Opinion
10-21-2015
Matter of Jehan Abdur RAHEEM, petitioner, v. Sheryl L. PARKER, respondent.
Jehan Abdur Raheem, Naponach, N.Y., petitioner pro se. Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General, New York, N.Y. (Robert L. Martin of counsel), for respondent.
Jehan Abdur Raheem, Naponach, N.Y., petitioner pro se.
Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General, New York, N.Y. (Robert L. Martin of counsel), for respondent.
Opinion Proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 in the nature of mandamus to compel the respondent Sheryl L. Parker, in effect, to vacate an order dated November 10, 2009, which denied the petitioner's motion pursuant to CPL 160.50(1) to seal the records of a criminal proceeding entitled People v. Whitaker, also known as Raheem, commenced under Kings County Indictment No. 649/76, and thereupon to direct that those records be sealed.
ADJUDGED that the petition is denied and the proceeding is dismissed on the merits, without costs or disbursements.
“The extraordinary remedy of mandamus will lie only to compel the performance of a ministerial act, and only where there exists a clear legal right to the relief sought” (Matter of Sullivan v. Morgenstern, 127 A.D.3d 980, 980, 4 N.Y.S.3d 909 ; see Matter of Legal Aid Socy.of Sullivan County v. Scheinman, 53 N.Y.2d 12, 16, 439 N.Y.S.2d 882, 422 N.E.2d 542 ). “Mandamus will not lie if the action sought to be compelled involves an exercise of discretion or reasoned judgment” (Matter of Jordan v. Levine, 116 A.D.3d 1043, 1044, 983 N.Y.S.2d 895 ; see Klostermann v. Cuomo, 61 N.Y.2d 525, 539, 475 N.Y.S.2d 247, 463 N.E.2d 588 ; Matter of Jacobs v. Parga, 98 A.D.3d 741, 742, 950 N.Y.S.2d 204 ; Matter of Daniels v. Lewis, 95 A.D.3d 1011, 1012, 944 N.Y.S.2d 239 ). The petitioner failed to demonstrate a clear legal right to the relief sought.
RIVERA, J.P., BALKIN, LEVENTHAL and DICKERSON, JJ., concur.