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Misinformation from Defense Counsel, Prosecutor and Judge Re: Defendant’s Eligibility for Shock Incarceration Warranted Vacation of Guilty Plea In Spite of Appeal Waiver/Overnight Guest Has Standing to Contest Search of Residence

The Third Department, over a dissent, determined that misinformation from the judge, prosecutor and defense counsel about defendant’s eligibility for the shock incarceration program justified the vacation his guilty plea, despite an appeal waiver. In addition, the court determined defendant was entitled to a hearing on whether he had standing to contest the search of another’s mobile home.  The owner of the mobile home (Orrego) had supplied an affidavit stating defendant was an overnight guest, a status the provided standing to contest the search:

Given the mistake by all involved in the plea proceeding, and counsel’s failure to provide meaningful representation on this issue, we agree with defendant’s contention that his motion to withdraw his guilty plea should have been granted. * * *

… [A] trial court is not obligated to conduct a suppression hearing “unless the accused alleges facts that, if true, demonstrate standing to challenge the search or seizure” … . Pertinent here, “an overnight guest has an expectation of privacy in the host’s home” and, thus, standing to contest a search of that home … . In our view, the facts set forth in the Orrego affidavit necessitated, at a minimum, that a hearing be held to determine whether defendant had standing to contest the search… . People v Wiggins, 2015 NY Slip Op 02517, 3rd Dept 3-26-15

 

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Nervous and Uncooperative Actions by Defendant Justified Search of Area Inside Defendant’s Car After Defendant Was Out of the Car and Had Been Frisked

The First Department, over a dissent, determined the nervous and uncooperative actions of the defendant justified the warrantless search of a bag inside the car defendant was driving, after defendant was outside the car and had been frisked:

The testimony supports the trial court’s finding that the facts available to the officers, including defendant’s furtive behavior, suspicious actions in looking into the back seat on multiple occasions and refusal to follow the officers’ legitimate directions, went beyond mere nervousness. Rather, defendant’s actions both inside and outside of the vehicle created a “perceptible risk” and supported a reasonable conclusion that a weapon that posed an actual and specific danger to their safety was secreted in the area behind the front passenger seat, which justified the limited search of that area, even after defendant had been removed from the car and frisked … . People v Hardee, 2015 NY Slip Op 02573, 1st Dept 3-26-15

 

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Plaintiff’s Motion to Appoint a Temporary Administrator after Defendant’s Death Properly Denied—Relevant Law Explained

In affirming the denial of plaintiff’s motion to appoint a temporary administrator after the defendant in a lead-paint action had died, the Second Department explained the relevant law:

“If a party dies and the claim for or against him [or her] is not thereby extinguished the court shall order substitution of the proper parties” (CPLR 1015[a]…). “A motion for substitution may be made by the successors or representatives of a party or by any party” (CPLR 1021…). “Generally, the death of a party divests a court of jurisdiction to act, and automatically stays proceedings in the action pending the substitution of a personal representative for the decedent” … .

In most instances a personal representative appointed by the Surrogate’s Court should be substituted in the action to represent the decedent’s estate … . However, in the event no such representative exists, an appropriate appointment may be made by the Supreme Court and that individual may be substituted in place of the decedent … . Indeed, “[t]he Supreme Court is a court of general jurisdiction with the power to appoint a temporary administrator, and may do so to avoid delay and prejudice in a pending action” … . The determination of whether to exercise its authority to appoint a temporary administrator is committed to the sound discretion of the Supreme Court, and will not be disturbed by this Court so long as the determination does not constitute an improvident exercise of discretion … .

Under the circumstances of this case, the Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in denying the plaintiff’s motion, inter alia, to appoint a temporary administrator (see CPLR 1015[a]…). Although in most instances the personal representative of the decedent’s estate should be substituted, here, the plaintiff failed to demonstrate what steps she had taken to secure the appointment of a personal representative in the appropriate Surrogate’s Court or that resort to the appropriate Surrogate’s Court was otherwise unfeasible … . Furthermore, the plaintiff did not contend that this action, which is based on events occurring nearly 20 years ago, was trial-ready … . Under the circumstances presented here, the plaintiff failed to adequately demonstrate why the appointment of a temporary administrator was needed to avoid undue delay and prejudice. Lambert v Estren, 2015 NY Slip Op 02454, 2nd Dept 3-25-15

 

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Referee’s Authority Exceeded—Authority Comes from Consent of the Parties

The Second Department determined the referee had exceeded his authority in a custody proceeding:

“A referee derives authority from an order of reference by the court (see CPLR 4311), which can be made only upon the consent of the parties, except in limited circumstances,” which are not applicable here … . Here, the parties did not consent to the determination of any issues by a referee, and the order of reference directed the referee to hear and report (see CPLR 4317[a]). Absent the parties’ consent, the referee had the power only to hear and report his findings (see CPLR 4317[a]…). Thus, the referee exceeded his authority in signing an order to show cause pursuant to which the defendant, in effect, sought leave to submit a motion to modify a prior order of custody and to stay the enforcement of an order entered in a related custody proceeding commenced in the Family Court, pending her appeal of that order. The referee further exceeded his authority in temporarily restraining the enforcement of the Family Court’s order and all proceedings in the Family Court pending the determination of that branch of the defendant’s motion which was for a stay … .  Albert v Albert, 2015 NY Slip Op 02439, 2nd Dept 3-25-15

 

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Escalating Intrusiveness of Police-Encounter with Defendant Justified Under DeBour Criteria—Criteria Explained and Applied

The Second Department, over a dissent, determined the arresting officer, Schwizer, properly escalated the intrusiveness of his encounter with the defendant (under the DeBour criteria) based upon the actions of the defendant:

“On a motion to suppress physical evidence, the People bear the burden of going forward to establish the legality of police conduct in the first instance” …, the Court of Appeals established a graduated four-level test for evaluating the propriety of police encounters when a police officer is acting in a law enforcement capacity … . The first level permits a police officer to request information from an individual, and merely requires that the request be supported by an objective, credible reason, not necessarily indicative of criminality … . The second level, known as the common-law right of inquiry, requires a founded suspicion that criminal activity is afoot, and permits a somewhat greater intrusion … . The third level permits a police officer to forcibly stop and detain an individual. Such a detention, however, is not permitted unless there is a reasonable suspicion that an individual is committing, has committed, or is about to commit a crime … . The fourth level authorizes an arrest based on probable cause to believe that a person has committed a crime … .

“Encounters between citizens and the police in public places are of an endless variety with no two being precisely alike” … . Here, Schwizer properly exercised his common-law right of inquiry when he initially encountered the defendant, as the defendant matched the general description of a man with a gun at the subject location … .

At this stage in the encounter, absent reasonable suspicion of criminal activity, Schwizer could not forcibly detain the defendant … . However, during his common-law right of inquiry, Schwizer was permitted to ask the defendant to show or raise his hands as a self-protective measure … .

The defendant’s failure to comply with Schwizer’s request to show his hands, coupled with the nature of the report, and the presence of the defendant’s hands in his waist area, escalated the encounter and justified Schwizer’s conduct in grabbing the defendant’s hands as a self-protective measure … . Once Schwizer felt the firearm in the defendant’s waist area, he was furnished with reasonable suspicion … . People v Abdul-Mateen, 2015 NY Slip Op 02489, 2nd Dept 3-25-15

 

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Criteria for Emergency Exception to the Warrant Requirement (Re: Entry of an Apartment) Not Met

The Second Department determined the police should not have entered and apartment without a warrant because the emergency exception to the warrant requirement did not apply.  The landlord had simply indicated a woman was in the apartment without any indication the woman was in distress:

Under the emergency exception to the warrant requirement, the police may make a warrantless entry into a protected area if (1) they have reasonable grounds to believe that there was an emergency at hand and an immediate need for their assistance for the protection of life or property; (2) the search was not primarily motivated by an intent to arrest and seize evidence; and (3) there was some reasonable basis, approximating probable cause, to associate the emergency with the area or place to be searched … . The United States Supreme Court has determined that the second prong, regarding the subjective intent of the police, is no longer relevant under the Fourth Amendment (see Brigham City v Stuart, 547 US 398, 404-405). However, we need not decide whether the second prong of Mitchell is still viable under the New York Constitution because we conclude that the People did not satisfy the first prong of Mitchell … . The mere sound of unspecified banging and a woman’s voice coming from the upstairs apartment was insufficient to show that there was an emergency at hand requiring the immediate assistance of the police in order to protect life or property … . The owner did not say that she heard the woman screaming or crying for help, and the officers did not observe any indicia of an emergency … . People v Hammett, 2015 NY Slip Op 02498, 2nd Dept 3-25-15

 

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Observing a “Bulge” Did Not Justify Forcible Detention

The Second Department reversed defendant’s conviction, finding that the police officer’s observation of a bulge did not justify forcible detention:

…[T]he arresting officer did not have reasonable suspicion to believe that the defendant had committed or was about to commit a crime … . The officer briefly observed what he initially characterized only as a “bulge” on the right side of the defendant’s pants. Despite this initial characterization, the officer later testified that he thought he had observed a holster, which turned out to be a buckle attached to the right side of the defendant’s pants. This observation, without more, was not sufficient to permit the officer to forcibly detain the defendant … . Accordingly, the physical evidence recovered from the defendant as a consequence of the unlawful detention and arrest should have been suppressed… . People v Severino, 2015 NY Slip Op 02509, 2nd Dept 3-25-15

 

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Subcontractor Which Did Not Supervise Injured Plaintiff or Control Site Safety May Still Be Liable Under Common-Law Negligence for Creating the Dangerous Condition

The Second Department determined questions of fact existed whether a subcontractor (Geiger), which did not supervise the injured plaintiff or control safety measures, could be held liable for common-law negligence for creating the dangerous condition:

Supreme Court properly denied that branch of Geiger’s motion which was for summary judgment dismissing the cause of action to recover damages for common-law negligence insofar as asserted against it. A subcontractor “may be held liable for negligence where the work it performed created the condition that caused the plaintiff’s injury even if it did not possess any authority to supervise and control the plaintiff’s work or work area” … . An award of summary judgment in favor of a subcontractor on a negligence claim is improper where the “evidence raise[s] a triable issue of fact as to whether [the subcontractor’s] employee created an unreasonable risk of harm that was the proximate cause of the injured plaintiff’s injuries” … . Here, there are triable issues of fact as to whether employees of Geiger created the dangerous condition that allegedly caused the injured plaintiff’s accident. Lombardo v Tag Ct. Sq.,LLC,  2015 NY Slip Op 02458, 2nd Dept 3-25-15

 

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Board of Commissioner’s Rejection of Hearing Officer’s Award of Supplemental Benefits Was Supported by Substantial Evidence—“Substantial Evidence” Defined and Review Criteria Explained

The Second Department determined the Board of Commissioners of the Greenville Fire District properly rejected a hearing officer’s recommendation that the petitioner be awarded supplemental benefits pursuant to the General Municipal Law. The court explained its review powers and the evidentiary requirements:

“Judicial review of an administrative determination made after a hearing required by law is limited to whether the determination is supported by substantial evidence” … . “Substantial evidence means more than a mere scintilla of evidence,’ and the test of whether substantial evidence exists in a record is one of rationality, taking into account all the evidence on both sides” … . “When there is conflicting evidence or different inferences may be drawn, the duty of weighing the evidence and making the choice rests solely upon the [administrative agency]. The courts may not weigh the evidence or reject the choice made by [such agency] where the evidence is conflicting and room for choice exists'” … . “Moreover, where there is conflicting expert testimony, in making a General Municipal Law § 20-a determination, a municipality is free to credit one physician’s testimony over that of another'” … . “Thus, even if conflicting medical evidence can be found in the record,’ the municipality’s determination, based on its own expert’s conclusions, may still be supported by substantial evidence” … .

Here, the determination of the Board of Commissioners of the Greenville Fire District (hereinafter the Board), which rejected the recommendation of a hearing officer and denied the petitioner’s application for benefits pursuant to General Municipal Law § 207-a(2), was supported by substantial evidence … . The Board was entitled to make a finding contrary to the hearing officer’s recommendation, as long as substantial evidence supported the determination … . The Board was free to credit the expert of the Greenville Fire District (hereinafter the Fire District) over the petitioner’s expert, as it did, so long as testimony of the Fire District’s expert was consistent and supported by the medical evidence … . Since the Board’s determination was supported by substantial evidence, we confirm the determination and deny that branch of the petition which was to annul the determination … . Matter of Delgrande v Greenville Fire Dist., 2015 NY Slip Op 02474, 2nd Dept 3-25-15

 

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Plaintiff Struck by Sled—Village Immune from Liability Under General Obligations Law

The Second Department determined the lawsuit against a village was properly dismissed.  Plaintiff was standing at the bottom of a hill when struck by someone who was sledding.  The hill had long been used for sledding:

The defendant (village) established as a matter of law that it was immune from liability pursuant to General Obligation Law § 9-103, which applies “to private as well as government landowners against claims for ordinary negligence brought by members of the public who come on their property to engage in certain enumerated activities where the land is suitable for those activities” …, including undeveloped areas of public parks (see Myers v State, 11 AD3d 1020, 1021). This statute also applies to a person who is injured when other individuals engaged in an enumerated recreational activity collide with the injured plaintiff … . In opposition, the plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact … . Vannatta v Village of Otisville, 2015 NY Slip Op 02469, 2nd Dept 3-25-15

 

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