People v. Singleton

140 Misc. 2d 960, 532 N.Y.S.2d 208, 1988 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 509
CourtCriminal Court of the City of New York
DecidedJuly 28, 1988
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 140 Misc. 2d 960 (People v. Singleton) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Criminal Court of the City 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. Singleton, 140 Misc. 2d 960, 532 N.Y.S.2d 208, 1988 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 509 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1988).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Louise Gruner Gans, J.

The defendant, Louis Singleton, is charged with attempted assault in the third degree (Penal Law §§ 110.05, 120.00 [1]), aggravated harassment in the second degree (Penal Law § 240.30 [1], [2]), harassment (Penal Law § 240.25 [1], [5]), criminal trespass in the second degree (Penal Law § 140.15), endangering the welfare of a child (Penal Law § 260.10 [1]), and criminal contempt in the second degree (Penal Law § 215.50 [3]).

In the course of a bench trial before me on April 8 and 13, 1988, a question arose as to the jurisdiction of the Criminal Court to adjudicate the charges against the defendant on the ground that pursuant to Family Court Act § 812 (2) and CPL 530.11 the complaint had made a binding election to proceed against the defendant in the Family Court. Because of the emergence of this issue before the conclusion of the trial, the court reserved decision, and counsel submitted memoranda addressed to the issue of the court’s jurisdiction.

The factual background is as follows: On June 21, 1987, Nancy Singleton, the complainant in this court, filed a family offense petition, pursuant to Family Court Act article 8, in the Family Court, Bronx County, against her husband, Louis Singleton, who is the defendant before this court. Acting on the petition, on July 20, 1987, the Family Court, pursuant to Family Court Act § 842, issued a permanent order of protection in favor of Nancy Singleton. The order, the duration of which is 12 months, directed that "[r]espondent[, Louis Single[962]*962ton,] shall refrain from acts constituting assault, menacing, reckless endangerment, and/or disorderly conduct directed against [petitioner; and it is further Ordered respondent excluded from petitioner’s apartment.”

Earlier, on February 15, 1986, the Bronx County Family Court had issued an order governing visitation by Louis Singleton, of their child, Louis, Jr.

On August 10, 1987, pursuant to Family Court Act § 846, the complainant filed a petition for violation of the order of protection, in the Bronx Family Court, based on conduct allegedly engaged in by Louis Singleton on July 26, 1987 and August 8, 9 and 10, 1987. It is the conduct complained of on August 9 and 10, 1987 along with the events of July 26, 1987 which likewise form the basis of the criminal charges. Also on August 10, 1987, the complainant filed with the Family Court a petition for modification of the visitation order. Both petitions were signed by the complainant on August 10, 1987.

Defendant was arrested on August 13, 1987 on Mrs. Singleton’s complaint to the police and given a desk appearance ticket returnable in the Bronx Criminal Court on October 8, 1987.

On August 19, 1987, Mrs. Singleton appeared at the offices of the Bronx County District Attorney and swore out a criminal complaint against her husband for his actions of July 26, and August 9 and 10, 1987. The complaint was filed by the People on August 19, 1987, but defendant was not actually arraigned until October 8, 1987. August 19,1987 is the date of commencement of these criminal proceedings, since the mere issuance of a desk appearance ticket does not have that effect. (See, CPL 30.30. [5] [b].) On October 9, 1987, the Family Court dismissed the petition for violation of the July 20, 1987 order of protection based on the pendency of the criminal proceedings.

The defendant bases his motion to dismiss on the complainant’s irrevocable election of the Family Court as the forum in which to litigate the issues arising out of the alleged violation of the Family Court’s order of protection. Defendant argues that more than 72 hours passed after Mrs. Singleton appeared in Family Court on August 10, 1987 when she commenced a proceeding in that forum and August 19, 1987 when she signed the complaint to have her husband’s conduct prosecuted according to the Penal Law. (CPL 100.07, 530.11; Family Ct Act §§ 812, 821.)

[963]*963The People argue that Mrs. Singleton was not provided with the admonitions and information mandated by Family Court Act § 812 (2) (a)-(f), and therefore did not make a legally effective election to proceed in the Family Court. Complainant’s affidavit recites that she was not informed of the differing purposes of proceeding in these fora and that had she known of this, she would have chosen the Criminal Court. In the alternative, the People contend that even if Mrs. Singleton is found to have made a binding election to proceed in the Family Court, the Criminal Court nevertheless retains jurisdiction over that count of the information charging defendant with criminal contempt in the second. (Penal Law § 215.50.)

The court concludes that complainant has made a binding election to proceed in the Family Court with respect to those counts of the information charging defendant with attempted assault in the third degree, harassment, and aggravated harassment in the second degree. Consequently, those charges pursuant to Penal Law §§ 110.00, 120.00 (1); §§ 240.25 and 240.30 are dismissed with leave to restore in the Family Court. With regard to the charges of endangering the welfare of a child, criminal trespass in the second degree and criminal contempt in the second degree, the court holds that those counts are within the jurisdiction of the Criminal Court.

Family Court Act § 812 (1) confers jurisdiction on the Family Court concurrent with the Criminal Court over certain acts designated as "family offenses” which constitute disorderly conduct, harassment, menacing, reckless endangerment, assault in the second degree, assault in the third degree or an attempted assault, between spouses or between a parent and child or between members of the same family or household. (Hayes v Hayes, 131 Misc 2d 317 [Fam Ct, Suffolk County 1986].) CPL 530.11 (1) also provides for such concurrent jurisdiction. (People v Perez, 109 Misc 2d 291 [Crim Ct, NY County 1981].) In addition to these enumerated "family offenses”, case law has extended the jurisdiction of the Family Court to other penal offenses when the nonenumerated offense is "inextricably” linked to an enumerated family offense. (People v Williams, 24 NY2d 274, 287 [1969]; People v Oliver, 75 AD2d 590 [2d Dept 1980]; People v Wade, 31 AD2d 657 [2d Dept 1968]; People v Harris, 113 Misc 2d 46 [Suffolk County Ct 1982].)

Offenses will be considered inextricably linked only when they share a common legal element. (People v Williams, 24 NY2d, supra, at 286.) An offense whose legal elements stand [964]*964independently of the enumerated offenses charged in a given case is distinct and may not be heard in the Family Court. (People v Wade, 31 AD2d, supra, at 658.) It follows that with regard to those penal offenses which are not inextricably linked to one of the enumerated "family offenses”, no right of election exists because the Criminal Court has exclusive jurisdiction over them. Conversely, a right of election exists only with regard to those offenses over which both courts may exercise jurisdiction. (People v McGraw, 138 Misc 2d 349 [Nassau County Ct 1988]; People v Hayden, 129 Misc 2d 444 [Suffolk County Ct 1985], affd 128 AD2d 726 [2d Dept 1987].)

In the instant case, it is clear that attempted assault and harassment are family offenses enumerated in Family Court Act § 812 (1).

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Bluebook (online)
140 Misc. 2d 960, 532 N.Y.S.2d 208, 1988 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 509, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-singleton-nycrimct-1988.