In re Abigail P.
Opinion of the Court
—Order insofar as appealed from unanimously reversed on the law without costs and matter remitted to Erie County Family Court for further proceedings in accordance with the following Memorandum: Petitioner commenced this proceeding alleging in the petition, inter alia, that respondent had abused his child. Although respondent failed to appear at the fact-finding hearing, his at
“Although no appeal lies from an order entered on default [citations omitted], the order on appeal was not properly entered on default” (Matter of Williams v Lewis, 269 AD2d 841; see, Matter of Shemeco D., 265 AD2d 860, 861). Respondent’s attorney appeared at the fact-finding hearing and, indeed, cross-examined petitioner’s witness during the initial phase of the hearing. Thus, the order was not entered on respondent’s default (see, Matter of Shemeco D., supra, at 861; see also, Matter of Cassandra M., 260 AD2d 961, 962-963). We therefore reverse the order and remit the matter to Erie County Family Court for a new hearing on the petition. (Appeal from Order of Erie County Family Court, Mix, J. — Abuse.) Present — Pine, J. P., Wisner, Hurlbutt, Scudder and Balio, JJ.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.