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Matter of Fleet v. Scarola

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Nov 6, 1995
221 A.D.2d 339 (N.Y. App. Div. 1995)

Opinion

November 6, 1995

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Suffolk County (Leis, J.).


Ordered that the order is affirmed, with costs.

The father, who initiated a custody action in Florida in December 1994, now asks the courts of this State to exercise jurisdiction pursuant to Domestic Relations Law § 75-d, specifically section 75-d (1) (c) — jurisdiction necessitated by an emergency to protect the child. Given the father's pending custody action in Florida, the primary question is whether Florida was "exercising jurisdiction * * * in conformity" with the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (hereinafter the UCCJA) to preclude New York from exercising jurisdiction (Domestic Relations Law § 75-g; see, Vanneck v Vanneck, 49 N.Y.2d 602).

By its Notice of Simultaneous Proceedings, the Florida court informed the Supreme Court, Suffolk County, that Florida's jurisdiction was invoked when the father filed a petition in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial District in Palm Beach County, Florida, on December 27, 1994, for an order of paternity, custody, primary residence, and child support. The father, in his affidavit in support of the Florida petition, attested that the parties were all Florida residents and that the child's home State was Florida. Having assumed jurisdiction, the Florida proceeding progressed to the point where, after interrogatories, mediations, and a hearing, the court granted temporary custody to the mother. Therefore, Florida exercised its jurisdiction in this custody matter according to the mandates of the UCCJA.

The father's allegations in his petition before the Supreme Court to allow New York to assume emergency jurisdiction under Domestic Relations Law § 75-d (1) (c) were unsubstantiated and insufficient for New York to assert jurisdiction (see, Matter of Hernandez v Collura, 113 A.D.2d 750, 752; cf., Matter of Vanessa E., 190 A.D.2d 134, 136; Matter of Maureen S. v Margaret S., 184 A.D.2d 159, 162-163). Accordingly, his application was properly denied.

The father's remaining contentions are without merit. Joy, J.P., Hart, Goldstein and Florio, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Matter of Fleet v. Scarola

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Nov 6, 1995
221 A.D.2d 339 (N.Y. App. Div. 1995)
Case details for

Matter of Fleet v. Scarola

Case Details

Full title:In the Matter of JAMES D. FLEET, Appellant, v. GEANINE SCAROLA, Respondent

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: Nov 6, 1995

Citations

221 A.D.2d 339 (N.Y. App. Div. 1995)
633 N.Y.S.2d 362

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