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IN RE: KIMBERLY CAROLYN J. and Another, Dependent Children Under the Age of Eighteen Years etc., Towanna Edna J., Respondent-Appellant, Cardinal McCloskey Services for Children, Petitioner-Respondent.
Order, Family Court, Bronx County (Carol A. Stokinger, J.), entered on or about July 6, 2005, which denied respondent mother's motion to vacate two orders of disposition, same court and Judge, entered on or about March 7, 2005, after conducting hearings upon her default, which granted the agency's petition, found that she had permanently neglected two of her children, terminated her parental rights and transferred custody and guardianship of the children to the Commissioner of Social Services and the agency for the purpose of adoption, unanimously affirmed, without costs. Appeals from the aforesaid orders of disposition unanimously dismissed, without costs.
The orders of disposition entered on default are nonappealable (see CPLR 5511; Matter of Sandra J., 25 A.D.3d 360, 807 N.Y.S.2d 71 [2006]; Matter of Rueben Doulphus R., 11 A.D.3d 398, 399, 783 N.Y.S.2d 43 [2004], lv. dismissed in part and denied in part 4 N.Y.3d 759, 791 N.Y.S.2d 891, 825 N.E.2d 132 [2005] ). The court properly exercised its discretion in denying the motion to vacate the default since respondent failed to set forth a meritorious defense and a reasonable excuse (see Matter of “Male” Jones, 128 A.D.2d 403, 512 N.Y.S.2d 689 [1987] ). As to the merits, respondent's claims of compliance with directives that would permit her to regain custody were conclusory (see Matter of Ashley Marie M., 287 A.D.2d 333, 334, 731 N.Y.S.2d 166 [2001] ) and were contradicted by both her own acknowledgment that she had failed to complete drug treatment and visited with the children only sporadically. Her claimed medical excuse for failing to appear on two hearing dates was undocumented (see Matter of Joei R., 302 A.D.2d 334, 335, 756 N.Y.S.2d 516 [2003], lv. dismissed in part and denied in part 100 N.Y.2d 575, 764 N.Y.S.2d 383, 796 N.E.2d 474 [2003] ). In any case, we note there was clear and convincing evidence of the agency's diligent efforts to encourage the parent-children relationship (see e.g. Matter of Dominique Leonard P., 33 A.D.3d 359, 822 N.Y.S.2d 72 [2006] ) and a preponderance of evidence that termination of respondent's parental rights is in the best interests of both children (see Matter of Edward Ramon B., 25 A.D.3d 465, 807 N.Y.S.2d 370 [2006] ). We further note that the clear and convincing evidence of only sporadic visitation would alone constitute permanent neglect (see Matter of Jonathan M., 19 A.D.3d 197, 797 N.Y.S.2d 51 [2005], lv. denied 5 N.Y.3d 798, 801 N.Y.S.2d 560, 835 N.E.2d 329 [2005] ). We decline to consider respondent's unpreserved constitutional claim, which was not raised in her motion to vacate (Matter of Derrick T., 261 A.D.2d 108, 687 N.Y.S.2d 260 [1999]; see also Matter of Leroy C., 24 A.D.3d 143, 144-145, 805 N.Y.S.2d 61 [2005], lv. denied 6 N.Y.3d 708, 813 N.Y.S.2d 44, 846 N.E.2d 475 [2006] ).
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Decided: February 06, 2007
Court: Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, New York.
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