N.Y. Family Court Act § 344.1: Rules of evidence; proof of previous conviction or delinquency finding

§ 344.1. Rules of evidence; proof of previous conviction or

delinquency finding. 1. If in the course of a juvenile delinquency

proceeding, any witness, including a respondent, is properly asked

whether he was previously convicted of a specified offense and answers

in the negative or in an equivocal manner, the party adverse to the one

who called him may independently prove such conviction. If in response

to proper inquiry whether he has ever been convicted of any offense the

witness answers in the negative or in an equivocal manner, the adverse

party may independently prove any previous conviction.

2. If a respondent in a juvenile delinquency proceeding, through the

testimony of a witness other than respondent called by him, offers

evidence of his good character, the presentment agency may independently

prove any previous finding of delinquency of the respondent for a crime

the commission of which would tend to negate any character trait or

quality attributed to the respondent in such witness' testimony.