NOTHING IN DEFENDANT’S CRIMINAL HISTORY INVOLVED SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR WEAPONS; THEREFORE THE PROBATION CONDITION THAT DEFENDANT SUBMIT TO SEARCHES OF HIS PERSON, VEHICLE AND HOME WAS STRUCK (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, striking a probation condition, determined (1) the requirement that defendant submit to warrantless searches of his person, vehicle and home was not appropriate, and (2) the challenge to the probation condition survived defendant’s waiver of appeal:

Defendant’s challenge to the condition of probation requiring that he consent to warrantless searches of his person, vehicle, and home survives the appeal waiver … . “Defendant was not under the influence of any substance or armed with a weapon when he committed the crime of which he was convicted, and he had no history of offenses involving substance abuse or weapons” … . Accordingly, the consent-search condition was not necessary to ensure that he will lead a law-abiding life ( … see Penal Law § 65.10[1]), or reasonably related to defendant’s rehabilitation (see Penal Law § 65.10[2][l]), rendering the condition improperly imposed … . People v Avila, 2025 NY Slip Op 03286, First Dept 6-3-25

Practice Point: Where a defendant’s criminal history does not involve drugs or weapons, requiring defendant to submit to warrantless searches as a condition of probation is not supported.