Matter of Lebovits v Shillingford
2013 NY Slip Op 04338 [107 AD3d 802]
June 12, 2013
Appellate Division, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
As corrected through Wednesday, July 31, 2013


In the Matter of Baruch Lebovits, Petitioner,
v
Ruth Shillingford, Respondent.

[*1] Dershowitz, Eiger & Adelson, P.C., New York, N.Y. (Nathan Z. Dershowitz and Amy Adelson of counsel), and Aidala & Bertuna, P.C., Brooklyn, N.Y. (Arthur L. Aidala of counsel), for petitioner (one brief filed).

Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General, New York, N.Y. (Anthony J. Tomari of counsel), for respondent.

Proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 in the nature of mandamus to compel the respondent Ruth Shillingford, an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court, Kings County, to hold a hearing to determine whether, upon double jeopardy grounds, dismissal of the accusatory instrument with prejudice is required and make a determination with respect to the petitioner's motion pursuant to CPL 440.10.

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

The extraordinary remedy of mandamus will lie only to compel the performance of a ministerial act, and only where there exists a clear legal right to the relief sought (see Matter of Legal Aid Socy. of Sullivan County v Scheinman, 53 NY2d 12, 16 [1981]). The petitioner has failed to demonstrate a clear legal right to the relief sought. Rivera, J.P., Leventhal, Sgroi and Cohen, JJ., concur.