Arena v. Department of Social Services of Nassau County

216 F. Supp. 2d 146, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15618, 2002 WL 1941151
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedAugust 23, 2002
DocketNo. 01CV6456 (ADS)(ARL)
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 216 F. Supp. 2d 146 (Arena v. Department of Social Services of Nassau County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Arena v. Department of Social Services of Nassau County, 216 F. Supp. 2d 146, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15618, 2002 WL 1941151 (E.D.N.Y. 2002).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION AND ORDER

SPATT, District Judge.

This is a civil rights case arising from a New York State Family Court proceeding involving the custody of a young boy.

The pro se plaintiff Glen Arena (“Arena” or the “plaintiff’) alleges that the defendants the Department of Social Services of Nassau County (the “Department of Social Services”), the Child Protective Services, Frances DeFilippis (“DeFilippis”), Susan Wheeler (“Wheeler”), Genna Currie (“Cur-rie”) (collectively, the “County Defendants”), Judge Richard S. Lawrence of the Nassau County Family Court (“Judge Lawrence”), Edward Emanuele, Esq. (“Emanuele”) and Leonard Sperber, Esq. (“Sperber”) deprived him of the right to visit his son in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Presently before the Court are two motions to dismiss the complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, one by Judge Lawrence and another by Emanuele. Alternatively, Judge Lawrence and Emanuele move to dismiss the complaint on the ground that it fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted under Rule 12(b)(6).

[148]*148I. BACKGROUND

The facts are taken from the complaint unless otherwise indicated. The plaintiff and Lisa Arena (“L.Arena”) are the biological parents of Casey Arena (“Casey”). Casey is presently eight years old. On August 14, 1996, after being charged with, among other things, criminal contempt and harassment, the plaintiff pled guilty to criminal mischief in the fourth degree in the District Court of Nassau County. People v. Arena, 96-16085 (N.Y.Dist.Ct. Aug. 14, 1999). As part of his guilty plea, the Honorable Joseph H. Driscoll issued a three year order of protection directing the plaintiff to stay away from L. Arena and her family. Id. The order of protection did not interfere with the plaintiffs right to visit Casey pursuant to either a separation agreement or family court order. Id.

In the Summer of 1996, L. Arena filed a petition in the Family Court of the State of New York, Nassau County (the “Nassau County Family Court”) seeking custody of Casey. Arena v. Arena, 96-1459 (N.Y.Fam.Ct. Feb. 19, 1997). On February 19, 1997, the Honorable Kenneth S. Diamond of the Nassau County Family Court awarded L. Arena custody of Casey and permitted the plaintiff visitation rights upon terms agreeable to his wife. Id.

In or about July 1998, L. Arena filed a complaint against the plaintiff in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Nassau County (the “Supreme Court”) seeking a divorce. Arena v. Arena, 98-7502 (N.Y.Sup.Ct. July 29, 1998). On July 8, 1998, the Honorable Roy S. Mahon of the Supreme Court appointed Emanuele to serve as the law guardian to Casey in the divorce action. Arena v. Arena, 98-7502 (N.Y.Sup.Ct. July 8, 1998). After being appointed the law guardian, Emanuele learned that the divorce action involved allegations of substance abuse and domestic violence. Based upon this information, Emanuele moved for independent forensic evaluations of the plaintiff, L. Arena and Casey. Justice Mahon granted Emanu-ele’s motion and directed that the parties undergo these evaluations. Arena v. Arena, 98-7502 (N.Y.Sup.Ct. Sept. 24, 1998).

On November 25, 1998, Justice Mahon allowed the plaintiff and L. Arena supervised visitation which consisted of meeting with Casey once a week for a four hour period at a designated location. Arena v. Arena, 98-7502 (N.Y.Sup.Ct. Nov. 25, 1998). As part of the supervised visitation, the plaintiff and L. Arena underwent random drug testing. On December 16, 1998, Judge Mahon changed the location where the plaintiff was allowed to visit Casey. Arena v. Arena, 98-7502 (N.Y.Sup.Ct. Dec. 16, 1998).

On January 26, 1999, DiFilippis, an assistant director with the Child Protective Services for the Department of Social Services, filed separate child neglect petitions against L. Arena and the plaintiff in the Nassau County Family Court. In the Matter of Casey Arena, 99-55 (N.Y.Fam. Ct. Jan. 26, 1999). Judge Lawrence was assigned to the neglect petitions. Each petition alleged that the plaintiff and L. Arena provided Casey with inadequate supervision as a result of their drug and alcohol use. The plaintiff alleges that De-Filippis made false statements in the petitions.

On June 1, 1999, the plaintiff and L. Arena executed a stipulation in Supreme Court to transfer the issue of custody involving Casey to the Nassau County Family Court before Judge Lawrence. Arena v. Arena, 98-7502 (N.Y.Fam.Ct. Jun. 1, 1999). On September 21, 1999, Judge Lawrence found that Casey was a neglected child. In the Matter of Casey Arena, 99-51 (N.Y.Fam.Ct. Sept. 21, 1999). Judge Lawrence then gave L. Arena custody of Casey on the condition that she live [149]*149with her grandmother, Anna Van Atta and continue in her present outpatient substance abuse program. Also, Judge Lawrence denied visitation to the plaintiff.

On October 22, 1999, the plaintiff agreed to an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal (“ACD”) in full satisfaction of the neglect petition filed against him. In the Matter of Casey Arena, 99-55 (N.Y.Fam. Ct. Oct. 22, 1999). As part of the ACD, the plaintiff consented to L. Arena having custody of Casey without prejudice to his rights upon his release from a one year term of incarceration for a felony Driving while Under the Influence of Alcohol conviction. The plaintiff alleges that his counsel Sperber, Judge Lawrence, 'Emanuele and DeFilippis “forced and coerced” him to accept the ACD. On December 28, 1999, on consent of all parties, Judge Lawrence awarded custody to L. Arena and gave the plaintiff no visitation with Casey until otherwise ordered. Van Att a/k/a Arena v. Arena, 99-1856 (N.Y.Fam.Ct. Dec. 28, 1999).

The plaintiff alleges that on or about August 2, 2000, Currie, a case worker with the Child Protective Services for the Department of Social Services, filed an emergency petition with the Nassau County Family Court alleging that L. Arena was endangering the welfare of Casey. At that time, Currie purportedly appeared in Nassau County Family Court and requested that temporary custody of Casey be given to the plaintiffs mother, Sarah Arena (“S.Arena”). The plaintiff alleges that Currie knew that he was living with his mother and that an order of protection prohibiting him from visiting Casey was in effect. Sometime thereafter, the plaintiff alleges that the Nassau County Family Court gave S. Arena temporary custody of Casey.

The plaintiff further alleges that on September 1, 2000, he filed a petition in the Nassau County Family Court seeking custody of Casey. On September 11, 2000, Judge Lawrence purportedly failed to consider the merits of the plaintiffs petition for custody and found the plaintiff in contempt for wilfully violating the order of protection which prohibited him from visiting his son. The plaintiff claims that he was held in contempt without Judge Lawrence giving him prior notification. As a result of the finding of contempt, Judge Lawrence sentenced the plaintiff to five days in jail.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Helmer v. Seymour
N.D. New York, 2023
Kennedy v. Caruso
D. Connecticut, 2021
Koulkina v. City of New York
559 F. Supp. 2d 300 (S.D. New York, 2008)
Hillemann v. University of Central Florida
411 F. Supp. 2d 1354 (M.D. Florida, 2004)
Arena v. DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES OF NASSAU
216 F. Supp. 2d 146 (E.D. New York, 2002)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
216 F. Supp. 2d 146, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15618, 2002 WL 1941151, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/arena-v-department-of-social-services-of-nassau-county-nyed-2002.