Department of Social Services v. Nichols

OPINION OF THE COURT

John M. Thomas, J.

The respondent, Thomas Nichols, filed before this court an objection to a Hearing Examiner’s decision of April 6, 1987 which assesses to the respondent $1,019.88 of confinement costs incurred by the Department of Social Services in 1977 for the birth of the child Andrew Ross.

*83The objection is based on two grounds. First, the respondent contends that the mother should bear part of the cost based upon the gender neutral interpretation of the statute as set forth in Matter of Lisa M. UU. v Mario D. VV. (78 AD2d 711 [3d Dept 1980]). The respondent is correct…