Matter of Royal v. Royal
The case "Matter of Royal v Royal" involves an appeal by Albert Royal (father) against Mireille M. Royal (mother) regarding his retroactive child and spousal support obligations. The parties, married in 2014 with two children, separated in June 2018. In July 2018, the mother sought support. Subsequently, the father suffered significant injuries from a work accident and two motor vehicle accidents in late 2018 and 2019, rendering him unable to continue as a construction worker and leading him to receive public assistance after exhausting unemployment benefits. The Support Magistrate and Family Court used the father's 2018 income tax return to determine his support obligations for the period from July 2018 through December 2019, amounting to $48,200.22. However, the Appellate Division, Second Department, reversed this decision, finding that the 2018 income tax return did not accurately reflect the father's actual income during the period from November 2018 through December 2019 due to his injuries and inability to work. The matter was remitted to the Family Court, Kings County, for a recalculation of the father's income and, if appropriate, his retroactive support obligations for the specified period.