Sullivan v. Sullivan, 24 A.D.3d 455 (N.Y. App. Div. 2005). · Go Syfert
Sullivan v. Sullivan, 24 A.D.3d 455 (N.Y. App. Div. 2005). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
9 citation events (9 in the last 25 years) across 1 distinct court.
Strongest positive: Matter of Fusco v. Fusco (nyappdiv, 2015-12-30)
Top citers, strongest first. 7 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Matter of Fusco v. Fusco
N.Y. App. Div. · 2015 · confidence medium
Thus, the father did not satisfy his burden of going forward on the issue of financial inability (see Matter of Powers v Powers, 86 NY2d at 70 ; Matter of Huard v Lugo, 81 AD3d 1265, 1267 [2011]; Matter of Department of Social Servs. of Fulton County v Hillock, 96 AD2d 625 [1983]). *1114 Contrary to the father’s contention, the Family Court’s determination not to adjourn the hearing was a provident exercise of its discretion and did not deprive him of his right to counsel (see Matter of McMinn v Taylor, 118 AD3d 887 [2014]; Matter of Larrier v Williams, 84 AD3d 805 [2011]; cf. Matter of Sc…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Feliciano v. King
N.Y. App. Div. · 2013 · confidence medium
The range of the court’s discretion is narrowed where a fundamental right such as the right to counsel in a matter involving custody of a child is involved (see Matter of Savoca v Bellofatto, 104 AD3d 695, 697 [2013]; Matter of Evan F., 29 AD3d 905, 907 [2006]; Matter of Sullivan v Sullivan, 24 AD3d 455, 456 [2005]; Matter of Vidal v Mintzer, 309 AD2d 756, 758 [2003]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Feliciano v. King
N.Y. App. Div. · 2013 · confidence medium
The range of the court’s discretion is narrowed where a fundamental right such as the right to counsel in a matter involving custody of a child is involved (see Matter of Savoca v Bellofatto, 104 AD3d 695, 697 [2013]; Matter of Evan F., 29 AD3d 905, 907 [2006]; Matter of Sullivan v Sullivan, 24 AD3d 455, 456 [2005]; Matter of Vidal v Mintzer, 309 AD2d 756, 758 [2003]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Scott v. Scott
N.Y. App. Div. · 2009 · confidence medium
While the decision whether to grant an adjournment is ordinarily committed to the sound discretion of the trial court, that discretion is more circumscribed when fundamental rights such as the right to counsel are implicated (see Family Ct Act § 435 [a]; People v Spears, 64 NY2d 698, 700 [1984]; Matter of Keenan v Keenan, 51 AD3d at 1077 ; Matter of Sullivan v Sullivan, 24 AD3d 455, 456 [2005]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Matthew K. v. Susan O.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2007 · confidence medium
After balancing the relevant factors, including counsel’s unexcused failure to comply with the court’s prior directive to arrange for another attorney to appear on respondent’s behalf and respondent’s own unexplained failure to appear at the hearing, we conclude that the court properly exercised its discretion in denying the request for an adjournment and proceeding with a portion of the hearing in the absence of respondent’s counsel (cf. Matter of Sullivan v Sullivan, 24 AD3d 455, 456 [2005]; Matter of Vidal v Mintzer, 309 AD2d 756, 758 [2003]).
discussed Cited "see" Matter of Panizo v. Douglas
N.Y. App. Div. · 2025 · signal: see · confidence high
After balancing the relevant factors, we find that under the circumstances of this case, the Family Court improvidently exercised its discretion in denying the father's request for an adjournment, as the court's denial of the requests for adjournment deprived the father entirely of his right to testify on his own behalf in the custody modification hearing, thereby depriving him of a full and fair evidentiary hearing ( see Matter of Thomson v Battle , 99 AD3d at 806 ; Matter of Middlemiss v Pratt , 86 AD3d 658, 659 ; see generally Matter of Sullivan v Sullivan , 24 AD3d 455, 456 ; cf. Matter of…
discussed Cited "see" Keenan v. Keenan
N.Y. App. Div. · 2008 · signal: see · confidence high
That discretion is not, however, without limits, particularly when the right to counsel is implicated” (Matter of Stephen L., 2 AD3d 1229, 1231 [2003] [citations omitted]; see Matter of Sullivan v Sullivan, 24 AD3d 455, 456 [2005]).
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
In the Matter of Cornelius Sullivan
v.
Marilyn Sullivan
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Dec 5, 2005.
24 A.D.3d 455
Cited by 8 opinions  |  Published

In a custody proceeding pursuant to Family Court Act article 6, the father appeals from (1) an order of the Family Court, Suffolk County (Lynaugh, J.), entered September 28, 2004, which denied his motion for leave to reargue and, in effect, to renew his petition, which, after a hearing, had been dismissed in a prior order dated July 6, 2004, and granted the mother’s cross motion for an attorney’s fee in the sum of $1,645, and (2) an order of the same court, also entered September 28, 2004, which, after a hearing, granted the mother’s motion for an award of an attorney’s fee in the sum of $10,500.

Ordered that the appeal from so much of the first order entered September 28, 2004, as denied the branch of the motion which was for leave to reargue is dismissed, without costs or disbursements, as no appeal lies from an order denying reargument; and it is further,

Ordered that the first order entered September 28, 2004, is modified, on the law and as an exercise of discretion, without costs or disbursements, by deleting the provision thereof granting the cross motion for an award of an attorney’s fee in the sum of $1,645, and substituting therefor a provision denying the cross motion; as so modified, the order is affirmed insofar as reviewed; and it is further,

Ordered that the second order entered September 28, 2004, is reversed, on the law and as an exercise of discretion, without costs or disbursements, and the matter is remitted to the Family Court, Suffolk County, for a new hearing before a different judge on the mother’s motion for an attorney’s fee for defending the proceeding.

The mother and father were divorced on May 11, 2000, and primary physical custody of their two children was awarded to the mother. The father subsequently moved to modify the custody arrangement and, after a hearing, the Family Court[*456] dismissed his petition. The father then moved, in effect, for leave to reargue and renew.

The Family Court providently exercised its discretion in denying that branch of the father’s motion which was, in effect, for leave to renew because the father failed to serve the motion upon the Law Guardian, whose participation was critical as the application involved modification of custody.

However, the Family Court improvidently exercised its discretion in denying the father’s request for an adjournment of the mother’s motion and cross motion for counsel fees. While adjournments are within the discretion of the court, “[t]he range of that discretion is narrowed . . . where a fundamental right such as the right to counsel is involved” (Matter of Patricia L. v Steven L., 119 AD2d 221, 226 [1986]). In deciding applications for adjournments, the court must undertake a balanced consideration of all relevant factors (see Matter of Vidal v Mintzer, 309 AD2d 756, 758 [2003]; Saborio v Saborio, 147 AD2d 468, 469 [1989]). Here, the father’s attorney was faced with a “bona fide medical emergency” (Matter of Vidal v Mintzer, supra at 758, citing Saborio v Saborio, supra) which undoubtedly precluded her appearance in court. That another attorney from the same office subsequently appeared on the father’s behalf does not undermine the father’s assertion that he was entitled to the adjournment when it was originally requested so as to permit the attorney familiar with the matter to represent him at the hearing (see Saborio v Saborio, supra, citing Matter of Patricia L. v Steven L., supra). After balancing the relevant factors, we find that the Family Court improvidently exercised its discretion in denying the father’s request for an adjournment, thereby depriving him of a full and fair evidentiary hearing with the assistance of counsel of his choice (see Matter of Vidal v Mintzer, supra; Matter of Patricia L. v Steven L., supra; Saborio v Saborio, supra; cf. Matter of McNeill v Ressel, 258 AD2d 64, 67 [1999]). Schmidt, J.P., Adams, Luciano and Covello, JJ., concur.