MTR OF BROOKE v. ELIZABETH

Nos. 91, 92.

28 N.Y.3d 1 (2016)

2016 NY Slip Op 05903

In the Matter of BROOKE S.B., Respondent, v. ELIZABETH A.C.C., Respondent. R. THOMAS RANKIN, ESQ., Attorney for the Child, Appellant. In the Matter of ESTRELLITA A., Respondent, v. JENNIFER L.D., Appellant.

Court of Appeals of New York.

Decided August 30, 2016.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Warshaw Burstein, LLP, New York City ( Eric I. Wrubel , Linda Genero Sklaren and Alex R. Goldberg of counsel), and Goodell & Rankin, Jamestown ( R. Thomas Rankin of counsel), for appellant in the first above-entitled proceeding.

Susan L. Sommer , Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc., New York City, Blank Rome LLP, New York City ( Margaret Canby and Caroline Krauss-Browne of counsel), and Brett M. Figlewski , The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York, New York City, for Brooke S.B., respondent in the first above-entitled proceeding.

Sherry A. Bjork , Frewsburg, for Elizabeth A.C.C., respondent in the first above-entitled proceeding.

Quatela, Hargraves & Chimeri, PLLC, Hauppauge ( Christopher J. Chimeri and Margaret Schaefler of counsel), for appellant in the second above-entitled proceeding.

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, New York City ( Andrew J. Estes and Jeffrey S. Trachtman of counsel), and Gervase & Mintz P.C., Garden City ( Susan G. Mintz of counsel), for respondent in the second above-entitled proceeding.

Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County, Inc., Central Islip ( John B. Belmonte and Robert C. Mitchell of counsel), Attorney for the Child, in the second above-entitled proceeding.

Suzanne B. Goldberg , Columbia Law School, New York City, for Richard J. Adago and others, amici curiae in the first above-entitled proceeding.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, New York City ( Carmine D. Boccuzzi and Daniel D. Queen of counsel), for National Association of Social Workers and others, amici curiae in the first and second above-entitled proceedings.

Ropes & Gray LLP, New York City ( Christopher Thomas Brown and Michael Y. Jo of counsel), Ropes & Gray LLP, Boston, Massachusetts ( Kathryn E. Wilhelm and Joshua D. Rovenger of counsel), National Center for Lesbian Rights, San Francisco, California, American Civil Liberties Union, New York City, New York Civil Liberties Union, New York City, and New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, New York City, for National Center for Lesbian Rights and others, amici curiae in the first above-entitled proceeding.

Ropes & Gray LLP, New York City ( Christopher Thomas Brown and Michael Y. Jo of counsel), Ropes & Gray LLP, Boston, Massachusetts ( Kathryn E. Wilhelm and Joshua D. Rovenger of counsel), National Center for Lesbian Rights, San Francisco, California, American Civil Liberties Union, New York City, and New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, New York City, for National Center for Lesbian Rights and others, amici curiae in the second above-entitled proceeding.

Latham & Watkins LLP, New York City ( Virginia F. Tent , Grant F. Wahlquist and Katelyn M. Beaudette of counsel), for Association of the Bar of the City of New York and others, amici curiae in the first above-entitled proceeding.

Latham & Watkins LLP, New York City ( Virginia F. Tent , Grant F. Wahlquist and Katelyn M. Beaudette of counsel), for Association of the Bar of the City of New York and others, amici curiae in the second above-entitled proceeding.

David P. Miranda , New York State Bar Association, Albany, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP, New York City ( Roberta A. Kaplan and Nila M. Merola of counsel), for New York State Bar Association, amicus curiae in the first above-entitled proceeding.

Loeb & Loeb, LLP, New York City ( Eugene R. Licker of counsel), for American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and others, amici curiae in the first above-entitled proceeding.

Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, New York City ( S. Penny Windle , Kerry Burns , Cindy Hong and Rebecca Salk of counsel), for Sanctuary for Families and others, amici curiae in the first above-entitled proceeding.

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, New York City ( Jennifer L. Colyer , Justin J. Santolli and Naz E. Wehrli of counsel), for Lawyers for Children and another, amici curiae in the first and second above-entitled proceedings.


OPINION OF THE COURT

These two cases call upon us to assess the continued vitality of the rule promulgated in Matter of Alison D. v Virginia M. (77 N.Y.2d 651 [1991]) — namely that, in an unmarried couple, a partner without a biological or adoptive relation to a child is...

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