Labita v. Labita

Citation537 N.Y.S.2d 835,147 A.D.2d 535
PartiesJoseph LABITA, Appellant, v. Carolann LABITA, Respondent.
Decision Date14 February 1989
CourtNew York Supreme Court Appellate Division

William J. Frew, Jr., Staten Island, for appellant.

Before BRACKEN, J.P., and LAWRENCE, KUNZEMAN and KOOPER, JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY THE COURT.

In an action for divorce and ancillary relief in which the parties were divorced by a judgment dated August 28, 1978, the plaintiff husband appeals, as limited by his brief, from so much of an order of the Supreme Court, Richmond County (Composto, J.), dated August 19, 1987, as granted those branches of the defendant's motion which were, for leave to enter a judgment for arrears in alimony in the amount of $5,150.00, and an upward modification of child support, and denied his cross motion for physical custody of the parties' child.

ORDERED that the order is modified by deleting the fifth decretal paragraph thereof granting that branch of the defendant's motion which was for upward modification of child support, and substituting therefor a provision denying that branch of the defendant's motion; as so modified, the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from, without costs or disbursements.

The plaintiff contends, inter alia, that the defendant was not entitled to receive child support on the grounds that she had failed to submit to a psychiatric evaluation before she took physical custody of the parties' minor child. The plaintiff's contention is without merit. As provided in the judgment of divorce, the only condition precedent to the granting of child support was the transfer of physical custody of the child to the defendant. It is undisputed that the transfer of custody did occur. Furthermore, the fact that the transfer resulted from the plaintiff's consent does not, in any way, relieve him of his support obligation. We find no merit to the plaintiff's further contention that physical custody of the parties' child should revert to him.

In addition, the plaintiff's assertion of the defense of laches against the defendant's claim for alimony arrears is unavailing since he has failed to establish that he was in any way prejudiced by the defendant's delay in seeking such relief.

However, the Supreme Court did err in granting that branch of the defendant's motion which was for an upward modification of child support payments. A generalized claim that a child's needs have increased as the child has matured or as a result of inflation does not...

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11 cases
  • Berg v. O'Leary
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • May 17, 1993
    ...Bernstein v. Goldman, 180 A.D.2d 735, 580 N.Y.S.2d 371; May May Cheng v. McManus, 178 A.D.2d 906, 577 N.Y.S.2d 944; Labita v. Labita, 147 A.D.2d 535, 536, 537 N.Y.S.2d 835; Samuels v. Venegas, 126 A.D.2d 145, 513 N.Y.S.2d 136; Deacutis v. Cuomo, 79 A.D.2d 595, 433 N.Y.S.2d 566). On the cont......
  • Zucker v. Zucker
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • November 9, 1992
    ...as the child has matured or as a result of inflation does not warrant an upward modification of child support (see, Labita v. Labita, 147 A.D.2d 535, 536, 537 N.Y.S.2d 835; Deacutis v. Cuomo, 79 A.D.2d 595, 433 N.Y.S.2d 566), the record contains sufficient evidence of specific increased exp......
  • Kinsella v. Kinsella
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • July 15, 1994
    ...v. Faiello, 195 A.D.2d 958, 600 N.Y.S.2d 876, appeal dismissed 82 N.Y.2d 803, 604 N.Y.S.2d 560, 624 N.E.2d 698; Labita v. Labita, 147 A.D.2d 535, 536, 537 N.Y.S.2d 835). It was also error for the court to impute the income of defendant's wife to defendant in determining the amount of his ba......
  • Tuchrello v. Tuchrello
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • May 27, 1994
    ...803, 604 N.Y.S.2d 560, 624 N.E.2d 698, Matter of LeMoyne v. Story [appeal No. 1], 193 A.D.2d 1067, 600 N.Y.S.2d 649; Labita v. Labita, 147 A.D.2d 535, 537 N.Y.S.2d 835). Contrary to Supreme Court's determination, the change in residence of one child from plaintiff's residence to defendant's......
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