Opinion
October 21, 1999
Thomas Hoffman for Petitioner-Appellant.
Jonathan M. Kratter for Toni Sp.
George Gutwirth for Petitioner-Respondent.
SULLIVAN, J.P., NARDELLI, WILLIAMS, MAZZARELLI, ANDRIAS, JJ.
Appeal from order, Family Court, Bronx County (Harold Lynch, J.), entered on or about May 12, 1998, which denied petitioner's motion to reargue the dismissal of his paternity and custody applications, unanimously dismissed, without costs.
The court properly characterized petitioner's motion as one to reargue the dismissal of his applications for paternity and custody, and thereafter denied it as such. Although petitioner would have us review that denial, no appeal lies from the denial of reargument and petitioner's appeal must, accordingly, be dismissed (see, Matter of Medina v. Brown, 213 A.D.2d 195). Were we to review the merits, we would find that in light of blood tests conclusively excluding the possibility of petitioner's paternity, petitioner was not entitled to a hearing on his paternity application (see, Matter of Pavel C. v. Alinda A., 210 A.D.2d 477), or on his custody application, since he is without standing to initiate such a proceeding (see,Thomas F. v. Victoria G., 194 A.D.2d 670). Petitioner's reliance on the doctrine of equitable estoppel is misplaced because the child's best interests were met when she was placed in her pre-adoptive home, where she is currently thriving. Finally, his argument "regarding the Family Court Act § 1028 Fam. Ct. Act hearing is moot in light of the neglect finding" (Matter of Terrell H., 197 A.D.2d 372, 373).
THIS CONSTITUTES THE DECISION AND ORDER OF SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE DIVISION, FIRST DEPARTMENT.