NYSDA in the Courts

NYSDA advocates in federal and state courts for the rights of criminal defendants and the improvement of the public defense system. Many courts have granted NYSDA amicus curiae status, and in other cases NYSDA has directly litigated important issues affecting public defense. As a NYSDA initiative, the now-independent Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) filed or joined briefs in several seminal cases concerning the rights of noncitizens in the criminal justice system. A list of court cases in which NYSDA and NYSDA's IDP have participated appears below. Select briefs are available in PDF format; others are maintained only in print. Links to decisions are provided where available. Requests can be made for print copies of a brief by contacting the Backup Center.

2011
People v Dickinson 2011 NY Slip Op 09001 (NY 2011) NYSDA Amicus Brief
2010
Battles v State of New York (US 2011) NYSDA Amicus Brief
2009
Hurrell-Harring v State of New York (NY 2009) NYSDA Amicus Brief
2008
People v Finley, 10 NY3d 647 (2008)  
2007
Haywood v Drown, 9 NY3d 481 (2007), rev'd, 129 SCt 2108 (2009)  
People v Tankleff, 49 AD3d 160 (2nd Dept 2007)  
2005
People v Williams, 4 NY3d 535 (2005)  
Levenson v. Lippman, 4 NY3d 280, 794 NY2d 276 (2005) NYSDA Amicus Brief
In re Grant, No. A40 093 259 (BIA 2005) (NY 2009) NYSDA Amicus Brief
Courtroom Television Network v. State of New York, 2005 NY Slip Op 05120 (June 16, 2005) NYSDA Amicus Brief
2004
Guido v Goord, 1 NY3d 345 (2004)  
Moore v Travis, 2 NY3d 748, 778 NYS2d 455 (2004) NYSDA Amicus Brief
2003
Dickson v Ashcroft, 346 F3d 44 (2nd Cir 2003) NYSDA Amicus Brief
Jobson v Ashcroft, No. 02-4019 (2nd Cir. 2003) NYSDA Amicus Brief
Nolan v Holmes, 334 F3d 189 (2nd Cir 2003) NYSDA Amicus Brief
People v Grice, 100 NY2d 318, 763 NYS2d 22 (2003) NYSDA Amicus Brief
People v. McDonald, 1 NY3d 109, 769 NYS2d 781 (2003) NYSDA Amicus Brief
Rankine v Reno, 319 F3d 93 (2nd Cir 2003) NYSDA Amicus Brief
2002
Sanchez v State, 99 NY2d 247 (2002)  
Hinman v Mark, 291 AD2d 870, 737 NYS2d 323 (4th Dept 2002) NYSDA Amicus Brief
Levenson v Lippman, 290 AD2d 211, 735 NYS2d 754 (1st Dept 2002) NYSDA Amicus Brief
People v Hicks, 98 NY2d 185, 746 NYS2d 441 (2002) NYSDA Amicus Brief
People v Smietana, 98 NY2d 336, 746 NYS2d 678 (2002) NYSDA Amicus Brief
2001
In re Miguel Devison-Charles, No. A45-382-757 (BIA 2001) NYSDA Amicus Brief
Calcano-Martinez v INS, 533 US 348 (2001) NYSDA Amicus Brief
Grant v Senkowski, 95 NY2d 605, 721 NYS2d 597 (2001) NYSDA Amicus Brief
People v Stokes, 95 NY2d 633, 722 NYS2d 217 (2001) NYSDA Amicus Brief
People v Herring, 279 AD2d 765, 718 NYS2d 492 (3rd Dept 2001)  
People v Lee, 96 NY2d 157, 726 NYS2d 361 (2001)  
People v Robinson, 97 NY2d 341, 741 NYS 2d 147 (2001) NYSDA Amicus Brief
2000
Brad H. v City of New York, 276 AD2d 440, 716 NYS2d 852 (1st Dept 2000) NYSDA Amicus Brief
In re Das, No. A73-500-147 (BIA 2000)  
In re Miguel Devison-Charles, No. A45-382-757 (BIA 2001)  
Pottinger v Reno, No. 99-2684 (2nd Cir 2000) NYSDA Amicus Brief
United States v Pacheco, No. 00-1015 (2nd Cir 2000) NYSDA Amicus Brief
Zgombic v Farquharson, No. 00-6165 (2nd Cir 2000) NYSDA Amicus Brief
1999
Blyden v Mancusi, 186 F3d 252 (2nd Cir 1999)  
In re Pereira, No. A44-802-198 (BIA 1999)  
In re Rose (BIA 1999)  
People v Young, 94 NY2d 171, 701 NYS2d 309 (1999) NYSDA Amicus Brief
1998
In re Taylor (BIA 1998)  
Modica v Doyle, No. 400067-97 (Sup Ct NY County 1998)  
People v Garcia, 92 NY2d 869, 677 NYS2d 772 (1998)  
People v Grant, 91 NY2d 989, 676 NYS2d 117 (1998)  
People v Romero, 91 NY2d 750, 675 NYS2d 588 (1998) NYSDA Amicus Brief
Rosa v Senkowski, 148 F3d 134 (2nd Cir 1998)  
1997
Juan C. v Cortines, 89 NY2d 659, 657 NYS2d 581 (1997)  
People v Burdo, 91 NY2d 146, 667 NYS2d 970 (1997) NYSDA Amicus Brief
People v Vasquez, 89 NY2d 521, 655 NYS2d 870 (1997)  
1996
People v Knowles, 88 NY2d 763, 650 NYS2d 617 (1996)  
People v Wilson, 219 AD2d 164, 641 NYS2d 846 (2nd Dept 1996)  
Pirro v LaCava, 230 AD2d 909, 646 NYS2d 866 (2nd Dept 1996)  
1995
Director of the Assigned Counsel of the City of New York v Bodek, 87 NY2d 191, 638 NYS2d 415 (1995)  
People v Ford, 86 NY2d 397, 633 NYS2d 270 (1995)  
Sweeney v Prisoners' Legal Services of New York, 84 NY2d 786, 622 NYS2d 896 (1995)  
1994
King v New York State Division of Parole, 83 NY2d 788, 610 NYS2d 954 (1994)  
People v McKiernan, 84 NY2d 915, 620 NYS2d 808 (1994)  
1993
United States v Pitera, 5 F3d 624 (2nd Cir 1993)  
1992
Doe v Connell, 179 AD2d 196, 583 NYS2d 707 (4th Dept 1992)  
Legal Aid Society of Orange County v Patsalos, 185 AD2d 926, 587 NYS2d 943 (2nd Dept 1992)  
Montgomery v Muller, 176 AD2d 29, 580 NYS2d 110 (3rd Dept 1992)  
United States v Pitera, 795 FSupp 546 (EDNY 1992)  
1991
People v Patterson, 78 NY2d 711, 579 NYS2d 617 (1991)  
1990
People v Van Pelt, 76 NY2d 156, 556 NYS2d 984 (1990)  
1989
People v Seaberg, 74 NY2d 1, 543 NYS2d 968 (1989)  
1987
People v Alvarez, 70 NY2d 375, 521 NYS2d 212 (1987)  
1986
People v Pollenz, 67 NY2d 264, 502 NYS2d 417 (1986)  
1985
People v Bigelow, 66 NY2d 417, 497 NYS2d 630 (1985)  
People v Hartley, 65 NY2d 703, 492 NYS2d 1 (1985)  
1984
Balter v Regan, 63 NY2d 630, 479 NYS2d 506 (1984)  
People v Smith, 63 NY2d 41, 479 NYS2d 706 (1984)  
1982
People v Whiting, 89 AD2d 694, 453 NYS2d 790 (3rd Dept 1982)