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THE RECORD DOES NOT REFLECT THAT MOTHER IN THIS CHILD-SUPPORT PROCEEDING WAS INFORMED OF HER RIGHT TO COUNSEL, HER RIGHT TO AN ADJOURNMENT TO RETAIN COUNSEL, OR HER WAIVER OF THAT RIGHT; NEW HEARING ORDERED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the Support Magistrate erred by not, on the record, informing mother of her right to counsel in this proceeding brought by father seeking child support from mother:

The Support Magistrate erred in failing to advise the mother that she had “an absolute right to be represented by counsel at the hearing at [her] own expense, and that [s]he was entitled to an adjournment for the purpose of retaining the services of an attorney” … . The Support Magistrate further erred in proceeding with the hearing without an explicit waiver of the right to counsel from the mother as there is no word or act in the record upon which the Family Court could have concluded that the mother explicitly waived that right … . Matter of Moor v Moor, 2023 NY Slip Op 03918, Second Dept 7-26-23

Practice Point: Mother appeared pro se in this proceeding before a Support Magistrate brought by father for child support from mother. There is nothing on the record indicating mother was informed of her right to counsel, her right to an adjournment to retain counsel, or her waiver of her right to counsel. New hearing ordered.

 

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THE NEGLIGENCE AND NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION AND HIRING CAUSES OF ACTION AGAINST THE WARREN COUNTY DEFENDANTS IN THIS CHILD VICTIMS ACT CASE ALLEGING ABUSE IN FOSTER CARE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED; THE COMPLAINT DID NOT ADEQUATELY ALLEGE THE WARREN COUNTY DEFENDANTS WERE AWARE OF THE DANGER POSED BY PLAINTIFF’S FOSTER FATHER (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the negligence and negligent supervision causes of action against the Warren County defendants in this Child Victims Act case should have been dismissed. The complaint did not adequately allege the Warren County defendants were aware of the danger posed by plaintiff’s foster father:

… [W]e agree with the Warren County defendants that Supreme Court should have dismissed the negligence and negligent hiring, retention, supervision and/or direction causes of action as they relate to the conduct in Warren County. The complaint alleged that, in approximately 1979, plaintiff was placed in a foster home in Warren County, where he was sexually abused by his foster father on numerous occasions. Although we are cognizant that pleadings alleging negligent hiring, retention and supervision need not be pleaded with specificity … , the complaint merely asserts that the Warren County defendants “knew or, in the exercise of reasonable care, should have known” that the foster father “had the propensity to engage in sexual abuse of children.” Unlike in the counties of Albany and Cayuga — where plaintiff alleges that he reported the sexual abuse, thereby providing the municipal defendants with notice of the dangerous condition — the complaint fails to assert any allegations of fact that would have provided the Warren County defendants with notice that the foster father presented a foreseeable harm. Because plaintiff failed to sufficiently plead that the Warren County defendants were provided notice of a dangerous condition present in the Warren County foster home, that claim could not survive a pre-answer motion to dismiss pursuant to CPLR 3211 (a) (7) … , and Supreme Court should have dismissed those claims against the Warren County defendants. Easterbrooks v Schenectady County, 2023 NY Slip Op 03889, Third Dept 7-20-23

Practice Point: In order to adequately plead a county was negligent in placing plaintiff in a foster-care situation where plaintiff was abused, the complaint must allege facts demonstrating the county was aware of the danger posed by the foster parent.

 

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THE CLAIM IN THIS CHILD VICTIMS ACT ACTION SUFFICIENTLY STATED THE TIME AND NATURE OF THE SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGEDLY OCCURRING DURING FOSTER CARE MORE THAN 40 YEARS AGO; THE PLEADING REQUIREMENTS IN THE COURT OF CLAIMS AND THE MECHANICS AND PURPOSE OF THE CHILD VICTIMS ACT CONCISELY EXPLAINED (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing the Court of Claims, determined the claim in this Child Victims Act action, alleging abuse during foster care more than 40 years ago, sufficiently stated the time and nature of the abuse. The decision includes a clear, concise description of the pleading requirement in the Court of Claims, and the mechanics and purpose of the Child Victims Act, which extends that statute of limitations for sexual abuse occurring when the victim was under the age of 18:

Under the particular circumstances of this case, the date ranges provided in the claim indicating that the sexual abuse began when the claimant was 4 years old and “occurred between two to three times a week to three to four times a year” until she was 12 years old while she resided in a foster home, along with other information contained in the claim, including the identities of the claimant’s foster parents, the address of the foster home, and names of the claimant’s alleged abusers, were sufficient to satisfy the “time when” requirement of the Court of Claims Act § 11(b) … . * * *

In this case, the claim sufficiently provided the defendant with a description of the manner in which the claimant was injured, and how the defendant was negligent in allegedly failing to protect the claimant from sexual abuse while she resided in a foster home. The claimant is not required to set forth the evidentiary facts underlying the allegations of negligence in order to satisfy the section 11(b) nature of the claim requirement … . As the claim is sufficiently detailed to allow the defendant to investigate and ascertain its liability, it satisfies the nature of the claim requirement of Court of Claims Act § 11(b) … . Fletcher v State of New York, 2023 NY Slip Op 03850, Second Dept 7-19-23

Practice Point: Here the plaintiff alleged sexual abuse while in foster care more than 40 years ago. Given the purpose of the Child Victims Act, which is clearly explained in this decision, the claim sufficiently described the time and nature of the alleged abuse.

 

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THE NONHEARSAY ALLEGATIONS IN THE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PETITION DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY DEMONSTRATE THE “PHYSICAL INJURY” ELEMENT OF ASSAULT THIRD RENDERING THE PETITION JURISDICTIONALLY DEFECTIVE (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Family Court in this juvenile delinquency proceeding, determined the factual part of the petition alleging an act which would constitute assault third if done by an adult was jurisdictionally defective because it did not set forth every element of the offense. Specifically the petition did not sufficiently allege “physical injury:”

“For a juvenile delinquency petition, or a count thereof, to be sufficient on its face, the factual part of the petition or of any supporting depositions must set forth sworn, nonhearsay allegations sufficient to establish, if true, every element of each crime charged and the alleged delinquent’s commission thereof” … . Such allegations must be set forth in the petition or the supporting depositions (see Family Ct Act § 311.2[3] …). “The failure to comply with this requirement constitutes a nonwaivable jurisdictional defect that deprives the court of subject matter jurisdiction to entertain the petition or count” … . Here, neither the petition nor the supporting depositions provided sworn, nonhearsay allegations as to a physical injury sustained by the complainant named in count 5 (see Penal Law § 120.00[2] …). Accordingly, that count was jurisdictionally defective and must be dismissed … . Matter of Yacere D., 2023 NY Slip Op 03781, Second Dept 7-12-23

Practice Point: A petition in a juvenile delinquency must include nonhearsay allegations supporting every element of the underlying offense or it is jurisdictionally defective. Here the allegations of physical injury in the context of assault third were insufficient.

 

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THE CHILDREN’S HEARSAY EVIDENCE AND KNOWLEDGE FATHER LEGALLY POSSESSED A FIREARM DID NOT SUPPORT THE NEGLECT FINDING; THE EVIDENTIARY CRITERIA FOR NEGLECT ARE EXPLAINED IN DETAIL (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the hearsay statements of the children and the children’s knowledge father legally possessed a firearm were not sufficient to support the neglect finding against father. The proof requirements for neglect and the proper role of hearsay is discussed in some depth:

… [T]he hearsay evidence presented by the petitioner at the fact-finding hearing was insufficient to permit a finding of neglect (see Family Ct Act § 1046[a][vi] …). The hearsay statement of one child that she witnessed the father “attacking her mother in the bedroom” failed to provide any detail as to the alleged domestic violence and was not corroborated by any other evidence of domestic violence in the record (see Family Ct Act § 1046[a][vi] …). The hearsay statements of the children describing an incident in which the father yelled outside the children’s home and “reached for” or “grabbed at” one of the children on their way inside, which the children described as “uncomfortable,” “weird,” and “confus[ing],” causing one of them to be “a little anxious” and the other to “start[ ] to cry,” without more, was insufficient to establish that the children’s physical, mental, or emotional condition was impaired or in imminent danger of becoming impaired … . Furthermore, the children’s knowledge that the father legally possessed a firearm in another state was insufficient to establish that the children’s physical, mental, or emotional condition was impaired or in imminent danger of becoming impaired where there was no evidence that the father had threatened anyone with his firearm or otherwise connecting the firearm to the alleged incidents of neglect … . Matter of Kashai E. (Kashif R.E.), 2023 NY Slip Op 03784, Second Dept 7-17-23

Practice Point: Here the children’s hearsay evidence did not support the neglect finding against father. The proper use of hearsay in a neglect proceeding is clearly explained in some depth.

 

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IN THIS TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS PROCEEDING, PETITIONER DID NOT MEET ITS BURDEN TO PROVE IT MADE DILIGENT EFFORTS TO ASSIST RESPONDENT MOTHER IN ADDRESSING HER MENTAL HEALTH; MOTHER’S PARENTAL RIGHTS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TERMINANTED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined the petitioner did not prove it made diligent efforts toward reunification of mother and child, given mother’s mental health and the incomplete measures to address her mental health needs. Therefore mother’s parental rights should not have been terminated. The facts are far too complex to summarize here:

The petitioning agency “bears the burden of proving . . . that such diligent efforts were made,” and must do so by clear and convincing evidence … . To satisfy that burden, the agency “must develop a plan that is realistic and tailored to fit [the] respondent’s individual situation” … , and “make affirmative, repeated, and meaningful efforts to assist the parent in overcoming these handicaps” … . The petitioning agency “should mold its diligent efforts to fit the individual circumstances so as to allow the parent to provide for the child’s future’ ” … .

… [The] “terms and conditions” placed upon respondent required … that she “undergo a complete mental health evaluation by a licensed professional approved by [petitioner]”; engage in a domestic violence program; attend all of the child’s medical appointments and all scheduled visitation; and “successfully complete Family Services of Chemung County’s Protective Parenting Program.” We agree with respondent and the AFC that petitioner did not prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that it made diligent efforts to assist respondent in satisfying these conditions. Matter of Willow K. (Victoria L.), 2023 NY Slip Op 03730, Third Dept 7-6-23

Practice Point: Here mother had serious mental health issues and the “terms and conditions” imposed upon mother required those issues to be addressed in specific ways. Petitioner did not prove it diligently provided sufficient assistance to mother in her attempts to meet those terms and conditions. Therefore mother’s parental rights should not have been terminated.

 

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THE JUDGE SHOULD HAVE ALLOWED TIME FOR OBJECTIONS TO PETITIONER’S APPLICATION TO WITHDRAW THE NEGLECT PETITION AND CANCEL THE FACT-FINDING HEARING (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Family Court, determined Family Court should not have granted petitioner’s request to withdraw the neglect petition and cancel the fact-finding hearing without allowing time for objections to be raised:

We agree with the AFC that Family Court erred in granting petitioner’s application to dismiss the neglect petition without allowing any time for objections to be raised. We are cognizant that, “ordinarily[,] a party cannot be compelled to litigate and, absent special circumstances, discontinuance should be granted” … . However, one should be given an opportunity to present any such special circumstances or any other arguments concerning the application, such as the effect upon a subject child’s welfare … , whether prejudice should attach to the discontinuance … or whether another party should be permitted, in the court’s discretion, to commence a neglect proceeding (see Family Ct Act § 1032 [b] …). Because Family Court dismissed the petition without allowing the parties — including the father as a nonrespondent parent — to present any arguments regarding petitioner’s application for a discontinuance, we remit this matter to allow them the opportunity to do so. Matter of Lauren X. (Daughn X.), 2023 NY Slip Op 03732, Third Dept 7-6-23

Practice Point: Although a party’s application to discontinue an action, here a neglect petition, should ordinarily be granted, here the judge should have allowed time for objections before granting the application.

 

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THE SPEEDY TRIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PROCEEDING WERE VIOLATED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing the juvenile delinquency adjudication and dismissing the petition, determined the speedy trial requirements were violated:

“Where [a] juvenile is not detained, an adjudication on the merits of the petition’s charges, known as the ‘fact-finding’ phase of the process, ‘shall commence not more than [60] days after the conclusion of the initial appearance,’ subject to adjournments for good cause and special circumstances” (…Family Ct Act § 340.1 [2]). A court may adjourn a fact-finding hearing “on its own motion or on motion of the presentment agency for good cause shown for . . . not more than [30] days if the respondent is not in detention” and “[t]he court shall state on the record the reason for any adjournment of the fact-finding hearing” … . However, “a judicial referral for adjustment under Family C[t] Act § 320.6 operates to toll the limitations period set forth in Family C[t] Act § 340.1” … . “Efforts at adjustment . . . may not extend for a period of more than three months without leave of the court, which may extend the period for an additional two months” … .

Here, the record establishes that the initial appearance on the petition was on February 1, 2021, at which time respondent appeared with counsel, was arraigned and entered a general denial to the petition (see Family Ct Act §§ 320.1; 320.4). Measured from the February 1 initial appearance date, 273 days passed before the scheduled November 1, 2021 fact-finding hearing.[FN3] Of the 273 days, tolling for the entire adjustment period of 153 days[*3], leaves 120 days before the scheduled fact-finding hearing, well-beyond the initial 60-day speedy trial period, as well as the 90-day speedy trial period, assuming without deciding that the 30-day adjournment was properly granted (see Family Ct Act § 340.1 [4], [5]). As such, the speedy trial requirements relative to juvenile delinquency proceedings were violated and the petition must be dismissed. Matter of Zachary L., 2023 NY Slip Op 03735, Third Dept 7-6-23

Practice Point: The speedy trial requirements for a juvenile delinquency proceeding, explained in this decision, were violated.

 

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AT THE TIME OF THE JUVENILE’S ADMISSION TO POSSESSION OF STOLEN PROPERTY THE JUDGE DID NOT INFORM HIM OR HIS MOTHER OF THE EXACT NATURE OF HIS “PLACEMENT OUTSIDE THE HOME OR ITS POSSIBLE DURATION” AS REQUIRED BY FAMILY COURT ACT SECTION 3213(1); ORDER REVERSED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing the juvenile’s admission in this juvenile delinquency proceeding, determined the juvenile and his mother were not adequately informed of the consequences of the admission to possession of stolen property:

… [T]he allocution in which respondent admitted to [possession of stolen property] was fatally defective because Family Court … failed to comply with the requirements of Family Ct Act § 321.3 (1). At the time of his admission, Family Court commented on some possible dispositions including being “placed outside of [his] home . . . for a period of time.” Neither respondent nor his mother were informed of “the exact nature of his placement outside of the home or its possible duration” … . “Inasmuch as the provisions of Family Ct Act § 321.3 (1) are mandatory and cannot be waived, the order must be reversed” … . Matter of Tashawn MM., 2023 NY Slip Op 03745, Third Dept 7-6-23

Practice Point: At the time of a juvenile’s admission in a juvenile delinquency proceeding, the juvenile must be informed of the exact nature of any “placement outside of the home and its possible duration.” The failure to so inform the juvenile requires reversal of the placement order.

 

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LAWYERS FOR CHILDREN, WHICH IS CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE ATTORNEYS IN CHILD WELFARE MATTERS, HAS STANDING TO CHALLENGE THE HOST FAMILY HOMES PROGRAM WHICH PLACES CHILDREN WITHOUT THE PARTICIPATION OF ATTORNEYS (THIRD DEPT).

​The Third Department reversing Supreme Court, determined Lawyers for Children, which provides attorneys for child welfare matters, had standing to bring a petition challenging the Host Family Homes program which facilitates temporary placement of children in foster care without an attorney. 

… [P]ursuant to Social Services Law § 358-a (6), Family Court is tasked with appointing an attorney for the children should there be a hearing before it. Petitioner Lawyers for Children had initially contracted with the Office of Court Administration (hereinafter OCA) respecting voluntary foster care placements and, since the legislative changes in 1999, has consistently represented children in New York City who have been voluntarily placed outside of the home. Similarly, petitioner Legal Aid Society contracted with OCA and receives assignments through New York City Family Court. Petitioner Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc., likewise, has contracted with OCA and receives funding to represent children in child welfare matters.

In December 2021, respondent Office of Children and Family Services (hereinafter OCFS) promulgated regulations creating the Host Family Homes program, a system for the temporary care of children by pre-vetted volunteers without resorting to the voluntary placement process in the Social Services Law … . * * * Children cared for by a host family under this program were not entitled to assigned counsel, although they could communicate with an attorney … . * * *

… [P]etitioners sufficiently alleged an injury in fact that is not merely conjectural, as implementation of the program would, in essence, place children outside their home without the right to legal representation to which they would be entitled by Social Services Law § 358-a and that petitioners have a contractual obligation to provide … . Matter of Lawyers for Children v New York State Off. of Children & Family Servs., 2023 NY Slip Op 03747, Third Dept 7-6-23

Practice Point: Lawyers for Children is contractually obligated to provide attorneys in child welfare matters. Lawyer for Children has standing to challenge the Host Family Homes program which places children in foster care without the participation of attorneys.

 

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