Reid v. White

112 Misc. 2d 294, 446 N.Y.S.2d 991, 1982 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3126
CourtNew York City Family Court
DecidedJanuary 20, 1982
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 112 Misc. 2d 294 (Reid v. White) 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
Reid v. White, 112 Misc. 2d 294, 446 N.Y.S.2d 991, 1982 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3126 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1982).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Edward J. McLaughlin, J.

The court is confronted with a case of first impression. Respondent herein moved for a human leucocyte antigen blood tissue test (HLA test) pursuant to article 5 of the Family Court Act in September of 1981. He failed to appear for the test, which was scheduled on December 3, 1981. On the trial date, January 5, 1982, respondent sought an adjournment. Mindful of the 90-day time standard and two adjournment rule set by the Office of Court Administration, the court refused to grant an adjournment. (Matter of Richard P., 110 Misc 2d 833; Matter of Andre J., 75 AD2d 600.) Petitioner then refused to proceed and demanded a blood test as of right. The court reserved decision.

While the petition was filed by the mother of a child born out of wedlock, petitioner is represented by counsel for the Commissioner of Social Services, since the child for whom a declaration of paternity is sought is on public assistance. Thus, not only the mother and child but the public will be deprived of the costs for supporting the child if the case is dismissed at this time. Accordingly, the court directs that a default judgment be entered against respondent, the disobedient party, pursuant to CPLR 3126 (subd 3).

[295]*295LAW

I. PATERNITY PROCEEDINGS ESTABLISH LIABILITY FOR THE SUPPORT OF A CHILD BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK

Prior to 1962, when the Family Court Act was adopted, jurisdiction over actions concerning children born out of wedlock was vested in the Children’s Court outside of the City of New York and Special Sessions, a criminal court, within the City of New York. (Report of Joint Legislative Committee on Court Reorganization, No. 2, Family Court Act, § 511, comment 1, p 89.) According to the committee notes of the Joint Legislative Committee which prepared the Family Court Act, the purpose of giving the Family Court Act exclusive jurisdiction over paternity proceedings was “to permit the Family Court to draw upon all its resources in protecting and caring for the innocent child of an illicit relation.” (Id., § 511, comment 2, p 90.) Article 5 of the Family Court Act incorporated the provisions of prior law, both criminal and civil. (See Family Ct Act, §§ 524 [issuance of summons], 526 [issuance of warrant], 531 [respondent shall not be compelled to testify].) The fact that the drafters of the legislation considered it a mechanism for providing support for the child born out of wedlock is reiterated throughout the statute. (Family Ct Act, §§ 513 [obligations of parents], 515 [government obligation to the child], 516 [agreement or compromise], 522 [persons who may originate proceedings], 561 [proceedings to compel support by mother], 562 [proceedings to compel support by mother and father], 563 [paternity and support proceedings combined].)

Prior to the enactment of the Family Court Act it was clear in the case law that a paternity proceeding established the liability of particular persons to provide support for a child born out of wedlock. (Commissioner of Public Welfare of City of N. Y. v Koehler, 284 NY 260, 267.) The Court of Appeals has reiterated this principle many times. (See Matter of Dorn “HH” v Lawrence “II”, 31 NY2d 154; Schaschlo v Taishoff, 2 NY2d 408; Commissioner of Public Welfare of City of N. Y. v Simon, 270 NY 188, mot for rearg den 271 NY 527; People ex rel. Lawton v Snell, 216 NY 527; cf. Matter of Malpica-Orsini, 36 NY2d 568, 573, app dsmd sub nom. Orsini v Blasi, 423 US 1042.) As recently as 1977 [296]*296an appellate court noted that paternity proceedings are “primarily intended to insure that the child be financially provided for by the putative father and not the State”. (Matter of Salvatore S. v Anthony S., 58 AD2d 867; accord Matter of Kordek v Wood, 108 Misc 2d 434; Matter of Nellenback, 107 Misc 2d 1061; Matter of Czajak v Vavonese, 104 Misc 2d 601; Matter of Bertrand, 100 Misc 2d 439; cf. Matter of Goodrich v Norman, 100 Misc 2d 33.)

II. BLOOD TESTS

It has long been believed that a charge of paternity is easy to make and difficult to defend against. (Burke v Burpo, 75 Hun 568, 570.) In 1981 when the Legislature amended section 532 of the Family Court Act (L 1981, ch 9, § 2) so as to allow the results of the HLA test to be received in evidence to aid in the determination of whether the alleged father is or is not the father of a child when he has not been excluded by other blood tests, New York removed much of the uncertainty from paternity proceedings as far as ascertaining the biological father of a child. The importance of the HLA test in contested paternity proceedings has recently been commented upon favorably by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Little v S treater (452 US 1) where the court expressed confidence in both the reliability of the tests and favorably cited Mr. Justice Brennan’s language in a New Jersey case concerning “ ‘[t]he value of blood tests as a wholesome aid in the quest for truth’ ”. (452 US 1, 8.) A joint committee of the AMA and ABA recommended the use of the HLA tests in disputed paternity proceedings in a report issued in 1976. (Joint AM A-ABA Guidelines: Present Status of Serologic Testing in Problems of Disputed Parentage, 10 Fam LQ 247.) Accepted as an aid to the courts in making determinations of paternity, the weight to be given to the results of an HLA test has not been statutorily determined in New York.

In West Germany, where the HLA test has been admissible for some time, the Essen-Moller formula is used to compute the probability of paternity — a 99% plus probability of paternity “bordering on certainty;” a 95-99% being “very probable paternity,” and a 90-95% probability [297]*297being considered a “weak indication of paternity.” (Sass, Defense of Multiple Access [Exceptio Plurium Concubentium] in Paternity Suits: A Comparative Analysis, 51 Tulane L Rev 468, 474, n 27.) Under 90% is considered meaningless. The German “Federal Supreme Court, with regard to the present stage of biological science, has stated as a guideline that a probability less than 95 per cent would create substantial doubt.” (Id., at p 477.)

Where, as here, no weights are assigned to an HLA finding, it is difficult for the court to assess the weight to be given to the absence of blood typing evidence. Ordinarily if no blood test result was put into evidence, the court would consider the evidence set forth and make its decision based upon the clear and convincing evidence. (Matter of Commissioner of Social Servs. of County of Erie v Hayes, 74 AD2d 731.) Where, as here, the respondent failed to appear for the test he had demanded and petitioner now demands the test to strengthen her case, the remedy to apply is not immediately apparent. For instance, prohibiting the disobedient party from introducing evidence of the blood test results (CPLR 3126, subd 2) or staying the proceeding until respondent takes a blood test (CPLR 3126, subd 3) or dismissing the proceeding (CPLR 3126, subd 3) will not justly remedy respondent’s failure to obey the court’s order to appear for a blood test in December.

III. STANDARDS AND GOALS

In 1975 the Administrative Board of the Judicial Conference promulgated rules for the New York courts, referred to as “Standards and Goals” (Twenty-First Ann Report of NY Judicial Conference, 1976, ch 2). These rules were amended effective April 1, 1979.

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Bluebook (online)
112 Misc. 2d 294, 446 N.Y.S.2d 991, 1982 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3126, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reid-v-white-nycfamct-1982.