FAMILY LAW CASES

• Warner v. Houghton
• Florida Dep't of Children and Families v. H.D.
• In re R.J.
• In re S.B.

New York Court of Appeals, June 25, 2008
Warner v. Houghton, No. 125 SSM 15
CPLR 5511 does not bar review of equitable distribution components of a divorce judgment where defendant was improperly precluded from contesting the awards. Read more...

Supreme Court of Florida, June 26, 2008
Florida Dep't of Children and Families v. H.D., No. SC07-2127
Initial acceptance of review of the decision in H.D. v. Department of Child and Families, 964 So. 2d 818 (Fla. 4th DCA 2007) is reversed and the review proceeding is dismissed since jurisdiction was improperly granted. Read more...

California Appellate Districts, June 23, 2008
In re R.J., No. C056084
Denial of a grandmother's request for de facto parent status is affirmed over claims that: 1) the juvenile court erred in denying her request without affording an evidentiary hearing; and 2) the error violated her right to procedural due process. Read more...

California Appellate Districts, June 26, 2008
In re S.B., No. D052202
An order terminating the parental rights to a child under Welfare and Institutions Code1 section 366.26 is reversed and remanded where: 1) the terminated parent had a continuing beneficial relationship with the child within the meaning of the statutory exception to termination of parental rights; and 2) the juvenile court did not comply with the notice provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Read more...