Matter of Norris v Firetog
2005 NY Slip Op 01204 [15 AD3d 491]
February 14, 2005
Appellate Division, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
As corrected through Wednesday, April 20, 2005


In the Matter of Cordoza Norris, Petitioner,
v
Neil J. Firetog, as Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, et al., Respondents.

[*1]Proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 in the nature of prohibition, inter alia, to prohibit the respondent Neil J. Firetog, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Kings County, from proceeding with trial of a criminal action entitled People v Norris, pending under Kings County indictment No. 8697/02, and application for poor person relief.

Ordered that the branch of the application which is for poor person relief is granted to the extent that the filing fee imposed by CPLR 8022 (b) is waived, and that branch of the application is otherwise denied as academic; and it is further,

Adjudged that the petition is denied and the proceeding is dismissed, without costs or disbursements.

"Because of its extraordinary nature, prohibition is available only where there is a clear legal right, and then only when a court—in cases where judicial authority is challenged—acts or threatens to act either without jurisdiction or in excess of its authorized powers" (Matter of Holtzman v Goldman, 71 NY2d 564, 569 [1988]; see, Matter of Rush v Mordue, 68 NY2d 348, 352 [1986]). The [*2]petitioner has failed to demonstrate a clear legal right to the relief sought. Santucci, J.P., Crane, Skelos and Lifson, JJ., concur.