Opinion
2014-00068, Index No. 10127/05.
10-21-2015
Petra KANDUS, formerly known as Petra Forlenza, appellant, v. Riccardo FORLENZA, respondent.
Swidler & Messi, LLP, New York, N.Y. (Steven A. Swidler of counsel), for appellant. Guttridge & Cambareri, P.C., Tarrytown, N.Y. (John C. Guttridge and Scott Stone of counsel), for respondent.
Swidler & Messi, LLP, New York, N.Y. (Steven A. Swidler of counsel), for appellant.
Guttridge & Cambareri, P.C., Tarrytown, N.Y. (John C. Guttridge and Scott Stone of counsel), for respondent.
L. PRISCILLA HALL, J.P., LEONARD B. AUSTIN, SANDRA L. SGROI, and SYLVIA O. HINDS–RADIX, JJ.
Opinion
Appeal by the plaintiff from an order of the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Colleen D. Duffy, J.), entered September 13, 2013. The order, insofar as appealed from, denied the plaintiff's motion for an upward modification of the defendant's child support obligation pursuant to the parties' separation agreement, and for an award of counsel fees.
ORDERED that the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from, with costs.
The parties' separation agreement, which set forth the parties' child support obligations, was executed in 2005, prior to the effective date of the 2010 amendments to the Domestic Relations Law (see L. 2010, ch. 182, § 13). Therefore, in order to establish her entitlement to an upward modification of the defendant's child support obligation, the plaintiff had the burden of establishing a substantial, unanticipated, and unreasonable change in circumstances resulting in a concomitant need, or that the agreement was not fair and equitable when entered into (see Matter of Gravlin v. Ruppert, 98 N.Y.2d 1, 5, 743 N.Y.S.2d 773, 770 N.E.2d 561 ; Zaratzian v. Abadir, 128 A.D.3d 953, 12 N.Y.S.3d 104 ; Matter of Suchan v. Eagar, 121 A.D.3d 910, 993 N.Y.S.2d 519 ; Nelson v. Nelson, 75 A.D.3d 593, 593–594, 904 N.Y.S.2d 663 ), or that the reasonable needs of the child are not being met (see Matter of Brescia v. Fitts, 56 N.Y.2d 132, 140, 451 N.Y.S.2d 68, 436 N.E.2d 518 ; Nelson v. Nelson, 75 A.D.3d 593, 593–594, 904 N.Y.S.2d 663 ; Matter of Alexander v. Strathairn, 69 A.D.3d 930, 931, 892 N.Y.S.2d 861 ).
Here, the plaintiff failed to meet that burden. Although the defendant relocated to the Czech Republic for an extended period of time to fulfill the responsibilities of his employment, the plaintiff failed to offer proof that this affected her expenses, or the children's needs (see Matter of Alexander v. Strathairn, 69 A.D.3d at 931, 892 N.Y.S.2d 861 ).
Under the circumstances here, the denial of counsel fees to the plaintiff was a provident exercise of discretion (see DeCabrera v. Cabrera–Rosete, 70 N.Y.2d 879, 880, 524 N.Y.S.2d 176, 518 N.E.2d 1168 ; Matter of Alexander v. Strathairn, 69 A.D.3d at 931, 892 N.Y.S.2d 861 ).
The plaintiff's remaining contentions are without merit.