Learn About The Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Current as of January 01, 2026 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
(a) At the conclusion of a hearing held pursuant to section one thousand ninety-five of this article, the court may enter an order of disposition granting custody or guardianship of the child to a relative or suitable person under article six of this act or guardianship of the child to a relative or suitable person under article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act if:
(1) the relative or suitable person has filed a petition for custody or guardianship of the child pursuant to article six of this act or guardianship of the child pursuant to article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act; and
(2) the court finds that granting custody or guardianship of the child to the relative or suitable person is in the best interests of the child; and
(3) the court finds that granting custody or guardianship of the child to the relative or suitable person under article six of this act or guardianship of the child to a relative or suitable person under article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act will provide the child with a safe and permanent home; and
(4) all parties to the destitute child proceeding consent to the granting of custody or guardianship under article six of this act or article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act; or
(5) after a consolidated fact finding and dispositional hearing on the destitute child petition and the petition under article six of this act or article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act:
(i) if a parent or parents fail to consent to the granting of custody or guardianship under article six of this act or guardianship under article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act, the court finds that extraordinary circumstances exist that support granting an order of custody or guardianship under article six of this act or guardianship under article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act; or
(ii) if the parent or parents consent and a party other than a parent fails to consent to the granting of custody or guardianship under article six of this act or guardianship under article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act, the court finds that granting custody or guardianship of the child to the relative or suitable person is in the best interests of the child.
(b) An order made in accordance with the provisions of this section shall set forth the required findings as described in subdivision (a) of this section and shall constitute the final disposition of the destitute child proceeding. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court shall not issue an order of supervision nor may the court require the local department of social services to provide services to the parent, parents, caretaker or interested adult when granting custody or guardianship pursuant to article six of this act or guardianship under article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act under this section.
(c) As part of the order granting custody or guardianship pursuant to article six of this act or guardianship pursuant to article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act, the court may require that the local department of social services and the attorney for the child receive notice of and be made parties to any subsequent proceeding to modify such order of custody or guardianship.
(d) An order entered in accordance with this section shall conclude the court's jurisdiction over the proceeding held pursuant to this article and the court shall not maintain jurisdiction over the parties for the purposes of permanency hearings held pursuant to article ten-A of this act.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - New York Consolidated Laws, Family Court Act - FCT § 1096. Custody or guardianship with relatives or suitable persons pursuant to article six of this act or article seventeen of the surrogate's court procedure act - last updated January 01, 2026 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/family-court-act/fct-sect-1096/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)