Case Name: In the Matter of Curtis Smithson, Petitioner, v. Bruce E. Tolbert, as Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Respondent
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 2008-02-05
Citations: 48 A.D.3d 471
Docket Number: 
Parties: In the Matter of Curtis Smithson, Petitioner, v Bruce E. Tolbert, as Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Respondent.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 48
Pages: 471–471

Head Matter:
In the Matter of Curtis Smithson, Petitioner, v Bruce E. Tolbert, as Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Respondent.
[849 NYS2d 807]

Opinion:
Proceeding pursuant to CFLR article 78 in the nature of mandamus, inter alia, to compel the respondent Bruce E. Tolbert, a Justice of the Supreme .Court, Westchester County, to enter a judgment of divorce in favor of the petitioner in an action entitled Smithson v Smithson, pending under Westchester County index No. 15317/05.
Adjudged that the petition is denied and the proceeding is dismissed, without costs or disbursements.
The extraordinary, remedy of mandamus will lie only to compel the performance of a ministerial act and only when 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. Spolzino, J.P., Skelos, Florio and Angiolillo, JJ., concur.