HERE A “CERTIFICATE OF DELINQUENCY” WAS NEVER FILED FOR ANY VIOLATION OF PROBATION BY THE DEFENDANT AND THE PERIOD OF PROBATION EXPIRED WHILE DEFENDANT WAS STILL UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE DRUG TREATMENT COURT; WHEN DEFENDANT VIOLATED THE TERMS OF PROBATION AGAIN, PROBATION WAS REVOKED AND DEFENDANT WAS SENTENCED TO INCARCERATION; BECAUSE THE REVOCATION AND SENTENCE TOOK PLACE AFTER THE PERIOD OF PROBATION EXPIRED, THE SENTENCING COURT HAD BEEN STRIPPED OF JURISDICTION (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Wilson, reversing the Appellate Division, determined that, because no “declaration of delinquency” had ever been filed, defendant’s [Mr. Curry’s] period of probation was never tolled. Therefore the court did not have jurisdiction to revoke his probation and sentence him to incarceration after his probationary period expired:

From 2019 through 2021, Mr. Curry participated in the drug treatment program with mixed results. The DTC [drug treatment court] made efforts to support a positive outcome, permitting Mr. Curry’s continued release after positive drug screens and ensuring he received outpatient treatment. July 5, 2021—the date at which Mr. Curry’s probation was set to expire—passed while Mr. Curry continued to participate in DTC. On December 14, 2021, due to another positive drug screen and missed court dates, the DTC revoked Mr. Curry’s probation and sentenced him to two years of incarceration and three years of post-release supervision. People v Curry, 2026 NY Slip Op 01448, CtApp 3-17-26

Practice Point: If a defendant violates probation but no certificate of delinquency is filed, the probationary period continues to run is not tolled. Here, despite probation violations by the defendant, no certificate of delinquency was ever filed. The court therefore did not have jurisdiction to revoke defendant’s probation and sentence him to incarceration after the expiration of his probationary period.​