| Lodovico v Lodovico |
| 2008 NY Slip Op 04475 [51 AD3d 731] |
| May 13, 2008 |
| Appellate Division, Second Department |
| Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. |
| Alysen Lodovico, Respondent, v Marcus J. Lodovico, Appellant. |
—[*1]
Behrins & Behrins, P.C., Staten Island, N.Y. (Susan R. Schneider of counsel), for
respondent.
Ordered that the orders are affirmed, with one bill of costs.
"The evaluation of what constitutes reasonable counsel fees is a matter within the sound discretion of the trial court" (Lefkowitz v Van Ess, 166 AD2d 556 [1990]; citing DeCabrera v Cabrera-Rosete, 70 NY2d 879, 881 [1987]). The trial court is in the best position to judge the factors integral to determining counsel fees, such as the time, effort, and skill required (see Feldman v Feldman, 194 AD2d 207, 219 [1993]). Moreover, "[a] court must consider the equities and circumstances of each particular case and their respective financial positions in determining a counsel fee application" (Palumbo v Palumbo, 10 AD3d 680, 682 [2004]).
Here, the plaintiff adduced evidence demonstrating that she was entitled to an attorney's fee in the sum of $15,000 for successfully opposing the defendant's motions to reduce his child support [*2]obligations. In view of this evidence, the Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in granting the plaintiff's motion for an attorney's fee to the extent of awarding her the sum of $15,000.
The defendant's remaining contentions are without merit. Mastro, J.P., Skelos, Lifson and Leventhal, JJ., concur.