New York City

Published on: August 2, 2013

Father Appeals Child Support Order

by Stephen Bilkis

In a child support proceeding pursuant to Family Court Act article 4, the father appeals from an order of the Family Court, Suffolk County, dated November 4, 1999, which, in effect, confirmed a determination of the same court, dated September 13, 1999, that he had willfully failed to obey an order of the same court, dated December 9, 1996, and thereupon committed him to a term of incarceration of 120 days, unless he purged himself of his contempt by paying the sum of $10,000 towards arrears of child support.

A New York Family Lawyer said that, pursuant to an order of the Family Court, Suffolk County, dated December 9, 1996, the appellant was obligated to pay $576 per month in child support. The appellant allegedly has not made any payment under that order, and the Commissioner of Social Services filed a violation of child support order petition. A hearing was conducted on September 13, 1999, although the appellant was not represented by counsel and was not advised of his right to have counsel present. A Suffolk Family Lawyer said that, the Hearing Examiner found the appellant guilty of a willful violation of the support order, and on November 4, 1999, the Family Court denied his objections, confirmed the Hearing Officer’s findings, and committed the appellant to a term of incarceration. A Suffolk Child Support Lawyer said that, the appellant contends that he was not properly notified of his right to counsel and therefore his consent to go forward at the hearing was not given knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily.

The issue in this case is whether court erred in citing the father in contempt for not paying the ordered child support.

Published on: September 16, 2011

Dugard Kidnapping Case Expects Guilty Plea

by Stephen Bilkis

A young girl was abducted and kept in a hidden compound for 18 years. The man which is alleged to of kidnapped her and fathered two children with her by rape, is in court on Thursday. It’s likely that he will plead guilty which will at least give the girl and the family a small amount of justice says a New York City Family Lawyer.

The girl was kidnapped when she was 11 in 1991 and held, locked up secretly for 18 years. The accused is already a convicted rapist with a long criminal record explains the NYC Family Lawyer. The man was convicted of kidnapping and raping a girl in 1977.

The girl disappeared while she was on her way to school and his caused her family a great deal of distress.

Published on: August 12, 2011

Dad Left Child Alone with Loaded Weapon

by Stephen Bilkis

Police have recently charged a man in a worrying case where he left his child alone with a loaded weapon. The man went out and is alleged to of left his five year old daughter alone in the house with a loaded gun explains a New York Family Lawyer. This left his child in extreme danger of being killed, or injured.

While adults will understand that these weapons are dangerous and should not be touched, Children will not. A 5 year old child would not know that the gun wasn’t a toy which is what makes the case even more dangerous.

The 44 year old man was arrested for operating machinery under the influence. The arrest was made during the early evening of March 19th. The Police report has since been obtained by the NYC Family Lawyer.

Published on: June 20, 2011

Authorities crack down on truancy by sending non-compliant parents to jail

by Stephen Bilkis

 Remember the good old days when skipping a day of school was not punishable by fines and jail time? Most of us have taken an unscheduled day off of school at one time or another as children, having begged our parents, with sleepy eyes, to just let us stay in bed, suggests a New York Family Lawyer. According to school officials and lawmakers, those days are no longer acceptable.   Truancy is a big problem in public schools, reports a New York Family Lawyer. A truant child is one who has three or more unexcused absences in a school year. Those just because days are to blame. Authorities are sending a big message that it is not okay for children to miss school just because they don’t feel like going.

Although this is not your normal Child Neglect, in New York City and Queens this kind of parental action or lack thereof comes very close.

Now a new law has been enacted that will fine parents of habitually truant children up to $2000 if they do not attempt to see that their children are at their desk each and every day.   Granted, there are parents who simply do not care whether their kids get an education or not, and these parents are the focus of these heightened penalties. And while a $2000 fine might seem excessive, failing to pay that fine and get your kids up and on the bus could land parents in jail, according to this new law.   Obviously this bill is targeted towards parents of children whose truancy has become excessive and will not affect a family who decides to take a road trip one day rather than sit in a stuffy classroom or work cubicle, establishes the New York Family Lawyer. Even so, it might make parents think twice when considering the pleas of sleepy children that a day off from school is exactly what they need.