Section 154-B. Order of protection; answer and counter-claims; confidentiality of address

1.  In every proceeding under articles four,
  five, six and eight of this act in  which  an  order  of  protection  is
  requested,  the  respondent  may  file  with  the court an answer to the
  petition and a counter-claim. A counter-claim shall be heard in the same
  manner as a petition and  may  be  heard  on  the  return  date  of  the
  petition, provided that the counter-claim is served on the petitioner no
  later than five days prior to the return date and said counter-claim and
  proof  of  service  is filed with the court. The petitioner may file and
  serve a reply to the counter-claim. A denial of the allegations  of  the
  counter-claim  shall  be  presumed  if  the petitioner does not file and
  serve a reply.
    2. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in  any  proceeding
  under article four, five, five-b, six, eight or ten of this act, whether
  or not an order of protection or temporary order of protection is sought
  or  has  been  sought in the past, the court may, upon its own motion or
  upon the motion of any party or the law guardian, authorize any party or
  the child to keep his or her address confidential from any adverse party
  or the child, as appropriate, in any pleadings or other papers submitted
  to the court, where the court finds that disclosure of such  address  or
  other  identifying  information  would  pose an unreasonable risk to the
  health or safety of a party or the child. Pending such  a  finding,  any
  address  or  other identifying information of the child or party seeking
  confidentiality shall be safeguarded and sealed in order to prevent  its
  inadvertent or unauthorized use or disclosure.
    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a party and a child
  has  resided or resides in a residential program for victims of domestic
  violence as defined in section four hundred fifty-nine-a of  the  social
  services law, the present address of such party and of the child and the
  address  of  the  residential  program  for victims of domestic violence
  shall not be revealed.
    (c) Upon such authorization, the court shall designate  the  clerk  of
  the  court  or  such other disinterested person as it deems appropriate,
  with consent of such disinterested person, as the agent for  service  of
  process  for the party whose address is to remain confidential and shall
  notify the adverse party of such designation in writing.  The  clerk  or
  disinterested  person  designated  by  the court shall, when served with
  process on behalf of the party whose address is to remain  confidential,
  promptly  notify  such party whose address is to remain confidential and
  forward such process to him or her.
    (d) In any case in which such confidentiality authorization  is  made,
  the party whose address is to remain confidential shall inform the clerk
  of  the  court  or  disinterested  person designated by the court of any
  change in address for purposes of receipt of service of process  or  any
  papers.