Substitute Judge Can Rule on Motion Argued Before Another Judge

The full-fledged opinion by Judge Read was succinctly summarized by the Court of Appeals as follows:

We hold that Judiciary Law § 21 does not bar a substitute judge from deciding a question of law presented in a motion argued orally before another judge so long as a transcript or recording of the prior argument is available for review, and “the substitute indicates on the record the requisite familiarity with the proceedings and no undue prejudice occurs to the defendant or the People” …. Put another way, section 21 does not mandate a mistrial or that the pending motion be re-argued orally in front of the substitute judge. People v Hampton, No 92, CtApp, 6-6-13