In re Carl G.

78 Misc. 2d 453, 357 N.Y.S.2d 959, 1974 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1425
CourtNew York City Family Court
DecidedMay 14, 1974
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 78 Misc. 2d 453 (In re Carl G.) 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
In re Carl G., 78 Misc. 2d 453, 357 N.Y.S.2d 959, 1974 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1425 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1974).

Opinion

Richard J. Daronco, J.

Each of the above-entitled proceedings involves an application for an order of the Family Court for the special educational needs of a physically handicapped child under section 232 (subd. [a], par. [1]) of the Family Court Act.

At the outset it is noted that no statement has been made to the court by any party in each of the above-entitled proceedings other than the allegation that each infant is a “ physically handicapped child” (Family Ct. Act, § 232, subd. [c]; Education Law, § 4401). It is further noted that in each of the above-[454]*454entitled proceedings written indication has been received from the Commissioner of Education that each child had previously been approved to attend an accredited educational facility, substantiating the existence in each of a handicapping condition, and that there is no adequate public facility for their educational instruction (Carl G. Anonymous, letter dated January 22,1974; Barry T. Anonymous, letter dated November 20, 1973; Education Law, §§ 4401, 4407); also, indicating a provision for the required moneys for each child’s requested tuition and maintenance costs, subject to an order of this court (Education Law, §§ 4403, 4407).

At the inception of each proceeding only the respondent, the City of White Plains, in each proceeding seeks to be dismissed as an interested party, since it disclaims any liability for the educable costs involved. It asserts that under the present existing statutory language of section 232 (subd. [a], par. [1]) of the Family Court Act and subdivision 2 of section 4403 of the Education Law when read in conjunction with subdivision 17 of section 2 of the Education Law, defining the term “ City ” under the Education Law, that the City of White Plains is not a “proper subdivision” under the Family Court Act nor “City” under the Education Law (§ 232, subd. [a], par. [1]; § 4403, subd. 2) intended by the Legislature to be responsible for or charged with the costs of the special educational training óf a physically handicapped child.

The issue, identical to each of these proceedings, is: what governmental locality was intended by the Legislature to be charged for the special educational needs of a handicapped child under the present statutory scheme!

This court has previously indicated that the statutory scheme “is to say the least, inarticulately developed ”. Other judicial commentaries in reviewing this statutory language have been most critical. In Matter of Daber (71 Misc 2d 303) it indicated the relationship of these laws as ‘ ‘ mumbo jumbo, unconsolidated and inartistieally promulgated ”. In Matter of Leitner (40 A D 2d 38, 42) Justice Shapiro stated: “ It may not be amiss to note that the statutory scheme for the ordering of special educational services for a handicapped child through the Family Court and the allocation of the costs of those services is, at best, cumbersome, and at worst, unclear and unnecessarily complex.”

Notwithstanding the repeated judicial pronouncements that the education of the handicapped child is an important, viable and pressing subject, requiring prompt legislative revision to clear doubts and ambiguities, correct any inconsistencies, fill [455]*455the gaps which may exist between the several statutes directly involved to achieve speedy solutions and mitigate, if not avoid the delay, despair and heartbreak encountered, it is still left to the courts, in each instance to ascribe a meaning to the statutory scheme involved in ascertaining the intent of the Legislature. Whatever positive results that have been achieved have only been accomplished after hardship, heartache, frustration, despair and anguish have been encountered by the parent of a “ physically handicapped child ” and the undue, unnecessary and in some instances, lengthy obstacles and delays, by repetitive litigation, advocate in nature, encountered in securing the desired and required special educational needs for this child because of the divergence between the public localities involved concerning which public locality is required to appropriate and expend funds for such special educational needs.

The issues raised before this court again require a review of the present statutory language to seek a pragmatic as well as a legally sound disposition of the instant motion to restrict litigiousness in permitting a party to appeal from one Judge to another of co-ordinate jurisdiction, by motion, for relief, but should require that his remedy be to a tribunal having appellate jurisdiction in the premises. The scholarly remark of the present Surrogate Midonick, when sitting as a Family Court Judge, in Matter of Reed v. Reed (63 Misc 2d 459, 460) is most applicable to the instant issue herein, wherein he states: “ there seems no expertise of legislative draftmanship equal to this vexed problem of procedure. My decision will probably be the subject of appeal no matter what the result or reasoning, and, if the appellate courts will clarify this basic lawyers’ problem, their help will be appreciated by Bench and Bar ”.

Under the existing statutory scheme a petition can be filed seeking an order of the Family Court for the expenditure of public funds to provide the special educational services for a handicapped child (§ 232, subd. [a], par. [1]). The application of section 4403 of the Education Law provides the means for reimbursement under the cost allocation basis therein to the governmental locality which shall pay for the services thereunder (§ 4403, subd. 1): “when not otherwise provided by parents, guardians, local authorities or by other sources, public or private ”, after the issuance of the Family Court order (§ 232, subd. [a], par. [1]) and upon the issuance of the certificate by the Commissioner of Education (§ 4403, subd. 1). Upon the issuance by the commissioner of such approval of the Family Court order made pursuant to section 232 of the Family Court Act then the [456]*456express provisions of subdivision 2 of section 4403 controls, not section 232 (subd. [a], par. [1]) (Matter of Leitner, 40 A D 2d 38, supra) though no explicit reference is made to either statute by the other. Section 4403 has the effect of requiring the county, in the first instance, to pay the cost of a child’s court-mandated special education, and the State thereafter to reimburse the county for one half that cost (p. 41) (cf. Education Law, § 4117 entitled “Payment of cost of education of1 physically handicapped Indian children ”).

An examination of the language of section 232 (subd. [a], par. [1]) indicates no statutory restriction placed upon the Family Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction in the issuance of an order to provide suitable education for a physically handicapped child (see Family Ct. Act, § 115, subd. [b]; § 232, subd. [a]). The Family Court determines that the child is a physically handicapped child as defined in subdivision (c) of section 232 of the Family Court Act, subdivision 1 of section 4401 of the Education Law, subdivision 1 of section 2581 of the Public Health Law; absent the approval issued by the Commissioner of Education and notwithstanding the absence of statutory reference as to who determines the condition. Logic and reason require this conclusion. The statutory reference to the certificate under section 232 (subd. [a], par. [1]) appears to be “permissive” to allow the court under certain circumstances to dispense with the necessity to have extensively clear and convincing medical proof (testimony) submitted as to the needs of the child.

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Bluebook (online)
78 Misc. 2d 453, 357 N.Y.S.2d 959, 1974 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1425, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-carl-g-nycfamct-1974.