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Personnel

Family Court Judge Hon. M. John Sherman Law Clerk Michael Berg Secretary Polly White 607-277-2355 Fax 607-401-9131 Family Court Judge Hon. John C. Rowley Law Clerk Stephen Heller Secretary Dianne Valesente 607-277-4957 Fax 607-457-2938

Support Magistrate Hon. Alan D. Scheer Court Assistant Janet Wiese Sr. Court Office Assistant Mary Malchak 607-277-1517 Fax 607-277-5027 Chief Clerk Cheryl Lidell Obenauer Deputy Chief Clerk Adel Terris 607-277-1517 Fax 607-277-5027 Senior Court Office Assistant Rebecca Earlandt Senior Court Office Assistant Vacant Court Assistant Steven Tillotson Resource Coordinator Tompkins County Integrated Domestic Violence Court Rebecca Jackson

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Description

The Family Court hears and determines most legal issues involving children and families. There is a Family Court within each County of the State which is authorized to hear matters relating to:

• custody, visitation and guardianship
• monetary support for children, spouses and ex-spouses
• paternity
• abuse and neglect of children
• violence among family members
• children accused of committing crimes (JD)
• children in need of supervision (PINS)

The Family Court does not handle proceedings involving separation, annulment or divorce. These matters must be brought in the Supreme Court, which has exclusive jurisdiction over such issues.

We have a staff of Family Court Clerks available to help you with petitions daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They will see that your petition is complete and that the proper documents are filed with your petition.

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Notes

Also, we have a representative from Community Dispute Resolution Center on site Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Please contact Family Court at 607-277-1517 and a Clerk will be happy to make an appointment for you to come in for assistance in completing and filing your petition.

If you need a court order to protect yourself and/or your children from abuse, you will want to file a petition for an order of protection (family offense petition). You also need to complete an Identification Sheet and proposed Temporary Order of Protection (General Forms #5).

If you need financial support from the children's absent parent or from your spouse, you will need to file a support petition to be scheduled before the Court Magistrate.

If you need a court order giving you custody of or visitation with your children, you will need to file a custody or visitation petition.

If you need a lawyer and cannot afford to pay one, you may want to file an Assigned Counsel Application to see whether you are eligible for their assistance.