{"jurisdiction": "us-ny", "code": "fca", "section": "624", "citation": "FCA § 624", "heading": "Evidence", "text": ["§ 624. Evidence. Only competent, material and relevant evidence may be admitted in a fact-finding hearing; only material and relevant evidence may be admitted in a dispositional hearing. Evidence of parental contact or of failure to maintain contact with a child subsequent to the date of the filing of a petition under this part shall be inadmissible in the fact-finding hearing. Such evidence may be admitted in the dispositional hearing but shall not, of itself, be sufficient as a matter of law to preclude or require an order committing the guardianship and custody of the child."], "official_source": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/FCT/624", "from_official_api": true, "plain_english": "Fact-finding: only **competent, material, and relevant** evidence. Disposition: only **material and relevant** evidence (competency bar relaxed). ★ Evidence of parental contact **after the petition was filed is inadmissible at fact-finding**, may come in at disposition, but by itself can't force or block a commitment order.", "retrieved": "2026-09-27", "url": "https://elyphived.com/us-ny/fca/624", "publisher": "Elyphived LLC"}