N.Y. Fam. Ct. Act § 624

§ 624. Evidence. Only competent, material and relevant evidence may be\nadmitted in a fact-finding hearing; only material and relevant evidence\nmay be admitted in a dispositional hearing. Evidence of parental contact\nor of failure to maintain contact with a child subsequent to the date of\nthe filing of a petition under this part shall be inadmissible in the\nfact-finding hearing. Such evidence may be admitted in the dispositional\nhearing but shall not, of itself, be sufficient as a matter of law to\npreclude or require an order committing the guardianship and custody of\nthe child.\n