THE PEOPLE CAN NOT APPEAL THE GRANT OF DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO WITHDRAW HER PLEA, VACATE HER FELONY CONVICTION AND ALLOW HER TO PLEAD TO A MISDEMEANOR; DEFENDANT MADE THE MOTION AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A DRUG-COURT TREATMENT PROGRAM (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department determined the People could not appeal County Court’s granting defendant’s motion to withdraw her plea, vacate her felony conviction and allow her to plead to a misdemeanor. Defendant made the motion after she completed a drug-court treatment program:

“It is well settled that no appeal lies from a determination made in a criminal proceeding unless specifically provided for by statute” … . “CPL 450.20 delineates the instances in which the People may appeal as of right to an intermediate appellate court” … . Here, judgment has not been entered. We find that County Court’s order resolved to be a postsentence, prejudgment motion and no right to appeal lies under CPL 450.20 … . We “may not resort to interpretative contrivances to broaden the scope and application of [this] statute[]” … , as the Legislature’s policy is “to limit appellate proliferation in criminal matters” … . “Absent a specific statute granting the People the right to appeal, . . . this Court is without jurisdiction to hear the appeal” … . People v Backus, 2022 NY Slip Op 03949, Third Dept 6-16-22

Practice Point: The People can only appeal on the grounds described in the Criminal Procedure Law (CPL). Here County Court granted defendant’s motion to withdraw her plea, vacate her felony conviction and allow her to plead to a misdemeanor, Her motion was made after she completed a drug-court treatment program. The CPL does not give the People the authority to appeal County Court’s grant of defendant’s motion.