Opinion
2015-07703 Index No. 203190/09.
12-23-2015
Matthew PRINCE, respondent, v. Meredith PRINCE, now known as Meredith Schechter, appellant.
Gassman Baiamonte Betts, P.C., Garden City, N.Y. (Stephen Gassman, Rosalia Baiamonte, and Karen Bodner of counsel), for appellant. Campagna Johnson, P.C., Hauppauge, N.Y. (Thomas K. Campagna, Bryan R. Johnson, and Nicholas E. Arazoza of counsel), for respondent. Jan Murphy, Huntington, N.Y., attorney for the children.
Gassman Baiamonte Betts, P.C., Garden City, N.Y. (Stephen Gassman, Rosalia Baiamonte, and Karen Bodner of counsel), for appellant.
Campagna Johnson, P.C., Hauppauge, N.Y. (Thomas K. Campagna, Bryan R. Johnson, and Nicholas E. Arazoza of counsel), for respondent.
Jan Murphy, Huntington, N.Y., attorney for the children.
Opinion
Appeal from an order of the Supreme Court, Nassau County (Edward A. Maron, J.), dated August 18, 2015. The order, insofar as appealed from, denied that branch of the defendant's motion which was for recusal.
ORDERED that the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from, with costs.
“Absent a legal disqualification under Judiciary Law § 14, a court is the sole arbiter of the need for recusal, and its decision is a matter of discretion and personal conscience” (Matter of O'Donnell v. Goldenberg, 68 A.D.3d 1000, 890 N.Y.S.2d 331; see People v. Moreno, 70 N.Y.2d 403, 405–406, 521 N.Y.S.2d 663, 516 N.E.2d 200; Hayes v. Barroga–Hayes, 117 A.D.3d 794, 985 N.Y.S.2d 673; Vigo v. 501 Second St. Holding Corp., 100 A.D.3d 870, 870, 953 N.Y.S.2d 885; Matter of Imre v. Johnson, 54 A.D.3d 427, 427–428, 863 N.Y.S.2d 473). Here, the defendant failed to set forth any proof of bias or prejudice in support of her motion for recusal (see Vigo v. 501 Second St. Holding Corp., 100 A.D.3d at 870, 953 N.Y.S.2d 885). Accordingly, the Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in declining to recuse itself from the case.
MASTRO, J.P., RIVERA, LEVENTHAL and DUFFY, JJ., concur.