Philip v. Sharon S.

137 Misc. 2d 385, 520 N.Y.S.2d 695, 1987 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2598
CourtNew York Family Court
DecidedAugust 27, 1987
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 137 Misc. 2d 385 (Philip v. Sharon S.) 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
Philip v. Sharon S., 137 Misc. 2d 385, 520 N.Y.S.2d 695, 1987 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2598 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1987).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Herbert B. Ray, J.

I. INTRODUCTION

The sole issue before the court is whether Broome County Family Court has subject matter jurisdiction to entertain Philip’s petitions for custody of his daughter, Stacy. Respondent mother’s, Sharon, only contact with this court has been to request an adjournment which was granted. She did not subsequently appear as directed. No responsive pleadings were filed. This threshold issue is complicated by reason of the fact that instead of actively defending the instant action, mother sought relief from the Superior Court of New Jersey subsequent to the initiation of the instant proceedings.

This action has led this court into a potential confrontation with a court of comparable jurisdiction in New Jersey. We are governed here not only by the uniform compact of State laws on the issue, but by the Federal law also covering these matters. (See, Ferguson v Ferguson, 130 Misc 2d 709 [1985].) These two laws are the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA) adopted by New York as article 5-A of the Domestic Relations Law, and the Parental Kidnaping Prevention Act (PKPA) (28 USC § 1738A).

II. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The parties have had an extensive history of litigation in the Broome County court system. A review of the court records in the instant case reveals that on April 3, 1984 an attorney for Sharon S. filed the parties’ divorce judgment and [387]*387decree1 dated March 27, 1984. On June 25, 1984, Philip (father) filed a petition for visitation which also requested that his support obligation be suspended during said visitation. The petition further alleged that the child’s mother had unilaterally removed herself to Texas.

This petition was resolved by stipulation of the parties which was entered of record on July 16, 1984 and incorporated in an order the same day. This order provided for father’s visitation and further specified, inter alia, "that each of the parties will keep the other party informed of the child’s well being at all times”.

The next petition, filed on January 7, 1985, sought modification of the visitation schedule because such visitation was "unworkable”. In this petition, mother also sought an order directing the father to pay the child’s airfare. This matter was also resolved by stipulation. The parties shared joint custody and father’s visitation was set forth.

Approximately one year later on January 8, 1986, father filed a petition requesting that "Sharon be held in contempt of this Court and that the custody and principal residence of the child, Stacy, be awarded to your petitioner.” Investigations were ordered by the undersigned on February 19, 1986. Prior to resolution of this petition mother also filed a petition on April 4, 1986 seeking a direction that father pay the full costs of air transportation. Attorney Thomas Gent represented mother in these proceedings. An order disposing of both petitions was entered June 20, 1986.

On June 5, 1986, father again petitioned the court requesting a direction that mother surrender the child to him. This matter was resolved by a simple stipulation of the parties: custody was granted to mother, father would have visitation as agreed and mother was not to "remove the child from Broome County without written consent of the defendant or prior authorization of the Court.”

On May 13, 1987, father filed his fourth petition with this court alleging, inter alia, that the parties entered into a written agreement allowing mother to remove the child from Broome County and that "she failed to inform petitioner that this move was to be without her present husband and she did not provide that information to petitioner until on or about April 1, 1987”. The petition further asserts that he was denied [388]*388visitation and that the child has been in Binghamton every other weekend, pursuant to New Jersey court order.2 He alleges that he was not advised, nor did he receive notice of any New Jersey proceeding.

On June 16, 1987, father filed another petition. This petition asserts that prior to father’s consent to the child moving from this area, mother advised father that the move was necessitated by her husband’s need for employment. This petition also alleged that mother has threatened leaving the United States and moving to Saudi Arabia.

On June 21, 1987 Attorney Gent called and requested an adjournment because he was not available on the return date.

On June 29, 1987 this court received a letter from a Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey. The Honorable Dominick J. Ferrelli indicated that he had requested mother’s New Jersey attorney to send this court copies of pleadings. These pleadings were subsequently received on June 29, 1987.

A temporary order was entered by this court on July 6, 1987. In this order it was noted that subsequent to father’s filing of the most recent proceedings, mother sought and received from the New Jersey court a temporary restraining order on June 25, 1987. This order was sought four days after Sharon had requested through her New Jersey attorney and local attorney an adjournment of the hearing date on Philip’s application for custody.

By temporary order dated July 6, 1987, Sharon was directed to have a representative present at the hearing. The parties were directed to file briefs. The court noted that the threshold issue of this court’s jurisdiction would be argued and heard on the date set for hearing.

On August 7, 1987 this court received an order from the New Jersey court determining that it is the proper forum to determine custody.

An ex parte application was received by this court on August 21, 1987 which was granted by decision and temporary order of the same date. Hearing on the issue of jurisdiction was held on August 17, 1987. Mother did not appear. This threshold issue is now ready for determination.

III. DISCUSSION

This is a child custody proceeding in which the petitioner [389]*389seeks to modify a previous custody decision of this court. The issue of jurisdiction has been raised by the court.

A two-step analysis in determining whether a court should entertain a custody dispute was set forth in the case of Boutros v Boutros (106 AD2d 536 [1984]). Initially the court is to decide whether a "jurisdictional predicate” exists in the forum State. The second step requires the court, if such jurisdictional predicate exists, to determine whether to exercise this jurisdiction.

The Appellate Division of our Department has recently discussed subject matter jurisdiction under the Parental Kidnaping Prevention Act in the case of Noguera v Noguera (129 AD2d 906, 908 [1987]) as follows: "The applicable Federal statutory provision, the Parental Kidnaping Prevention Act (28 USC § 1738A), preempts State law regarding jurisdiction in child custody proceedings between residents of different States (Matter of Mebert v Mebert, 111 Misc 2d 500, 508) and provides for jurisdiction where (1) State law grants jurisdiction to the State courts (28 USC § 1738A [c] [1]) and (2) a State court has previously made a custody determination and that State remains the residence of the child or of either party (28 USC § 1738A [c] [2] [E]; [d]).”

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Bluebook (online)
137 Misc. 2d 385, 520 N.Y.S.2d 695, 1987 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2598, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/philip-v-sharon-s-nyfamct-1987.