In re C.S.

12 Misc. 3d 302, 813 N.Y.S.2d 639
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 17, 2006
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 12 Misc. 3d 302 (In re C.S.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re C.S., 12 Misc. 3d 302, 813 N.Y.S.2d 639 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2006).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Alma Cordova, J.

This case presents an issue of first impression for this court: Whether the court should, based on a recent Second Department decision and in the furtherance of justice, vacate its prior finding to a violation of probation and release respondent who has been in placement since August 1, 2005.

Respondent has filed this notice of motion pursuant to Family Court Act §§ 311.2, 355.1 (1) (b) and § 360.2 seeking not only to dismiss the violation of probation petition and the court’s finding that respondent violated his probation but also to vacate the court’s order placing respondent with the Office of Children and Family Services for a period of up to 18 months.

Procedural History

On January 23, 2003, the presentment agency filed a petition alleging that respondent had committed acts which if committed by an adult would constitute the crimes of attempted gang assault in the third degree, assault in the third degree, unlawful imprisonment in the second degree and menacing in the third degree.

On April 22, 2003, following a fact-finding hearing, respondent was found to have committed the above acts. On June 9, 2003, respondent was adjudicated a juvenile delinquent and placed on probation for a period of 24 months pursuant to Family Court Act § 353.2. As a condition of probation, respondent was required to attend school regularly and obey all the lawful school rules and regulations.

On March 24, 2005, the probation officer filed a verified petition alleging that upon information and belief respondent knowingly violated the terms and conditions of probation in that he has missed 81 days of school and has been late on approximately 24 days. Attached to the violation petition is a delegation of authority by the principal of DeWitt Clinton High School and a certification by the guidance counselor stating that the record attached is a full and complete record of the condition, act, transaction, occurrence or event of the institution concerning the respondent. The individual student attendance report and the cumulative cut list are attached to this certification.

On May 31, 2005, a violation of probation hearing was held and properly delegated and certified school records were [304]*304introduced into evidence pursuant to Civil Practice Law and Rules § 4518. The court found that respondent had violated the terms of his probation by failing to attend school regularly. On August 1, 2005, the court revoked respondent’s probation and placed him with the Office of Children and Family Services for a period of up to 18 months as the least restrictive alternative, consistent with his needs as well as the protection of the community.

According to the motion papers, a notice of appeal was filed on August 3, 2005. Nevertheless, on December 1, 2005, respondent filed this notice of motion.

Respondent’s Position

It is respondent’s position that the truancy charge in the probation violation petition is jurisdictionally defective because the school attendance record supporting the truancy charge contains no sworn allegations from the guidance counselor who certified the records or from any other school personnel. Specifically, respondent relies on Matter of Markim Q. (22 AD3d 498 [2d Dept 2005]) which dismissed a violation of probation petition rendering it jurisdictionally defective because the school attendance records were not verified, notwithstanding the fact that they were submitted with a certification and delegation of authority from the school administration.

Additionally, respondent contends that the nonhearsay requirements articulated in Family Court Act § 311.2 (3), which govern initial juvenile delinquency petitions, are also applicable to violation of probation petitions filed pursuant to Family Court Act § 360.2 and that the nonhearsay allegations in a juvenile delinquency petition must be verified or attested to by an individual with knowledge of the facts.

Lastly, respondent contends that since the original probation order was scheduled to expire on June 9, 2005, and since dismissal of the truancy charge will result in respondent being credited with the time the violation of probation petition has been pending, the court has lost jurisdiction.

Presentment Agency’s Position

The presentment agency submits that dismissal of the violation of probation petition is unwarranted for several reasons:

First, the Second Department’s recent decision in Matter of Markim Q. (supra) does not satisfy the statutory requirement of substantial change of circumstances pursuant to Family Court Act § 355.1 which requires a factual and not a legal showing. [305]*305While it is conceded that this court is bound by the Second Department’s decision, the presentment agency adds that this court has the discretion to deny respondent’s request on grounds unrelated to the merits of the motion.

Second, respondent offers no explanation or good cause for the belated nature of his request which was filed four months after the final order was entered and long after his appellate remedies were exháusted.

Third, the violation of probation petition is facially sufficient and fully comports with the requirements of Family Court Act § 360.2. Notwithstanding the lack of attestation language, certified records are the statutory equivalent of sworn allegations of fact. Because they constitute records of a municipal corporation (see CPLR 2307) and because they are certified in conformity with CPLR 4518, these records constitute prima facie evidence of respondent’s truancy from school during his period of probation supervision. The presentment agency argues that there is no reason that a document containing such independent indicia of reliability as to constitute prima facie evidence, by statute, cannot be used for the same purpose.

Fourth, Matter of Markim Q. is factually distinguishable from the instant case. The Second Department noted that the certification appended to the appellant’s school records required the individual signing the certification to check off the type of record being certified, which was not done. In this case, the certification and delegation have no such defect and they state with specificity that the records annexed are school attendance records.

Fifth, the statutes should not be interpreted by courts in a manner that would result in absurdity. Thus, were the courts to follow respondent’s reasoning, the same certified and delegated school attendance records that sufficed, without more, to establish respondent’s truancy at trial, would not be sufficient to initiate a violation of probation proceeding against him.

The Law

Family Court Act § 360.1 (1) provides that a “respondent who is placed on probation shall remain under the legal jurisdiction of the [Family C]ourt pending expiration or termination of the period of the order of probation.” The Practice Commentaries in McKinney’s Consolidated Laws of New York state that this provision was included in order to give formal juridical status to the concept of the relationship between the court and the [306]*306probationer. (Besharov and Sobie, Practice Commentaries, McKinney’s Cons Laws of NY, Book 29A, Part 1, Family Ct Act § 360.1, at 516.) Therefore, any purported defect in the violation of probation petition does not affect the court’s jurisdiction.

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Related

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26 Misc. 3d 954 (New York County Courts, 2009)
Matter of Anne P.C. v. Steven P.
2007 NY Slip Op 51858(U) (Monroe Family Court, 2007)
Matter of C.S.
2006 NY Slip Op 26101 (Bronx Family Court, 2006)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
12 Misc. 3d 302, 813 N.Y.S.2d 639, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-cs-nysupct-2006.