Matter of Jahad R.

Matter of Jahad R. 2009 NY Slip Op 08946 [68 AD3d 423] December 3, 2009 Appellate Division, First Department Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. As corrected through Wednesday, February 10, 2010

In the Matter of Jahad R., a Person Alleged to be in Need of Supervision, Appellant.

—[*1] Tamara Steckler, The Legal Aid Society, New York (Judith Harris of counsel), for appellant.

Order of disposition, Family Court, Bronx County (Alma Cordova, J.), entered on or about November 12, 2008, which, upon a fact-finding determination that appellant failed to keep his curfew on a regular basis, adjudicated appellant a person in need of supervision and placed him in the custody of the Commissioner of Social Services for 12 months, unanimously reversed, on the law, without costs, the fact-finding determination vacated and the petition dismissed.

In its report accompanying the petition to have appellant adjudicated to be a person in need of supervision, the Administration for Children's Services (ACS) states that "diligent efforts" have been made, that services have been "exhausted," that appellant is "resistant to services," and that there is "no substantial likelihood that the family will benefit from diversion services." However, ACS failed to "clearly document[ ]" any diligent attempts it made to provide appropriate services to appellant and his family before it was determined that it was substantially unlikely they would benefit from further attempts, as required by Family Court Act § 735. The report does not identify the services that allegedly were offered. The failure to comply with this statutory requirement renders the petition jurisdictionally defective (Matter of Leslie H. v Carol M.D., 47 AD3d 716 [2008]). Concur—Gonzalez, P.J., Tom, Andrias, Nardelli and Richter, JJ.