Campbell woman jailed for not paying child support

Fingerlakes1.com:

A Campbell woman was sentenced Tuesday (December 22) to immediate incarceration for failing to pay nearly $1150.00 in back child support.

Assistant County Attorney Steven Getman represented the support collection unit. Getman, noting that this was not the woman’s first violation, asked the court to imprison her immediately for contempt of court. At the time of court, records showed that the woman owed approximately $1149.00 in back child support.

The punishment was imposed by Family Court Judge Dennis Morris. Morris directed the woman to report to the Schuyler County jail immediately (December 22) to begin her sentence. He ordered her released at 5:00 pm on Christmas Eve, with a direction to serve two additional weekends of jail thereafter. The woman was then taken into custody under the order of commitment.

Court reverses shaken-baby conviction

Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY):

In a ruling that could have statewide significance, a Monroe County Court judge has reversed the 2001 murder conviction of a Greece woman who was accused in the shaken-baby death of a toddler in her care.

In a decision released Tuesday morning, Judge James Piampiano ruled that the science used to convict René Bailey has changed significantly since her trial.

The ruling marks the first time a shaken-baby conviction has been overturned in New York on the basis of changing science. Lawyers have won a handful of reversals in other states in recent years...

"This would be the first time in New York that we have a head-on, squarely-facing decision saying that a major change in the science qualifies as newly discovered evidence," said Bailey's attorney, Adele Bernhard.

The complete decision can be found here.

Bureau of Justice Statistics releases new reports

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has released two new reports:

Background Checks for Firearm Transfers, 2012 - Statistical Tables; Capital Punishment, 2013 - Statistical Table

Each report is available at its link above.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics was first established on December 27, 1979 under the Justice Systems Improvement Act of 1979. Its mission is "to collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government."

State Court Docket Watch December 2014

New Edition of State Court Docket Watch

In an effort to increase dialogue about state court jurisprudence, the Federalist Society presents State Court Docket Watch. This newsletter is one component of the State Courts Project, presenting original research on state court jurisprudence and illustrating new trends and ground-breaking decisions in the state courts.

For more information, click here.

Public notice: Ovid Town Board, Town Planning Board meeting

The Ovid Town Board and the Ovid Town Planning Board will hold a joint meeting of the two boards on December 3, 2014 at 7:00 pm in the community room of the Ovid Firehouse at 2136 Brown Street in Ovid. No public comment will be heard. However, the public is encouraged to attend. For more information, click here.

Woman gets jail over back child support

Elmira Star-Gazette:

A Steuben County woman was ordered to serve four weekends in the Schuyler County Jail, beginning this weekend, for failing to pay over $1,000 in back child support.

The children live outside her home and are on public assistance in Schuyler County, Assistant County Attorney Steven Getman said.

Authorities did not disclose her name for privacy reasons.

The punishment was imposed Tuesday by Family Court Judge Dennis Morris.

For more on the story, click the link above.

New York Appellate Court Creates New Rule for Criminal Appeals

New York State's Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, Third Department, recently amended its Rules to add a provision specifically addressed to dormant criminal appeals.

Rule 800.14′s new paragraph (j) (Abandonment of Appeals) declares that a criminal appeal is deemed to have been abandoned – notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of 800.14 pertaining to enlargements of time – when the appellant has not sought poor person relief or has failed to serve his/her brief-appendix within 24 months after the date of the Notice of Appeal.

The Clerk’s Office will not accept any brief or appendix received after the 24-months mark “unless directed to do so by order of the court”, which “shall be granted only pursuant to a motion on notice supported by an affidavit setting forth a reasonable excuse for the delay.”

For more on the new rule, click here.

Steuben County Woman Sentenced for Missed Child Support

Copyright © 2014 Twin Tier News:

A Steuben County woman has been sentenced to four weeks in the Schuyler County jail’s work release program for failing to pay over $1,000.00 in back child support...

The last payment was made in January 2014, according to the Schuyler County support collection unit.

Assistant County Attorney Steven Getman represented the support collection unit...

The punishment was imposed by Family Court Judge Dennis Morris. Morris ordered the woman to report to the Schuyler County jail this Saturday (October 25) to begin her sentence.

For more on this story, click the link above.

Ithaca man sentenced for failure to pay child support

Fingerlakes1.com:

An Ithaca man is facing a thirty-day jail sentence for not paying past due child support, following an appearance in Schuyler County Family Court on Tuesday (October 7, 2014).

[T]he man was found in willful violation of a prior court order, due to his failure to pay nearly $1200.00 for the support of his teenage child. The last payment was made in April 2014, according to the Schuyler County Support Collection Unit.

The case was prosecuted by assistant County Attorney Steven Getman. Getman argued that a sentence of jail was appropriate, given the failure to make payments for approximately six months. Earlier this year, the child had been on public assistance in Schuyler County, Getman noted.

The sentence was imposed by Family Court Judge Dennis Morris. Morris did not order the man immediately incarcerated, but suspended the jail term to give the man time to pay the back support.

If the man fails to begin making payments by November 1 he can be returned to court and jailed at that time, Morris held.

For more information, click on the link above.

Seneca County town wins over $200,000 against business for unpaid loans

Seneca Daily News:

A Geneva business and two Yates County businessmen have been found liable to the Town of Romulus for over $200,000.00 in unpaid community development funds.

On Tuesday (August 12), Acting Supreme Court Justice Dennis Bender granted a motion by the Romulus town attorney, Steven Getman, and directed summary judgment against Top Quality Hay Processers, Jeffrey Warren and Charles Long, for failure to repay a 2008 loan.

According to the town’s complaint, the loan was intended for Top Quality Hay Processors to create jobs at the former Seneca Army Depot, located in the Town of Romulus. As principals in the business, Warren and Long agreed to personally guarantee the loan, the court papers said.

However, the complaint alleged, the loan was not repaid and in 2012, the building housing Top Quality Hay Processors was condemned by Seneca County Code Enforcement.

Shortly thereafter, town supervisor David Kaiser and the town board directed Getman to commence a lawsuit to recover the money.

The money was from the state government through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program (“CDBG”), the complaint said...

At Tuesday’s court appearance, Bender found for the town and directed the three defendants to repay the $200.000.00, together with costs, interest and attorneys’ fees.

The town has estimated the total amount due the town at approximately $217,000.00 plus additional interest...

The defendants have approximately thirty days to appeal. After that, if the judgment is not repaid, the town will begin collection effort...Those efforts may include seizing property, garnishing wages and other measures...