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THE NEGOTIATED PLEA TO A MISDEMEANOR INFORMATION WAS VACATED AND THE DISMISSAL OF THE FELONY CHARGES WAS REVERSED; THE INFORMATION WAS JURISDICTIONALLY DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IT DID NOT ALLEGE EVERY ELEMENT OF THE CHARGED OFFENSE, HERE THE OPERABILITY OF THE FIREARM; THE FELONY CHARGES WERE REINSTATED (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Halligan, reversing the Appellate Term, over a two-judge dissent, determined the misdemeanor information to which defendant pled guilty was jurisdictionally defective in that it did not allege every element of the offense, here the operability of the firearm:

At arraignment, the People stated that while there had not yet been grand jury action, the parties had agreed to a pre-indictment plea bargain whereby the defendant would plead guilty to the misdemeanor count in satisfaction of all charges in exchange for a sentence of two years’ probation. With the People’s consent, Criminal Court purported to dismiss the two felony counts by crossing them off the felony complaint. The court did not adhere to the procedure set forth in CPL 180.50 for reducing felony charges, the People did not file a superseding accusatory instrument, and the defendant did not waive prosecution by information. He nonetheless pleaded guilty to the remaining misdemeanor count, and the court later imposed the bargained-for sentence. The defendant subsequently appealed the judgment of conviction, arguing that the felony complaint was jurisdictionally defective as to the count to which he pleaded due to the absence of any allegation that the firearm was operable. * * *

We agree with the defendant that the instrument to which he pleaded guilty did not meet the prima facie case requirement because it lacked any allegations of operability. As such, it was jurisdictionally defective and could not serve as the basis for his plea. Consequently, the case should be “restored to its pre-pleading status” (CPL 470.55 [2] …). The record reflects that the felony counts were dismissed when the parties informed the court of their agreed-upon disposition, and thus the purported dismissal is best understood as an integral component of the defendant’s plea. The pre-pleading posture therefore restores the felony complaint … . The defendant fails to identify a sufficient basis for dismissal of the original, pre-pleading felony complaint, and we therefore remit for further proceedings. People v Burgess, 2026 NY Slip Op 02438, CtApp 4-23-26

Practice Point: Consult this opinion for insight into the consequences of failing to follow the proper procedure for reducing felony charges as part of a negotiated plea to an information. Here the information was deemed jurisdictionally defective on appeal, the plea was vacated, and the felony charges were reinstated.

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