People v. Zagorsky

73 Misc. 2d 420, 341 N.Y.S.2d 791, 1973 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2121
CourtNew York County Courts
DecidedMarch 16, 1973
StatusPublished
Cited by28 cases

This text of 73 Misc. 2d 420 (People v. Zagorsky) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York County Courts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Zagorsky, 73 Misc. 2d 420, 341 N.Y.S.2d 791, 1973 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2121 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1973).

Opinion

Stephen 'Smyk, J.

These appeals present two questions of first impression, one or the other of which is present in each of the cases decided herewith. Because of the number of cases which contain either or both of these issues, and the lack of uniformity of the local criminal courts in handling these two matters, we take occasion to write at some length on both points and resolve the following cases in the manner stated in accordance with the reasoning contained in the applicable part of tRis opinion.

UNDER PARTS I AND H:

People v. Zagorsky — affirmed.

UNDER PART l:

People v. Rohner — affirmed. ;

People v. Pitcher — reversed aid remanded.

People v. Sinacore — reversed and remanded.

People v. Travis — reversed and remanded.

UNDER PART n:

People v. Johnson — reversed and dismissed.

People v. Brady — affirmed.

People v. Pratt —- reversed and dismissed.

[422]*422PART I

Do the time limitations of recently enacted GPL 30.30 (speedy trial) apply where defendant is charged with a traffic infraction?

We answer it in the negative. While many philosophical arguments have beeh advanced to support a determination that the Legislature must have intended to include traffic infractions within the scope of GPL 30.30, no party has been able to successfully circumvent the clear language of the applicable statutes, which language calls for an opposite holding^

As a starting point, there can be no serious disagreement with the conclusion that if traffic infractions are to qualify and be covered under GPL 30.30 they must do so under paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of that section. Although the defendant-appel- . lant in the Zagorsky ease urges that .since traffic infractions are I treated as misdemeanors for certain procedural purposes they 1 should be classified as such for speedy trial purposes and thereby 1 come within GPL 30.30 (subd. 1, par. [c]), a reading of that sub;division indicates that it refers only to Class B misdemeanors as defined by the sentencing provisions of the Penal Law. And indeed, in the Practice Commentary accompanying GPL 30.30 (McKinney’s Cons. Laws of N, Y., Book 11A, GPL 30.30) this subdivision is described as applying to Class B misdemeanors And confirms this view.

The next and major question to be considered is whether a traffic infraction can be termed a violation and thereby qualify for the speedy trial advantages of GPL 30.30 (subd. 1, par. [d]), which states:

“ 1. Except as otherwise provided * * * a motion ndade [to dismiss for failure to provide a speedy trial] must be granted where the people are not ready for trial within: * * *
“ (d) thirty days of the commencement of a criminal action wherein the defendant is accused of one or more offenses, at least one of which is a violation and none of which is a crime. ’ ’

That the term violation ” does not include traffic infractions becomes apparent upon a reading and analysis of the meaning and interaction of various Penal Law and Criminal Procedure Law statutes.

To begin, Violation ” is denied under subdivision 3 of section 10.00 of the Penal Law, as an offense, other than a traffic infraction, ’ for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment in excess of fifteen days cannot be imposed. ’ ’ Since traffic infractions are specifically excluded from the definition of violation under the Penal Law, the next question is whether that definition [423]*423applies as well to the 'Criminal Procedure Law, and specifically to GPL 30.30.

The pertinent part of CPL 1.20 states that: “ Except where different meanings are expressly specified in subsequent provisions of this chapter, the term definitions contained in section 10.00 of the Penal Law.are applicable to this chapter”. Thus, unless the Legislature expressly expanded the Penal Law definition of a violation, either for the purpose of the Criminal Procedure Law as a whole or for the limited purpose of GPL 30.30, it is apparent that the Penal Law definition is to be applied. An examination of the Criminal Procedure Law reveals no such expansion, either express or implied and, for this reason alone, traffic infractions cannot be deemed violations-under CPL 30.30 (subd. 1, par. [d]).

A less easily discernible reason than the foregoing in refusing to apply CPL 30.30 to traffic infractions arises upon an examination of paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of said section. The phrase “ at least one of which is a violation ” leads by implication to the conclusion that there are some -offenses which do not amount to violations. And since traffic infractions are the only “ offenses ” lower on the -scale set forth in the Penal Law than violations, it is apparent that the above phrase is rendered meaningless by a holding that the term “violation” in GPL 30.30 (subd. 1, par. [d]) includes traffic infractions. For this reason as well, we hold that the strict time limitations of CPL 30.30 do not apply to traffic infractions and that a defendant charged with such an infraction is left to the traditional speedy trial remedy found in CPL 30.20.

In accordance with the above reasoning, the cases of People v. Pitcher, People v. Sinacore, and People v. Travis, wherein the lower court dismissed the informations on the basis of CPL 30.30, are reversed and remanded for trials; the case of People v. Rohner, wherein the lower court refused to so apply 30.30 is affirmed; and the case of People v. Zagorsky, insofar as it appeals from the lower court’s refusal to so apply 30.30, is affirmed.

part n

Does the failure to furnish a requested supporting deposition pursuant to CPL 100.25 and GPL 100.40 require dismissal of the simplified information and, if so, under what circumstances? .

In these appeals this court is faced with situations where (1) , although demand had been made for a supporting deposition the local criminal court failed to order one to be prepared and filed with the court prior to trial (People v. Brady); (2) long [424]*424after demand-, and about a month prior to trial, the local court requested that the District Attorney’s office procure the supporting deposition but never ordered the same from the complainant officer nor was one furnished prior to trial (People v. Johnson); (3) a requested supporting deposition was prepared and filed with the court but allegedly never served upon the defendant (People v. Pratt); (4) -same as (3) above except that the local Judge’s copy of the supporting deposition bears the Judge’s handwritten notation that on a certain date long before trial the Judge mailed a copy of it to the defendant (People v. Zagorsky). These and other cases not yet ready for decision call for an evaluation of the procedure which should be followed when a defendant requests a supporting deposition and of the consequences from failure to comply with such a request.

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Bluebook (online)
73 Misc. 2d 420, 341 N.Y.S.2d 791, 1973 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2121, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-zagorsky-nycountyct-1973.