Case Name: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Val Thomas, Appellant
Court: New York Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1987-11-24
Citations: 70 N.Y.2d 859
Docket Number: 
Parties: The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Val Thomas, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Reports
Volume: 70
Pages: 859–860

Head Matter:
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v Val Thomas, Appellant.
Argued October 14, 1987;
decided November 24, 1987
APPEARANCES OF COUNSEL
Stephen P. Younger, Gregory L. Diskant, Craig A. Stewart and Douglass Maynard for appellant.
Malcolm C. Hughes, District Attorney (Robert G. Davis of counsel), for respondent.

Opinion:
OPINION OF THE COURT
Memorandum.
The order of the Appellate Division should be reversed and a new trial ordered. The trial court was without authority to condition its approval of defendant's request for substitution of his retained counsel on retained counsel's stipulation that if substituted, he would not move for a continuance. As contrasted with People v Arroyave (49 NY2d 264), defendant's retained counsel here, just before jury selection was to commence, stated unequivocally to the court that if his motion for a continuance were denied he would proceed to trial.
Chief Judge Wachtler and Judges Simons, Kaye, Alexander, Titone, Hancock, Jr., and Bellacosa concur in memorandum.
Order reversed, etc.