Section 1055-A. Substantial failure of a material condition of surrender; enforcement of a contact agreement  


Latest version.
  • (a) In case of a substantial failure
      of a material condition in a  surrender  executed  pursuant  to  section
      three  hundred  eighty-three-c  of  the  social  services  law  prior to
      finalization of the adoption of  the  child,  the  court  shall  possess
      continuing  jurisdiction  in  accordance  with  subdivision  six of such
      section to rehear the matter upon  the  filing  of  a  petition  by  the
      authorized  agency,  the  parent  or  the  law guardian for the child or
      whenever the court deems necessary. In such case, the authorized  agency
      shall  notify  the  parent,  unless such notice is expressly waived by a
      statement written by the parent and appended  to  or  included  in  such
      instrument,  the  law guardian for the child and the court that approved
      the surrender within twenty days of any substantial  failure  to  comply
      with  a material condition of the surrender prior to the finalization of
      the adoption of the child. In such case,  the  authorized  agency  shall
      file  a  petition  on  notice  to  the parent unless notice is expressly
      waived by a statement written by the parent and appended to or  included
      in  such instrument and the law guardian in accordance with this section
      within thirty days of such failure, except  for  good  cause  shown,  in
      order for the court to review such failure and, where necessary, to hold
      a  hearing;  provided,  however, that in the absence of such filing, the
      parent and/or law guardian for the child may file such a petition at any
      time up to sixty days after notification of the failure.  Such  petition
      filed by a parent or law guardian must be filed prior to the adoption of
      the child.
        (b)  If an agreement for continuing contact and communication pursuant
      to  paragraph  (b)  of  subdivision  two  of   section   three   hundred
      eighty-three-c  of the social services law is approved by the court, and
      the child who is the subject of the approved agreement has not yet  been
      adopted,  any  party  to the approved agreement may file a petition with
      the family court in the county  where  the  agreement  was  approved  to
      enforce  such  agreement.  A  copy  of  the  approved agreement shall be
      annexed to such petition. The  court  shall  enter  an  order  enforcing
      communication  or  contact  pursuant  to the terms and conditions of the
      agreement unless the court finds that enforcement would not  be  in  the
      best interests of the child.
        (c)  Nothing  in  this  section  shall  limit  the rights and remedies
      available to the parties and the law guardian pursuant  to  section  one
      hundred twelve-b of the domestic relations law with respect to a failure
      to  comply  with  a  material condition of a surrender subsequent to the
      finalization of the adoption of the child.