury which would likely cause impairment of the subject children’s health within the meaning of Family Court Act § 1012 (e)(ii), thus requiring a finding that the subject children have been derivatively abused and neglected … . The finding of derivative abuse and neglect is not undermined by the fact that at the time of the father’s abuse of Hannah D., one of the subject children was an infant and the other had not yet been born … . The evidence demonstrates that the father’s parental judgment and impulse control are so defective as to create a substantial risk to any child in his care … . Moreover, the father failed to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the condition cannot reasonably be expected to exist currently or in the foreseeable future … . Matter of Davena A. (Christopher A.), 2024 NY Slip Op 05439, Second Dept 11-6-24

Practice Point: The abuse of one child can support a finding other children were derivatively abused, even if the other children were infants or had not been born at the time of the abuse of the eldest child.

 

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MOTHER’S PETITION FOR A MODIFICATION OF CUSTODY SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined mother had demonstrated a change in circumstances warranting a modification of custody:

… [T]he record reveals that, in support of her petition, the mother established more than conflict between the parties and difficulties in co-parenting. The evidence at the hearing showed that the parties’ relationship had deteriorated to the point that they do not communicate other than by text and do not engage in joint decision-making with respect to the child … . Therefore, joint legal custody is no longer feasible … .

The totality of the circumstances justifies modifying the stipulation so as to award sole legal and residential custody of the child to the mother. The mother has more involvement with the child’s needs on a day-to-day basis, and the record reflects that the mother made decisions regarding the child’s social and emotional needs … . Moreover, the Family Court failed to give sufficient weight to the strong preference of the child, who was 12 years old at the time of the hearing, to reside with the mother … .

Accordingly, the Family Court should have granted that branch of the mother’s petition which was to modify the stipulation so as to award her sole legal and residential custody of the child. Matter of Llanos v Barrezueta, 2024 NY Slip Op 05446, Second Dept 11-6-24

Practice Point: Consult this decision for some insight into the criteria for finding the relationship between mother and father had deteriorated to the point a modification of custody is warranted.​

 

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MOTHER MADE OUT A PRIMA FACIE CASE FOR RELOCATING WITH THE CHILD IN THIS CUSTODY PROCEEDING; CREDIBILITY ISSUES PLAY NO ROLE AT THE MOTION-TO-DISMISS STAGE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined mother had made out a prima facie case for relocating to a different county with the child. The petition for a modification of custody should not have been dismissed:

“In deciding a motion to dismiss a petition for failure to establish a prima facie case, the court must accept the petitioner’s evidence as true and afford the petitioner the benefit of every favorable inference that can reasonably be drawn therefrom” … . “The question of credibility is irrelevant, and should not be considered” … .

Here, accepting the petitioner’s evidence as true and affording her the benefit of every favorable inference, the petitioner presented sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case that relocating with the child to Bergen County might be in the child’s best interests … . At the hearing, the petitioner and her spouse testified that they wanted to relocate to Bergen County because they would have family support there and the child liked spending time with family members living in that area. The petitioner further testified that if she were permitted to relocate, she would continue the respondent’s parental access schedule set forth in the stipulation of settlement and would agree to additional parental access for the respondent. We note that the Family Court did not ascertain from the attorney for the child the position of the then 11-year-old child or conduct an in camera interview with the child … . Matter of Fortune v Jasmin, 2024 NY Slip Op 05443, Second Dept 11-6-24

Practice Point: In considering a motion to dismiss a petition for a modification of custody credibility issues are irrelevant.​

 

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THE RECORD ON APPEAL DID NOT SUPPORT FAMILY COURT’S RULING MOTHER HAD FORFEITED HER RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN THIS TERMINATION-OF-PARENTAL-RIGHTS PROCEEDING (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the record on appeal did not support Family Court’s ruling mother had forfeited her right to counsel in this termination-of-parental-rights proceeding.

​… Family Court granted a second application by the mother’s assigned counsel to be relieved and determined that the mother had forfeited her right to be assigned new counsel. The court’s determination was based upon, among other things, “suspicions” that the mother had been “involved” in a recent security compromise of the assigned counsel’s computer. The court also cited as a basis for its determination the fact that, over the course of the child protective proceeding and this proceeding, the mother had a total of three attorneys assigned to represent her or to act as her legal advisor. The record on appeal does not reflect how long the prior assigned attorneys represented the mother or why they ceased representing her. * * *

A respondent in a proceeding pursuant to Social Services Law § 384-b has the right to the assistance of counsel … . A party may forfeit the fundamental right to counsel by engaging in “‘egregious conduct,'” but only as a matter of “‘extreme, last resort'” … . Here, the record fails to clearly reflect that the mother engaged in the sort of egregious conduct that would justify a finding that she forfeited her right to assigned counsel … .

The deprivation of the mother’s right to counsel requires reversal without regard to the merits of her position … . Matter of Sa’Nai F. B. M. A. (Chaniece T.), 2024 NY Slip Op 05440, Second Dept 11-6-24

Practice Point: Consult this decision for some insight into the criteria for finding a party in a termination-of-parental-rights proceeding has forfeited the right to counsel.​

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FATHER’S PETITION FOR PERMISSION TO RELOCATE WITH THE CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the denial of father’s petition for permission to relocate with the children was not supported by the evidence:

The father’s testimony demonstrated that he was unable to continue renting his grandmother’s house in New York, where he and the children had been residing, and that the mother provided only $25 per month in child support for both children … . The father’s testimony also demonstrated that, if permitted to relocate, he would be able to obtain employment in his field of experience with at least the same salary as he earned in New York and that his living expenses would be lower in South Carolina than they were in New York … . Additionally, the father would have support from extended family in South Carolina, including the paternal grandmother, a certified behavioral analyst and special education administrator who has assisted the father in addressing one of the children’s special needs … .

With respect to the mother’s relationship with the children, the hearing testimony demonstrated that the father has been the children’s primary caregiver since 2017 and that the mother was not involved in the children’s day-to-day lives, education, or healthcare … . Although the father’s relocation will have an impact upon the mother’s ability to spend time with the children, the Family Court can fashion an appropriate parental access schedule that will allow the mother to foster a relationship with the children … . Matter of Scotto v Alexander, 2024 NY Slip Op 05348, Second Dept 10-30-24

Practice Point: Consult this decision for insight into when a petition to relocate to another state with the children should be granted.

 

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FATHER DID NOT RECEIVE EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL IN THIS CHILD SUPPORT PROCEEDING; NEW HEARING ORDERED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Family Court, determined father was not provided with effective assistance of counsel in this child support proceeding. The standard for effective assistance is “meaningful representation” because the punishment can (and did) include incarceration:

As the father contends, he was deprived of the effective assistance of counsel at the hearing on the mother’s petition alleging willful violation of the child support order. “[I]n support proceedings such as this one in which a party faces the potential of imprisonment and has a statutory right to counsel, . . . the appropriate standard to apply in evaluating a claim of ineffective assistance is the meaningful representation standard” … . Here, the father’s position at the hearing was that, due to his neuropathy, he was unable to work and had to rely on public assistance for income. Notably, despite having been advised that the father was required to provide a financial disclosure affidavit, tax forms, and certified medical and income records, the father’s counsel failed to procure certified copies of the father’s medical records or records establishing his entitlement to and receipt of public assistance. Moreover, the father’s counsel failed to call any witnesses to testify regarding the father’s neuropathy, to subpoena the father’s treating physician, or to obtain a medical affidavit from the father’s physician. The Support Magistrate made specific reference to the lack of any credible medical testimony, an incomplete financial disclosure affidavit, and the lack of tax returns in finding that the father failed to refute the mother’s prima facie showing of a willful violation of the child support order. The failure of the father’s counsel to obtain relevant medical and financial information constituted a failure to meaningfully represent the father, and thus, the father is entitled to a new hearing on the mother’s petition … . Matter of McCloskey v Unger, 2024 NY Slip Op 05210, Second Dept 10-23-24

Practice Point: Where a party in a child support proceeding faces possible incarceration, the party is entitled to “meaningful representation” by counsel, which was absent here.

 

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