Matter of Isaiah H., CAF 07-02445.

CourtNew York Supreme Court Appellate Division
Citation2009 NY Slip Op 03251,877 N.Y.S.2d 786,61 A.D.3d 1372
Docket NumberCAF 07-02445.
PartiesIn the Matter of ISAIAH H., an Infant. ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, Respondent; ISHTAR G., Appellant.
Decision Date24 April 2009
61 A.D.3d 1372
877 N.Y.S.2d 786
2009 NY Slip Op 03251
In the Matter of ISAIAH H., an Infant.
ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, Respondent;
ISHTAR G., Appellant.
CAF 07-02445.
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department.
Decided April 24, 2009.

Appeal from an order of the Family Court, Erie County (Margaret O. Szczur, J.), entered November 15, 2007 in a proceeding pursuant to Social Services Law § 384b. The order found that respondent permanently neglected her child and terminated respondent's parental rights.


It is hereby ordered that the order so appealed from is unanimously reversed on the law without costs, petitioner's motion is denied, and the matter is remitted to Family Court, Erie County, for a hearing on the petition.

Memorandum: Family Court erred in granting petitioner's motion for a default order finding that respondent mother permanently neglected her son and thereafter, following a dispositional hearing, terminating her parental rights with respect

to him pursuant to Social Services Law § 384-b. The mother's failure to appear at the fact-finding hearing on the issue of permanent neglect "does not automatically constitute a default," in view of the fact that the attorney for the mother appeared on her behalf and requested an adjournment (Matter of David A.A. v Maryann A., 41 AD3d 1300, 1300 [2007]; Matter of Shemeco D., 265 AD2d 860 [1999]). "A party who is represented at a scheduled court appearance by an attorney has not failed to appear" (Matter of Sales v Gisendaner, 272 AD2d 997, 997 [2000]).

We therefore reverse the order, deny petitioner's motion, and remit the matter to Family Court for a hearing on the petition.

Present—HURLBUTT, J.P., MARTOCHE, CARNI, GREEN and PINE, JJ.

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5 cases
  • Majuk v. Carbone, 618 CAF 13-02017
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court Appellate Division
    • June 12, 2015
    ...1534, 1536, 4 N.Y.S.3d 792 ; Matter of Bradley M.M. [Michael M.-Cindy M.], 98 A.D.3d 1257, 1258, 951 N.Y.S.2d 604 ; Matter of Isaiah H., 61 A.D.3d 1372, 1373, 877 N.Y.S.2d 786 ). Next, we note the well-settled proposition that “ ‘[n]o appeal lies as of right from an order [that] does not de......
  • Clausell v. Salame, 1322
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court Appellate Division
    • December 22, 2017
    ...default. " ‘A party who is represented at a scheduled court appearance by an attorney has not failed to appear’ " ( Matter of Isaiah H., 61 A.D.3d 1372, 1373, 877 N.Y.S.2d 786 [4th Dept. 2009] ). Here, while respondent was not present at the hearing, her counsel participated in the hearing ......
  • Savanna G. Erie Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. v.
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court Appellate Division
    • June 20, 2014
    ...873,lv. denied7 N.Y.3d 703, 819 N.Y.S.2d 869, 853 N.E.2d 240;see Thompson, 91 A.D.3d at 1328, 937 N.Y.S.2d 658;Matter of Isaiah H., 61 A.D.3d 1372, 1373, 877 N.Y.S.2d 786). We conclude in appeal No. 1 that Family Court properly determined that the daughter is a permanently neglected child a......
  • Erie Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs. ex rel. Wiser v. Thompson
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court Appellate Division
    • January 31, 2012
    ...in view of the fact that the attorney for the [father] appeared on [his] behalf and requested an adjournment” ( Matter of Isaiah H., 61 A.D.3d 1372, 1373, 877 N.Y.S.2d 786; see Matter of David A.A. v. Maryann A., 41 A.D.3d 1300, 837 N.Y.S.2d 479; Matter of Shemeco D., 265 A.D.2d 860, 695 N.......
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