Senate Bill S4434

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to court ordered forensic evaluations and reports in child custody and visitation proceedings

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Children And Families Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2023-S4434 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Children And Families
Law Section:
Domestic Relations Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§70 & 240, Dom Rel L; amd §§251 & 651, Fam Ct Act
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2015-2016: S7089
2017-2018: S6300
2019-2020: S4686
2021-2022: S753

2023-S4434 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to court ordered forensic evaluations and reports in child custody and visitation proceedings.

2023-S4434 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S4434 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4434
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 8, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families
 
 AN  ACT to amend the domestic relations law and the family court act, in
   relation to child custody forensic reports
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.    Section  70 of the domestic relations law is amended by
 adding a new subdivision (c) to read as follows:
   (C) COURT ORDERED FORENSIC EVALUATIONS IN PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING  CHILD
 CUSTODY  AND VISITATION. WHERE A COURT ORDER IS ISSUED FOR AN EVALUATION
 OR INVESTIGATION OF THE PARTIES OR A CHILD BY A FORENSIC  MENTAL  HEALTH
 PROFESSIONAL,  A  PROBATION  SERVICE,  A CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE OR ANY
 OTHER PERSON AUTHORIZED BY STATUTE, ALL  OF  WHOM  SHALL  BE  CONSIDERED
 "COURT  ORDERED  EVALUATORS" FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, APPOINTED
 BY THE COURT TO ASSIST WITH THE DETERMINATION OF CHILD CUSTODY OR  VISI-
 TATION  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  ARTICLE,  FOR PURPOSES OF SUCH COURT ORDERED
 FORENSIC EVALUATIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS:
   (1) ANY REPORT OR EVALUATION PREPARED BY THE COURT ORDERED  EVALUATOR,
 TO BE KNOWN AS A "FORENSIC REPORT" FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
 SHALL  BE  CONFIDENTIAL  AND  KEPT  UNDER SEAL EXCEPT THAT, ALL PARTIES,
 THEIR ATTORNEYS AND THE ATTORNEY FOR THE CHILD SHALL  HAVE  A  RIGHT  TO
 RECEIVE A COPY OF ANY SUCH FORENSIC REPORT UPON RECEIPT OF SUCH A REPORT
 BY  THE  COURT,  SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION THREE THOUSAND ONE
 HUNDRED THREE OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, IN
 NO EVENT SHALL A PARTY OR HIS OR HER COUNSEL BE PREVENTED FROM ACCESS TO
 OR REVIEW OF A FORENSIC REPORT IN  ADVANCE  OF  AND  DURING  TRIAL.  ANY
 CONDITIONS OR LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY THE COURT PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVI-
 SION RELATING TO DISCLOSURE OF THE FORENSIC REPORT SHALL ACCOMMODATE FOR
 LANGUAGE  ACCESS  AND DISABILITY. UPON APPLICATION BY COUNSEL OR A PARTY
 THE COURT SHALL PERMIT A COPY OF THE FORENSIC REPORT AND A COPY  OF  THE
 COURT  ORDERED  EVALUATOR'S FILES AS PROVIDED FOR UNDER PARAGRAPH TWO OF
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00064-03-3
              

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