Opinion
CAF 01-00320
October 1, 2002.
Appeal from an order of Family Court, Ontario County (Harvey, J.), entered January 19, 2001, which dismissed the petition for modification of an order suspending petitioner's visitation.
DEL ATWELL, ALBANY, FOR PETITIONER-APPELLANT.
ALEXANDRA BURKETT, LAW GUARDIAN, CANANDAIGUA, FOR FAWN D.
PRESENT: PINE, J.P., WISNER, HURLBUTT, SCUDDER, AND BURNS, JJ.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
It is hereby ORDERED that the order so appealed from be and the same hereby is unanimously affirmed without costs.
Memorandum:
Petitioner commenced this proceeding seeking modification of an order suspending her visitation with her daughter. Family Court properly dismissed the petition. The evidence supports the court's determination that petitioner did not fully comply with the terms and conditions of the prior order. A court may direct a parent "to obtain counseling or therapy, as one of the aspects of a custody or visitation order, if such intervention will best serve the [child's] best interests" ( Gadomski v. Gadomski, 256 A.D.2d 675, 677; see Matter of Mongiardo v. Mongiardo, 232 A.D.2d 741, 743) and it may, as here, suspend a parent's visitation rights until completion of such counseling or therapy ( see Matter of Ashkar v. Ashkar, 278 A.D.2d 924; Gadomski, 256 A.D.2d at 677). Contrary to the contention of petitioner, in dismissing the petition with prejudice the court did not thereby prohibit her from seeking modification of the order upon a showing of changed circumstances. We have reviewed petitioner's remaining contentions and conclude that they are without merit.