Schnoor v. Schnoor

Decision Date19 January 1993
Citation189 A.D.2d 809,592 N.Y.S.2d 460
PartiesRudolph SCHNOOR, Respondent, v. Florence SCHNOOR, Appellant.
CourtNew York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

Wachtel & Snowe, Hicksville (Howard Wachtel, on the brief), for appellant.

Lawrence D. Moringiello, Brooklyn, for respondent.

Before BRACKEN, J.P., and LAWRENCE, MILLER, COPERTINO and SANTUCCI, JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY THE COURT.

In a matrimonial action in which the parties were divorced by a judgment dated December 16, 1980, the defendant former wife appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Suffolk County (Doyle, J.), dated October 23, 1990, which, without a hearing, granted the plaintiff former husband's motion for a downward modification of an unallocated $250 weekly support obligation for maintenance and child support to $100 per week.

ORDERED that the order is reversed, on the law, with costs, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Suffolk County, for further proceedings consistent herewith.

The plaintiff and defendant were divorced pursuant to a judgment dated December 16, 1980. Pursuant to the judgment, the plaintiff was required to pay an unallocated amount of $250 for maintenance and child support. The judgment also provided that upon the emancipation of the parties' two minor children, the plaintiff's support obligation would be reduced by $25 per week per child. In June 1990 the plaintiff moved for a downward modification based in large part on his voluntary retirement on June 1, 1990. The plaintiff also claimed that the two minor children had become emancipated. Without conducting a hearing, the Supreme Court granted the motion and reduced the plaintiff's support obligation to $100 per week.

The grant of the downward modification without a hearing was error. It is well settled that on a motion for an upward or downward modification of support payments, a hearing is necessary on the issue of changed circumstances where the parties' affidavits disclose the existence of genuine questions of fact (see, Wyser-Pratte v. Wyser-Pratte, 66 N.Y.2d 715, 496 N.Y.S.2d 991, 487 N.E.2d 901; Grimaldi v. Grimaldi, 167 A.D.2d 443, 562 N.Y.S.2d 126; Hofmeister v. Hofmeister, 120 A.D.2d 802, 501 N.Y.S.2d 544). Here the defendant raised questions as to her ability to support herself, the degree to which the plaintiff was required to support his new wife, and the portion of the unallocated support payments that was attributable to child support. In addition, in determining...

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18 cases
  • Ritchey v. Ritchey
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • 15 Marzo 2011
    ...issue of changed circumstances where the parties' affidavits disclose the existence of genuine questions of fact” ( Schnoor v. Schnoor, 189 A.D.2d 809, 810, 592 N.Y.S.2d 460; see Conway v. Conway, 79 A.D.3d 965, 912 N.Y.S.2d 700; David v. David, 54 A.D.3d 714, 864 N.Y.S.2d 76; see generally......
  • Conway v. Conway
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • 21 Diciembre 2010
    ...issue of changed circumstances where the parties' affidavits disclose the existence of genuine questions of fact" ( Schnoor v. Schnoor, 189 A.D.2d 809, 810, 592 N.Y.S.2d 460; see generally Wyser-Pratte v. Wyser-Pratte, 66 N.Y.2d 715, 716-717, 496 N.Y.S.2d 991, 487 N.E.2d 901). "A parent's l......
  • Sluyk v. Sluyk
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • 17 Octubre 2012
    ...v. Ritchey, 82 A.D.3d 948, 949, 920 N.Y.S.2d 105;Severino v. Severino, 243 A.D.2d 702, 703, 663 N.Y.S.2d 285;Schnoor v. Schnoor, 189 A.D.2d 809, 810, 592 N.Y.S.2d 460). The Supreme Court properly denied the plaintiff's cross motion for an award of an attorney's fee for defending against the......
  • Rosen v. Rosen
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • 10 Mayo 1993
    ...of the divorce with his financial circumstances at the time of the motion for modification of the prior order (see, Schnoor v. Schnoor, 189 A.D.2d 809, 592 N.Y.S.2d 460, citing Alexander v. Alexander, 134 A.D.2d 796, 521 N.Y.S.2d The defendant has not met his burden here, principally becaus......
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