In the case of In re Danna T., the Suffolk County Family Court deliberated over a petition filed by E.O., the maternal grandmother of G.D., seeking visitation rights. The petition stemmed from E.O.’s desire to reconnect with her granddaughter, G.D., who she had not seen in several years. The court…
In New York child custody cases, including those involving an incarcerated parent, the paramount consideration is the best interests of the child. The court considers factors such as the child’s safety, well-being, and overall welfare in determining custody arrangements, aiming to make decisions in the child’s best interests. Background Facts…
In Seeback v. Seeback, 14 N.Y.S.3d 494 (N.Y. App. Div. 2015), the Appellate Division considered whether supervised visitation was appropriate. Supervised visitation in New York is a structured arrangement facilitating parent-child interaction under the watchful eye of a designated supervisor. This setting ensures the safety and well-being of the child during…
What happens to parental rights when a parent is incarcerated in New York state. Generally, parents retain their parental rights, including the right to visitation. However, the caveat, is that every decision that a New York court makes with respects to children is guided by what is deemed to be…
In the case of YYW v. Z.G. 74 Misc. 3d 1206 (2022), the Family Court considered a case where the petitioner sought visitation of one of her children. However, the petitioner was incarcerated. She had been convicted for severely abusing her child while she was pregnant with another child. When…
Visitation disputes arising from divorce cases often cast a shadow on the lives of children caught in the crossfire. The case of Koppenhoefer v. Koppenhoefer, 159 A.D.2d 113 (N.Y. App. Div. 1990), provides a poignant example of the complexities and challenges inherent in such legal battles. Background The Koppenhoefer case…
In the Matter of Marcial v. Sullivan the Family Court, Kings County, was tasked with weighing the delicate balance between a father’s desire for visitation and the welfare of his two children. The case, decided in 2002, sheds light on the nuanced considerations that come into play when a parent…
In the case of In re Davis (1996) the Appellate Division was asked to review a case involving parental visitation rights when where one parent is incarcerated. In New York, parental incarceration alone does not automatically preclude visitation rights, emphasizing the overarching principle that the best interests of the child remain…
Khan v. Schwartz, 201 A.D.3d 718 (N.Y. App. Div. 2022), involves a child custody dispute where the mother seeks to modify the in-person parental access provisions of a prior order that granted sole legal and physical custody of the children to the father. In New York, the legal standard for…
In New York, the standard for supervised visitation involves assessing whether unsupervised visitation would be detrimental to the child. Generally, a noncustodial parent is presumed to have reasonable rights of visitation, and the denial of those rights is considered a drastic remedy. The court may order supervised visitation if there…