In re Tiffany S.
Opinion of the Court
Appeals from two orders of the Family Court of St. Lawrence County (Main, Jr., J.), entered October 3, 2001, which granted petitioner’s applications, in two proceedings pursuant to Social Services Law § 384-b, to adjudicate respondent’s children to be the children of a mentally retarded parent, and terminated respondent’s parental rights.
On January 30, 2001, petitioner filed petitions for the commitment of the guardianship and custody of respondent’s two children, Robert (born in 1994) and Tiffany (born in 1998), by
Respondent argues that she was denied her right to have her attorney present during her court-ordered psychological examination. Although respondent is entitled to have a court-appointed attorney with her at her court-ordered psychological examination (see Matter of Alexander L., 60 NY2d 329, 336), respondent does not claim that she requested the presence of counsel during her exam or that her attorney was prevented from attending same. Under such circumstances, her right to have counsel present was not violated (see Matter of Rosemary ZZ., 154 AD2d 734, 735, lv denied 75 NY2d 702; Matter of John Lawrence M., 142 AD2d 950, 951).
Contrary to respondent’s contention, we find that Family Court’s determination is based on clear and convincing evidence. In order to terminate parental rights on the ground of mental retardation, the petitioning agency must demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent is presently, and for the foreseeable future will be, unable to provide proper and adequate care for his or her children by reason of the respondent’s mental retardation (see Social Services Law § 384-b [3] [g]; [4] [c]; Matter of Joyce T., 65 NY2d 39, 44-45; Matter of Kathleen OO., 260 AD2d 967, 968). Social Services Law § 384-b (6) (b) defines “mental retardation” as “subaverage intellectual functioning which originates during
Family Court’s finding was further supported by witnesses who had provided mental health, parenting, housekeeping and social services to respondent during the placement of her children. They cited numerous examples of her impaired adaptive behavior, including frequent changes of residence, failure to call for help during her child’s asthma attack because she believed she could not use the phone at her friend’s house, shaking Tiffany in an attempt to get her to eat and stop crying, not understanding the need to hold and feed Tiffany when she was an infant, as well as her repeated failures to follow through with counseling, parent training and medication. In this regard, we find the testimony of respondent’s psychiatric social caseworker to be relevant and consistent with the facts upon which the psychological evaluations were based.
Respondent next argues that it was error for Family Court to admit petitioner’s social services’ records into evidence, in that said records contained hearsay which was not admissible
Finally, Family Court did not abuse its discretion in declining to order a dispositional hearing. A dispositional hearing is not required after a finding of mental retardation pursuant to Social Services Law § 384-b (4) (c) (see Matter of Joyce T., 65 NY2d 39, 49, supra; Matter of Michael E., 241 AD2d 635, 638; Matter of Elizabeth Q., 126 AD2d 905, 906). The evidence before Family Court established that respondent was unable to provide adequate care for her children for the foreseeable future. Because of respondent’s mental retardation and other behavioral problems, she has been unable to take advantage of the services provided to her during the placement of her children with petitioner. The expert opinion expressed to the court was that petitioner could safely care for the children only if she lived in a supervised and supportive setting, an option presented to and rejected by respondent. Under these circumstances, we find that the court did not abuse its discretion in declining to order a dispositional hearing.
Mercure, J.P., Crew III, Peters and Rose, JJ., concur. Ordered that the orders are affirmed, without costs.
. Although the notices of appeal filed with this Court incorrectly referenced the orders of Family Court, the briefs filed address the correct orders and we will treat the defective notices valid in the interest of justice (see CPLR 5520 [c]).
. Robert and Tiffany came into the care and custody of petitioner as a result of findings of neglect pursuant to Family Ct Act article 10 in February 1998 and February 1999, respectively.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.