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Krystle L.B. v. Crystal L.W.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department
Nov 21, 2018
166 A.D.3d 876 (N.Y. App. Div. 2018)

Opinion

2018–02310 Docket No. G–5123–17

11-21-2018

In the MATTER OF KRYSTLE L.B. (Anonymous), Petitioner-Respondent, v. CRYSTAL L.W. (Anonymous), Respondent-Respondent, James E.S. (Anonymous) III, Appellant.

Del Atwell, East Hampton, NY, for respondent-appellant.


Del Atwell, East Hampton, NY, for respondent-appellant.

RUTH C. BALKIN, J.P., CHERYL E. CHAMBERS, JEFFREY A. COHEN, ROBERT J. MILLER, JJ.

DECISION & ORDER

ORDERED that the order is reversed, on the law, without costs or disbursements, and the matter is remitted to the Family Court, Dutchess County, for a new hearing in accordance herewith and a new determination thereafter on the guardianship petition.

An incarcerated parent has a fundamental right to be heard in a proceeding impacting the care and control of his or her child (see Matter of Jung [State Commn. on Jud. Conduct] , 11 N.Y.3d 365, 373, 870 N.Y.S.2d 819, 899 N.E.2d 925 ; Matter of Tristram K. , 25 A.D.3d 222, 226, 804 N.Y.S.2d 83 ). Here, the incarcerated father's rights were violated when the Family Court elected to hear and determine the guardianship petition without producing the father in court or affording him an opportunity to be heard.

Accordingly, we reverse the order appealed from, and remit the matter to the Family Court, Dutchess County, for a hearing at which the father's constitutional right to be heard will not be abridged and a new determination thereafter on the guardianship petition.

In light of our determination, we need not reach the father's remaining contentions.

BALKIN, J.P., CHAMBERS, COHEN and MILLER, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Krystle L.B. v. Crystal L.W.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department
Nov 21, 2018
166 A.D.3d 876 (N.Y. App. Div. 2018)
Case details for

Krystle L.B. v. Crystal L.W.

Case Details

Full title:In the Matter of Krystle L.B. (Anonymous), petitioner-respondent, v…

Court:SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department

Date published: Nov 21, 2018

Citations

166 A.D.3d 876 (N.Y. App. Div. 2018)
2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 8019
85 N.Y.S.3d 891