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Access over workers' compensation decisions, including En Banc, Significant Panel Decisions, and writ-denied cases.

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Daniels v. Monroe County Child Support Collection Unit

This case concerns the priority of four liens against a $7,500 settlement received by Mr. Daniels. The liens include his attorney's charging lien, a workers' compensation lien by Legion Insurance, a child support lien by the Child Support Collection Unit for over $20,000, and a judgment lien by former landlord Robert Dykes. The court, presided over by Justice Andrew V. Siracuse, determined that the attorney's charging lien takes first priority based on logic and public policy, as the attorney created the fund benefiting all lienors. Legion Insurance's workers' compensation lien received second priority, as the Child Support Collection Unit had already had an opportunity to levy on the initial workers' compensation payments. The Child Support Collection Unit was placed third, and Robert Dykes's judgment lien was last. The court rejected arguments that CPLR 5242 (d) gave child support priority over statutory and charging liens in this specific context.

Lien PriorityAttorney's Charging LienWorkers' Compensation LienChild Support LienJudgment LienCPLR 5242 (d)Workers’ Compensation Law § 29Domestic Relations Law § 240Public PolicyEquitable Principles
References
2
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Foster v. Daigle

This case involves an appeal from an order that granted the plaintiff's motion to suspend his child support obligation and denied the defendant's motion for counsel fees. The parties were divorced in 2001 and have two sons. The plaintiff sought to terminate child support, including private school tuition, based on the sons' abandonment, which he attributed largely to the defendant. The Supreme Court suspended child support, concluding that while the defendant had not willfully manipulated the sons, the sons had abandoned the plaintiff and were constructively emancipated. On appeal, the court reversed the suspension of child support, holding that the sons, aged 16 and 14, were not of employable age, a necessary prerequisite for constructive emancipation, and thus could not forfeit their right to support. The appellate court affirmed the denial of the defendant's request for counsel fees, finding no abuse of discretion.

Child SupportConstructive EmancipationParental AbandonmentVisitation RightsFamily LawAppellate ReviewEmployable AgeSaratoga CountyCounsel FeesJudicial Discretion
References
12
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
May 15, 1990

Steel v. Steel

In this divorce action, the defendant mother sought pendente lite child support for their four children. Justice Phyllis Gangel-Jacob presided over the case, applying the newly effective Child Support Standards Act (CSSA) to determine the support amount. The court meticulously calculated the combined parental income, applied statutory deductions and percentages for income above and below $80,000, and apportioned child care and medical expenses. Recognizing the significant income disparity, the father was ordered to pay an annual sum of $53,212 for child support, along with 100% of the children's reasonable medical and dental expenses.

Child SupportPendente LiteDivorceCSSAIncome CalculationChild Care ExpensesMedical ExpensesStandard of LivingParental Income DisparityDomestic Relations Law
References
2
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Huddleston v. Rufrano

The mother appealed a Family Court order denying her objections to a child support magistrate's decision, which directed the father to pay $155 per week. The appellate court modified the order, increasing the father's child support obligation to $259 per week. The court found that the Support Magistrate failed to properly impute additional income to the father, including payments from his business, A & J Drain, Inc., and earnings generated by his father-in-law. The father's testimony regarding his finances was deemed incredible. The appellate court determined the father's annual income to be $78,830.82, justifying the increased child support payment.

Child SupportIncome ImputationSelf-EmploymentWorkers' CompensationCredibilityAppellate ReviewFamily LawModification of SupportFinancial DisclosureSupport Magistrate
References
5
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
May 03, 1985

Wolf v. Wolf

In two support proceedings, the petitioner mother appealed two orders. The first order, entered September 7, 1984, denied her petition for an upward modification of child support. The second order, entered May 3, 1985, denied her full reimbursement for certain child counseling expenses. The Family Court's decisions were affirmed on appeal. The court properly denied a general increase in the father's child support obligation and directed the mother to seek payment for counseling expenses through the father's medical insurance coverage.

child supportupward modificationcounseling expensesparental obligationsFamily Lawappellate reviewOrange County
References
0
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 14, 1982

Meirowitz v. Meirowitz

In a matrimonial action, the plaintiff wife appealed a Supreme Court judgment that awarded custody to the defendant husband, and denied her applications for maintenance and child support, and counsel fees. The appellate court reversed the judgment, granting custody of the infant issue to the wife, conditional on her continued residency in New York State. The matter was remitted to the Supreme Court, Nassau County, for a hearing to establish liberal visitation rights for the husband, set reasonable child support, and determine the wife's entitlement to maintenance and counsel fees. The court emphasized the child's best interests and the priority of initial custody arrangements, noting the wife had de facto custody since May 1981 and expert testimony supported her as the primary and more stable parent.

CustodyChild SupportMaintenanceCounsel FeesMatrimonial ActionAppellate ReviewBest Interests of ChildVisitation RightsParental FitnessDe Facto Custody
References
6
Case No. ADJ6951586
Regular
Apr 08, 2015

MICHAEL MICHAELSON (Deceased) vs. JF SHEA, AIG CLAIMS

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board denied reconsideration of an order regarding a deceased worker's settlement. The Petitioner, Riverside County Department of Child Support Services, sought to satisfy a child support lien from the settlement allocated to dependents. The Board adopted the WCJ's reasoning that Labor Code §4700 dictates that only accrued and unpaid compensation is payable to dependents, and a child support lien under Labor Code §4903(e) attaches only to such benefits. As there were no accrued benefits owed to the deceased applicant, the child support lien could not be satisfied from the death benefit settlement.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardPetition for ReconsiderationWCJ ReportRiverside County Department of Child Support ServicesState Bar NumbersWCAB Rule 10498SanctionsADJ6951586DeceasedJF Shea
References
1
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Commissioner of Social Services ex rel. Campos v. Campos

This case involves an appeal by a respondent father concerning child support arrears. An initial support order was issued by default, and the arrears amount was subsequently recalculated multiple times by a Hearing Examiner. The Family Court confirmed an order setting arrears at $23,310. However, the Appellate Division reversed this decision. The court found that the Hearing Examiner failed to ascertain whether the respondent's income between 1990 and 1993 fell below or equaled the poverty income guidelines, as mandated by Family Court Act § 413 (1) (g). Given the respondent's documented unemployment, SSI benefits, and public assistance, the court concluded that child support arrears should not have exceeded $500 during that period. The matter was remitted for a new determination of arrears consistent with the poverty income guidelines.

Child Support ArrearsPoverty GuidelinesFamily Court ActSSI BenefitsPublic AssistanceUnemploymentPsychological ConditionRes JudicataAppellate ReviewReversal
References
5
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 17, 1968

In re Male Child Wilkov

In a contested adoption proceeding, the natural mother appealed an order from the Family Court, Suffolk County, dated December 17, 1968. The order had concluded that she abandoned her infant child, dismissed her application for the child's return, rejected her objection to the proposed adoption, and directed the court clerk to proceed with the adoption application. The appellate court affirmed the order, despite noting an error by the trial court regarding a social worker's communication. The trial court mistakenly believed the natural mother spoke with a hospital social worker, when in fact, the social worker had only conversed with the child's grandmother. However, the appellate court found that there was ample independent evidence to support the abandonment finding, irrespective of this factual dispute.

Adoption LawChild AbandonmentFamily Court AppealParental RightsSuffolk County Family CourtAppellate AffirmationSocial Worker TestimonyFactual ErrorEvidentiary SupportChild Custody
References
1
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Martin v. Martin

The father appealed two Family Court orders concerning child support modification and counsel fees. The father sought to modify his child support obligation due to business collapse, illness, and an alleged agreement with the mother to provide childcare in lieu of payments. The mother sought a finding of willful violation. The Support Magistrate dismissed the father's petitions and found willful violation, which the Family Court affirmed. On appeal, the Court found the father received ineffective assistance of counsel due to his attorney's failure to introduce crucial medical evidence and ensure a key witness's presence, which prejudiced his case. Therefore, the appellate court modified the December 29, 2005 order, reversed the October 26, 2006 order, remitted for a new trial on the modification and violation petitions, and denied counsel fees.

Ineffective Assistance of CounselChild SupportModification of Support OrderWillful ViolationAdjournment DenialEvidence AdmissibilityMedical RecordsTherapist TestimonyIncarcerationFamily Law
References
9
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