Panzo v. Panzo

192 Misc. 989, 82 N.Y.S.2d 228, 1948 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3066
CourtNew York Family Court
DecidedJuly 8, 1948
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 192 Misc. 989 (Panzo v. Panzo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Family Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Panzo v. Panzo, 192 Misc. 989, 82 N.Y.S.2d 228, 1948 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3066 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1948).

Opinion

Sicher, J.

In this proceeding, instituted nominally on behalf of an infant grandchild, the real party in interest is the department of welfare of the city of New York, seeking exoneration from the cost of maintaining the infant grandchild of respondent.

[991]*991The infant’s father is the son of respondent.

As hereinafter more fully related, he disappeared from New York City shortly after entry of an order of this court against him for support of his then pregnant wife (“ Anita Panzo ”, Petitioner, v. ‘‘Alfredo Panzo, Jr.”, Respondent, Docket No. 2018/1947); there is now outstanding a warrant for his arrest issued in that proceeding on April 7, 1948, upon his violation of that order; and such warrant has not been executed because he is allegedly now in South America and the process of this court does not reach beyond the boundaries of the State of New York.

This grandparent proceeding has therefore been instituted under appropriate provisions of the Domestic Relations Court Act of the City of New York upon the paternal grandfather’s refusal, allegedly on the ground of financial inability, to relieve the City of New York of the burden of supporting the petitioner infant who is the issue of respondent’s son and abandoned by such son.

Respondent’s counsel’s brief states: “Upon the trial held on the 19th day of May, 1948, it was stipulated that there was no issue as to the legitimacy of. the said child, nor as to the residence of the petitioner or the infant. The issue was narrowed down to and evidence taken on the ability of the respondent as grandfather to pay .maintenance and support of the infant child.”

However, respondent’s counsel confuses the wholly irrelevant article VIII of the Domestic Relations Law (dealing with filiation proceedings outside of the city of New York in respect of children born out of wedlock) with the entirely distinct statute known as “ Domestic Relations Court Act of the City of New York ” (hereinafter, for convenience, referred to as “Domestic Relations Court Act ”), which confers upon the Family Court Division of this court exclusive jurisdiction ivithin the city of New York to order support of a legitimate child by its parent or grandparent.

For the guidance of respondent’s counsel and so that he and his client may be fully apprised as to the relevant law and the serious consequences which may follow respondent’s failure to comply with the order entered simultaneously with the filing of this opinion, there will be detailed pertinent provisions of the governing statute and certain underlying salient facts.

The petitioner grandchild was born in New York City on February 9, 1948, resides there with his mother (“ Anita Panzo ”), and is being cared for by her at a present cost of [992]*992$61.75 each month to the department of welfare of the city of New York, a low subsistence public relief budget standard which takes into account, and supplements, a remittance of $26 each month from the father of- said “ Anita Panzo ” (i.e., the maternal grandfather) who resides in Porto Eico and is now therefore not within the jurisdiction of this court.

On December 9, 1947, said “ Anita Panzo ” filed in this court a petition against “ Alfredo Panzo, Jr.” praying for an order of support as wife and for the expenses of her nearing confinement, pursuant to subdivisions (1), (2), and (3) of section 92 and subdivision 1 of section 101 of the Domestic Relations Court Act.

On December 10, 1947, sáid “ Anita Panzo ”, said “ Alfredo Panzo, Jr.”, and the latter’s father, “ Alfredo Panzo, Sr.” (respondent herein), attended before me at the New York County Family Court, Part I; said “ Alfredo Panzo, Jr.” and his father being then represented by an attorney (other than the respondent’s attorney of record in this proceeding) and petitioner wife and the department of welfare of the city of New Yorik by Assistant Corporation Counsel Mathilda Miller. Thereupon, in accordance with arrangements which had been worked out in conference among the parties and those attorneys I entered on that date a formal order against “ Alfredo Panzo, Jr.”, directing him to pay into this court the weekly sum of $12.50, each and every week beginning December, 17, 1947, for the support of the wife until further order of the court, and by December 17, 1947, the additional sum of $115 toward the expense of the confinement. Simultaneously with the entry of that order I indorsed upon the petition: “ Petitioner and respondent. Attorney for respondent. Assistant Corporation Counsel Miller for petitioner. Respondent’s father (‘ Alfredo Panzo, Sr.’). On consent (1) petitioner is entitled to support on a means basis (i.e. under Dom. Eel. Ct. Act, Sec. 92, subd. 1); (2) petitioner is in seventh month of pregnancy; (3) parties were duty married on 11/19/47 at New York City; (4) Order, $12.50 a week, beginning 12/17/47, for petitioner; in addition, respondent to deposit by noon of December 17, 1947, the sum of $115, to be remitted to X Hospital, N. Y. C., for balance of petitioner’s confinement hospitalization (exclusive of medical services); (5) respondent and his father will discharge the cost of the medical services for her confinement to be rendered by Dr. Y or any other physician who is acceptable to petitioner; (6) respondent’s father will file written guaranty immediately to assure the foregoing payments through this Court up to and including June 17,1948 and also the confinement expenses above described. [993]*993In the event of failure to make direct arrangements for such medical services, the order may be amended nunc pro tunc as of today to inchjde such cost under Dom. Bel. Ct. Act, § 92, subd. 2. Basis is potential earning capacity, which is at this time limited by a psycho-neurotic condition. Petitioner referred to Home Belief for supplemental aid. After the birth of the child, case may be rescheduled to consider whether order should not be amended accordingly. ’ ’

Before leaving the courthouse said “ Alfredo Panzo, Sr.”, the father, executed a written guarantee of payment of all the foregoing sums.

That guarantee was given and accepted in lieu of the court’s requiring the posting of a cash bond pursuant to sections 139 and 151 of the Domestic Belations Court Act. Except for such guarantee and “ Alfredo Panzo, Sr.’s ” representation of himself and his outward appearance as a man of substance, the court would have exacted a. bond as security for the performance of the afore-described support order by the unstable “ Alfredo Panzo, Jr.” However, I must regretfully say, ensuing events compel the conclusion that such guarantee was an insincere device to afford “ Alfredo Panzo, Sr.” time to remove his son beyond the jurisdiction of this court.

Following a complete disregard of that order, on January 30, 1948, the pregnant wife and her husband’s father (respondent herein) attended before me, the respondent being accompanied b}r the same attorney as now represents him in this grandparent proceeding. Bespondent evinced a cold lack of concern for the plight of the expectant mother, then wholly dependent on home relief assistance and Catholic Charities’ guidance in consequence of the complete violation of the aforesaid December 10, 1.947, support order against the husband and of respondent “ Alfredo Panzo, Sr.’s ” guarantee thereof.

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Related

Lister v. Sheridan
33 Misc. 2d 650 (New York Supreme Court, 1962)
Rotina ex rel. Rotina v. Rotina
204 Misc. 291 (New York Family Court, 1953)

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Bluebook (online)
192 Misc. 989, 82 N.Y.S.2d 228, 1948 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3066, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/panzo-v-panzo-nyfamct-1948.