People v. Merchant

CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedJune 24, 2026
Docket2023-09637
StatusPublished

This text of People v. Merchant (People v. Merchant) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Merchant, (N.Y. Ct. App. 2026).

Opinion

People v Merchant - 2026 NY Slip Op 03981
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Law Reporting
Bureau
Thomas J.K. Smith, State Reporter

People v Merchant

2026 NY Slip Op 03981

June 24, 2026

Appellate Division, Second Department

Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.

This decision is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the Official Reports.

The People of the State of New York, respondent,

v

Courtney S. Merchant, appellant.

Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department

Decided on June 24, 2026

2023-09637, (Ind. No. 34/21)

Betsy Barros, J.P.

Valerie Brathwaite Nelson

Barry E. Warhit

Lourdes M. Ventura

Susan Quirk, JJ.

Patricia Pazner, New York, NY (Christiana Johnson of counsel), for appellant.

Melinda Katz, District Attorney, Kew Gardens, NY (Johnnette Traill and Danielle S. Fenn of counsel; Sarah Walter on the memorandum), for respondent.

[*1]

DECISION & ORDER

Appeal by the defendant, as limited by his motion, from a sentence of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Gary F. Miret, J.), imposed September 29, 2023, upon his plea of guilty, on the ground that the fine imposed as part of the sentence was excessive.

ORDERED that the sentence is affirmed.

Contrary to the defendant's contention, the record demonstrates that the defendant knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently waived his right to appeal (see People v Thomas, 34 NY3d 545; People v Lopez, 6 NY3d 248; cf. People v Sutton, 184 AD3d 236, 245). The defendant's valid waiver of his right to appeal precludes appellate review of his contention that the fine imposed as part of the sentence was excessive (see People v Lopez, 6 NY3d at 255-256).

BARROS, J.P., BRATHWAITE NELSON, WARHIT, VENTURA and QUIRK, JJ., concur.

ENTER:

Darrell M. Joseph

Clerk of the Court

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Related

People v. Lopez
844 N.E.2d 1145 (New York Court of Appeals, 2006)
People v. Sutton
2020 NY Slip Op 3400 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2020)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
People v. Merchant, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-merchant-nyappdiv-2026.