Case Name: In the Matter of Derrick Barnes, Petitioner, v. Joseph Grosso, as Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, et al., Respondents
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 2002-01-28
Citations: 290 A.D.2d 553
Docket Number: 
Parties: In the Matter of Derrick Barnes, Petitioner, v Joseph Grosso, as Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, et al., Respondents.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 290
Pages: 553–554

Head Matter:
In the Matter of Derrick Barnes, Petitioner, v Joseph Grosso, as Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, et al., Respondents.
[737 NYS2d 299]

Opinion:
Proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 in the nature of prohibition and mandamus, inter alia, to prohibit the trial of the criminal action entitled People v Barnes pending in the Supreme Court, Queens County, under Indictment No. 2234/2001.
Adjudged that the petition is denied and the proceeding is dismissed, without costs or disbursements.
"Because of its extraordinary nature, prohibition is available only where there is a clear legal right, and then only when a court — in cases where judicial authority is challenged — acts or threatens to act either without jurisdiction or in excess of its authorized powers" (Matter of Holtzman v Goldman, 71 NY2d 564, 569; see, Matter of Rush v Mordue, 68 NY2d 348, 352). Similarly, 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).
The petitioner has failed to demonstrate a clear legal right to the relief sought. Goldstein, J.P., Friedmann, McGinity and Cozier, JJ., concur.