Opinion
662 CAF 20-00896
07-16-2021
In the Matter of Lahni E. THOMAS, Petitioner-Appellant, v. Geoffrey D. THOMAS, Respondent-Respondent.
THOMAS L. PELYCH, HORNELL, FOR PETITIONER-APPELLANT. ROSEMARIE RICHARDS, GILBERTSVILLE, FOR RESPONDENT-RESPONDENT. JOAN D. MERRY, HORNELL, ATTORNEY FOR THE CHILDREN.
THOMAS L. PELYCH, HORNELL, FOR PETITIONER-APPELLANT.
ROSEMARIE RICHARDS, GILBERTSVILLE, FOR RESPONDENT-RESPONDENT.
JOAN D. MERRY, HORNELL, ATTORNEY FOR THE CHILDREN.
PRESENT: PERADOTTO, J.P., LINDLEY, NEMOYER, CURRAN, AND TROUTMAN, JJ.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
It is hereby ORDERED that the order so appealed from is unanimously affirmed without costs.
Memorandum: In this Family Court Act article 6 proceeding, petitioner mother appeals from an order that dismissed her petition seeking to modify a prior order of custody and visitation. We reject the mother's contention that Family Court abused its discretion in dismissing the petition without conducting a hearing. "A hearing is not automatically required whenever a parent seeks modification of a custody [or visitation] order" ( Matter of Di Fiore v. Scott , 2 A.D.3d 1417, 1417, 770 N.Y.S.2d 248 [4th Dept. 2003] [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Matter of Gworek v. Gworek [appeal No. 1], 158 A.D.3d 1304, 1304, 68 N.Y.S.3d 365 [4th Dept. 2018] ). Here, we conclude that the mother failed to "make a sufficient evidentiary showing of a change in circumstances to require a hearing" ( Di Fiore , 2 A.D.3d at 1417-1418, 770 N.Y.S.2d 248 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Matter of Williams v. Reid , 187 A.D.3d 1593, 1594, 133 N.Y.S.3d 152 [4th Dept. 2020] ).