Opinion
14510
03-12-2015
In re CALVIN J., A Child Under the Age of Eighteen Years, etc. Flor F., etc., Respondent–Appellant, The Administration for Children's Services, Petitioner–Respondent.
Tennille M. Tatum–Evans, New York, for appellant. Zachary W. Carter, Corporation Counsel, New York (Diana Lawless of counsel), for respondent. Karen Freedman, Lawyers for Children, Inc., New York (Shirim Nothenberg of counsel), attorney for the child.
Tennille M. Tatum–Evans, New York, for appellant.
Zachary W. Carter, Corporation Counsel, New York (Diana Lawless of counsel), for respondent.
Karen Freedman, Lawyers for Children, Inc., New York (Shirim Nothenberg of counsel), attorney for the child.
MAZZARELLI, J.P., ANDRIAS, SAXE, FEINMAN, CLARK, JJ.
Opinion
Order, Family Court, New York County (Clark V. Richardson, J.), entered on or about February 18, 2014, which, after a dispositional hearing, and upon a finding of neglect on consent, awarded custody of the subject child to the nonparty father, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
A sound and substantial basis in the record exists for the court's determination that it is in the child's best interests to award custody to the father (see Matter of James Joseph M. v. Rosana R., 32 A.D.3d 725, 726, 821 N.Y.S.2d 168 [1st Dept.2006], lv. denied 7 N.Y.3d 717, 827 N.Y.S.2d 688, 860 N.E.2d 990 [2006] ). The court-appointed expert psychologist found that respondent mother, who suffers from recurrent major depression and intermittent explosive behavior, has poor judgment and limited insight into her mental health issues (see e.g. Matter of Devin M. [Margaret W.], 119 A.D.3d 435, 436, 989 N.Y.S.2d 35 [1st Dept.2014] ). In addition, the mother just recently obtained suitable housing after living in multiple shelters across New York State, while the father is employed and has maintained a home upstate with an extended family (see Matter of Raymond A. v. Lisa M.H., 115 A.D.3d 553, 554, 982 N.Y.S.2d 115 [1st Dept.2014] ). Although, at one time, the mother had an order of protection against the father due to domestic violence, there was evidence that the mother also physically assaulted the father, and there is no indication that the father has continued this violent behavior (see Matter of David H. v. Khalima H., 111 A.D.3d 544, 545, 976 N.Y.S.2d 32 [1st Dept.2013], lv. dismissed 22 N.Y.3d 1149, 984 N.Y.S.2d 289, 7 N.E.3d 502 [2014] ).