D'Elia v. Douglas B.

138 Misc. 2d 370, 524 N.Y.S.2d 616, 1988 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 34
CourtNew York City Family Court
DecidedJanuary 13, 1988
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 138 Misc. 2d 370 (D'Elia v. Douglas B.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York City Family Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
D'Elia v. Douglas B., 138 Misc. 2d 370, 524 N.Y.S.2d 616, 1988 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 34 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1988).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

John D. Capilli, J.

This motion raises unanswered questions of procedure when a respondent decides to dispute an order of filiation made under section 439 (b) of the Family Court Act after his time to object under section 439 (e) has expired. In this case, respondent made a motion pursuant to CPLR 5015 to vacate the order of filiation made and entered after respondent’s undisputed admission of paternity before a Hearing Examiner.

The paternity petition was filed by the Nassau County Department of Social Services, as assignee of support rights of Maggie M., pursuant to section 571 of the Family Court Act. A hearing was held on the petition to enforce such support rights pursuant to article 4 and to establish paternity of the child pursuant to article 5. An affidavit, annexed to and made a part of the petition, alleged that upon information and belief, petitioner mother, Maggie M., had sexual intercourse with the respondent, Douglas B., on several occasions from January 1986 through March 1987, and as a result, she became pregnant. Subsequently, and on October 29, 1986, Maggie M. gave birth to an out-of-wedlock child, Kendra L. M. The petition alleged that Douglas B. was the father of said child.

The matter, which first came on to be heard before a Hearing Examiner on June 1, 1987, was adjourned to June 15, 1987 to give the respondent time to get an attorney to represent him.

On June 15, 1987, the adjourn date, the respondent appeared for the second time without an attorney. Respondent [372]*372was again advised by the Hearing Examiner of his right to appear with counsel. At that time, respondent waived his right to an attorney and elected to proceed. The Hearing Examiner then advised Mr. B. of his right to request a blood-grouping test and its cost. He further advised respondent that in the event he was unable to pay the cost of the blood-grouping test in advance, systematic payments could be worked out. Mr. B. was then asked if he wished to have a blood-grouping test. He said he did not. The Hearing Examiner asked Mr. B. if he was the father of Kendra L. M., born to Maggie M. on October 29, 1986. Mr. B. replied "Yes, Sir.”

The Hearing Examiner then stated there was an admission of paternity and the fact finding and disposition as to the establishment of paternity was completed. He advised respondent that the court would now proceed to the support hearing. Mr. B. was advised of his right to be represented by an attorney in the support part of the proceeding and that he could have an adjournment to get a lawyer. Otherwise, he could proceed at that time on the support issue without a lawyer. At that point, Mr. B. requested a lawyer and the matter was adjourned to July 13, 1987.

On July 13, 1987, the respondent appeared and the matter was adjourned to July 27, 1987. On July 27, 1987, the adjourn date for the support hearing, the respondent was screened by the Family Court Screening Bureau and was assigned a Legal Aid attorney. The matter was adjourned to August 31, 1987.

On August 31, 1987, Mr. B. stated that he did not previously request that the order of filiation be vacated because when he indicated to the Hearing Examiner on July 27, 1987 (39 days after the order was entered) that he wanted to deny paternity, he was assigned an attorney. This would infer that the respondent, being uneducated in the rules of court procedure, must have assumed that after he obtained an attorney, the attorney could take the necessary steps to withdraw his admission.

At the August hearing, respondent’s attorney argued that the Hearing Examiner in the instant case questioned Mr. B. about paternity without first advising him of his right to refuse to testify. It was further stated that the circumstances under which Mr. B. admitted paternity and the sole evidence on which the order of filiation was based raise questions as to whether substantial justice was done when the order of filiation was made.

At the request of respondent’s attorney, the matter was adjourned to October 5, 1987.

[373]*373On October 5, 1987, respondent submitted an order to show cause, requiring the Department of Social Services, on behalf of Maggie M., to show cause before a Judge of this court, why the order of filiation made on June 15, 1987 should not be vacated, or, in the alternative, ordering that a blood-grouping test be administered and that respondent’s admission be stricken from the record.

In support of the relief requested, the respondent, by and through his attorney, argued that:

1) Respondent was not represented by an attorney;
2) Although he was advised of his right to an attorney and.a blood-grouping test, he was not aware of the support obligations that could arise as a result of an admission; therefore, the admission was not knowingly made;
3) Respondent was not told prior to making the admission that he had a right to refuse to testify at the hearing; and
4) No other evidence of paternity was produced.

An affirmation in opposition was submitted by the County Attorney of Nassau County, asking that respondent’s motion be denied in all respects and that the order of filiation of June 15, 1987, made by the Hearing Examiner remain in full force and effect. The County Attorney argued that:

1) An order to, show cause is an improper vehicle by which to request the relief sought by respondent because section 439 (e) of the Family Court Act specifically prbvides the method by which a party may object to an order of a Hearing Examiner. That method is to file written objections "within thirty days after entry of the order, upon notice to the opposing party, who shall have eight days to serve and file a written rebuttal to such objections.”
In this case, written objections were not filed within 30 days after the order of filiation was made pursuant to section 439 (e). Thus, the County Attorney concludes that the respondent is now procedurally barred from seeking relief from the order because Family Court Act § 439 (e) prescribes a method of procedure and Family Court Act § 165 states that where a method of procedure is prescribed in the Family Court Act, the CPLR is not applicable;
2) The facts of the case do not warrant the relief the respondent seeks because respondent knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to counsel and a blood-grouping test;
3) Section 439 (b) of the Family Court Act only requires that [374]*374the Hearing Examiner "advise the mother and putative father of the right to be represented by counsel” and "advise the mother and putative father of their right to blood grouping tests”. There is no requirement that respondent be advised that he had a right to refuse to testify at the hearing; and
4) Section 531 of the Family Court Act simply states that a respondent may not be compelled to testify at trial. There is no mandate that respondent be so advised and there is no reference in the Family Court Act to respondent’s right to be informed of this privilege.

Respondent, in a reply to the arguments made by the County Attorney, countered that an order to show cause is an appropriate vehicle by which to seek the vacatur of an order of filiation.

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

Related

Orange County Legislature v. Diana
40 Misc. 3d 278 (New York Supreme Court, 2013)
Matter of RM v. DJ
2007 NY Slip Op 52006(U) (Westchester County Children's Court, 2007)
Commisioner of Social Services v. Harris
26 A.D.3d 283 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2006)
Onondaga County Department of Social Services ex rel. Patricia L. v. Junior L.C.
296 A.D.2d 845 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2002)
Pitts v. Strother
160 Misc. 2d 897 (NYC Family Court, 1994)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
138 Misc. 2d 370, 524 N.Y.S.2d 616, 1988 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 34, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/delia-v-douglas-b-nycfamct-1988.