DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE/DISMISSED W/O PREJUDICE - CHILD SUPPT ARREARS

Q:  Modification Petition from Suppt. Magistrate was dismissed with Prejudice (child suppt. arrears). Then on last page of Order of Dismissal it states that it is ORDERED that the petition herein is dismissed without prejudice. What does this mean? Does it mean that objections can be filed with a Judge? Can I go to Court of Appeals after that?

A:  David's Answer:  You can (almost) always appeal a final order - regardless of whether it's "with prejudice" or "without." "With Prejudice" means you cannot re-file the same petition with the same set of facts again. That said, denial of an Objection appeal to a Judge then would be appealed to the Appellate Division, then (if necessary) to the Court of Appeals. Schedule a consult with a Westchester Child Support attorney for a full assessment.  -- David Bliven, Westchester Child Support attorney (www.blivenlaw.net)