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Matter of Morgenthau v. Roberts, Jones

Court of Appeals of the State of New York
Jun 11, 1985
65 N.Y.2d 749 (N.Y. 1985)

Summary

following CPLR article 78 proceeding against Supreme Court Justice, action converted, upon further appellate review, to an action for declaratory judgment

Summary of this case from Donaldson v. State

Opinion

Decided June 11, 1985

Appeal from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, in the First Judicial Department, George Roberts, J.

Steven G. Asin and Caesar D. Cirigliano for appellant.

Robert M. Morgenthau, District Attorney ( Mark Dwyer of counsel), respondent pro se.


MEMORANDUM.

The judgment of the Appellate Division should be reversed, the proceeding converted to an action for declaratory judgment and judgment granted declaring that Supreme Court had no authority to dismiss the felony complaint.

Whether the proceeding be considered as one for prohibition or for mandamus, it does not lie when there is available another adequate remedy ( Matter of State of New York v King, 36 N.Y.2d 59; 8 Weinstein-Korn-Miller, N Y Civ Prac ¶ 7801.07). An action for declaratory judgment is available to review the order of Supreme Court, Criminal Term, dismissing the felony complaint, for the People's appeal involves no factual issues, is not collateral and the trial court's ruling is likely to recur with similar results ( Matter of Morgenthau v Erlbaum, 59 N.Y.2d 143; see, Press v County of Monroe, 50 N.Y.2d 695). We, therefore, convert the proceeding, pursuant to CPLR 103 (c), to an action for declaratory judgment.

On the merits, it is clear that Supreme Court was without authority to dismiss the felony complaint. CPL 210.20 provides only for the dismissal of indictments and the trial courts may not "dismiss criminal proceedings on grounds * * * which the Legislature never authorized." ( See, People v Douglass, 60 N.Y.2d 194, 205.) Nor is there inherent or supervisory authority for such a dismissal ( id., at p 205). Insofar as People v Daniel P. ( 94 A.D.2d 83) holds to the contrary, it is not to be followed.

Chief Judge WACHTLER and Judges JASEN, MEYER, SIMONS, KAYE, ALEXANDER and TITONE concur.

On review of submissions pursuant to section 500.4 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals (22 N.Y.CRR 500.4), judgment reversed, without costs, proceeding converted to an action for declaratory judgment and judgment granted declaring that Supreme Court had no authority to dismiss the felony complaint, in a memorandum.


Summaries of

Matter of Morgenthau v. Roberts, Jones

Court of Appeals of the State of New York
Jun 11, 1985
65 N.Y.2d 749 (N.Y. 1985)

following CPLR article 78 proceeding against Supreme Court Justice, action converted, upon further appellate review, to an action for declaratory judgment

Summary of this case from Donaldson v. State
Case details for

Matter of Morgenthau v. Roberts, Jones

Case Details

Full title:In the Matter of ROBERT M. MORGENTHAU, as District Attorney of New York…

Court:Court of Appeals of the State of New York

Date published: Jun 11, 1985

Citations

65 N.Y.2d 749 (N.Y. 1985)
492 N.Y.S.2d 21
481 N.E.2d 561

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