In re Nassau County Department of Social Services
Opinion of the Court
Social Services Law § 384-b (3) (e) clearly mandates that a petition brought under section 384-b must be accompanied by an express warning that the proceeding may result in an order freeing the child for adoption without the consent of or notice to, among others, the parents. This warning must also advise the parent that he or she has the right to counsel, including the right to assigned counsel if he or she is financially unable to retain counsel. While the notice provision of the instant summons alerted the mother to the fact that the petition sought custody and guardianship of the child, and could result in the termination of parental rights, it made no mention whatsoever of the possibility that it could also result in the adoption of the child without the mother’s consent as expressly mandated by the statute. The summons likewise was deficient insofar as it omitted any reference to the mother having any right to counsel, retained or assigned. Accordingly, inasmuch as the summons failed to include the requisite warnings, it is defective and the proceeding must be dismissed (see, Matter of Phillip Whitney B., 199 AD2d 1061; Matter of Karen L., 80 AD2d 681). However, our dismissal is without prejudice to the service of a new summons and petition containing the mandated warnings if the petitioner be so advised. In this regard, we note that the mother’s contentions that the instant proceed
In light of our determination we need not reach the mother’s remaining contentions. Bracken, J. P., Rosenblatt, Miller and Friedmann, JJ., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.