Case Name: In the Matter of Thomas J. Sanford, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents; In the Matter of Shirley L. Splatt, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents; In the Matter of James Winkowski, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents; In the Matter of Mack Godbee, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents; In the Matter of Richard Collins et al., Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellants, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents
Court: New York Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1973-05-03
Citations: 32 N.Y.2d 788
Docket Number: 
Parties: In the Matter of Thomas J. Sanford, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents. In the Matter of Shirley L. Splatt, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents. In the Matter of James Winkowski, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents. In the Matter of Mack Godbee, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents. In the Matter of Richard Collins et al., Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellants, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Reports
Volume: 32
Pages: 788–795

Head Matter:
In the Matter of Thomas J. Sanford, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents. In the Matter of Shirley L. Splatt, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents. In the Matter of James Winkowski, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents. In the Matter of Mack Godbee, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellant, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents. In the Matter of Richard Collins et al., Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Appellants, v. Nelson A. Rockefeller, as Governor of the State of New York, et al., Respondents.
Argued March 19, 1973;
decided May 3, 1973.
John Carter Rice, Gerard L. Conway, Samuel Jacobs, James D. Feather stonaugh, James W. Roemer, Jr. and Harold G. Beyer, Jr. for appellants in first four above-entitled proceedings.
Richard R. Rowley and Terrence F. Fieman for appellants in fifth above-entitled proceeding.
Louis J. Lefkowits, Attorney-General (John Q. Driscoll and Ruth Kessler Toch of counsel), for respondents.
Arthur J. Harvey for Police Conference of New York, Inc., amicus curiae.
In Matter of Sanford v. Rockefeller, Matter of Splatt v. Rockefeller and Matter of Winkowski v. Rockefeller: Order affirmed, without costs, on opinion at Appellate Division.
In Matter of Godbee v. Rockefeller and Matter of Collins v. Rockefeller: Order affirmed, without costs, on opinion at Appellate Division. Question certified answered in affirmative.

Opinion:
Concur: Chief Judge Ftjld and Judges Burke, Breitel, Jasen and Gabrielli. Judge Wachtler dissents and votes to modify in the following opinion in which Judge Jones concurs.