Opinion
2012-11-28
In the Matter of NIAJA A.W. (Anonymous). Administration for Children's Services, et al., petitioners-respondents; Paulette G. (Anonymous), appellant, et al., respondent.
Carol Kahn, New York, N.Y., for appellant. Carrieri & Carrieri, P.C., Mineola, N.Y. (Ralph R. Carrieri of counsel), for petitioner-respondent Graham–Windham Services to Families and Children.
Carol Kahn, New York, N.Y., for appellant. Carrieri & Carrieri, P.C., Mineola, N.Y. (Ralph R. Carrieri of counsel), for petitioner-respondent Graham–Windham Services to Families and Children.
Steven Banks, New York, N.Y. (Tamara A. Steckler and Susan Clement of counsel), attorney for the child.
WILLIAM F. MASTRO, J.P., PETER B. SKELOS, ANITA R. FLORIO, and THOMAS A. DICKERSON, JJ.
In a proceeding pursuant to Social Services Law § 384–b to terminate parental rights, the mother appeals from an order of the Family Court, Kings County (Danoff, J.), dated October 11, 2011, which denied her motion, in effect, to vacate her default in appearing at the fact-finding hearing and dispositional hearing.
ORDERED that the order is affirmed, without costs or disbursements.
A parent seeking to vacate a default in a proceeding for the termination of parental rights must establish a reasonable excuse for the default, as well as a potentially meritorious defense ( seeCPLR 5015 [a][1]; Matter of Kenneth S. v. Bethzaida P., 95 A.D.3d 1022, 1023, 943 N.Y.S.2d 762;Matter of Joseph N., 45 A.D.3d 849, 846 N.Y.S.2d 359;Matter of Michael William O., 16 A.D.3d 511, 791 N.Y.S.2d 612). The determination whether to relieve a party of a default is a matter left to the sound discretion of the Family Court ( see Matter of Kenneth S. v. Bethzaida P., 95 A.D.3d at 1023, 943 N.Y.S.2d 762;Matter of Capri Alexis R., 48 A.D.3d 821, 822, 852 N.Y.S.2d 386). Here, the mother presented neither a potentially meritorious defense to the termination petition nor a reasonable excuse for her failure to appear at the fact-finding hearing ( see Matter of Kenneth S. v. Bethzaida P., 95 A.D.3d at 1023, 943 N.Y.S.2d 762;Matter of Capri Alexis R., 48 A.D.3d at 822, 852 N.Y.S.2d 386;Matter of Joseph N., 45 A.D.3d 849, 846 N.Y.S.2d 359). Accordingly, the Family Court properly denied the motion to vacate her default.
The mother's remaining contention is without merit.