NY Civ Rights L § 79-A (2021)
2021 New York Laws CVR - Civil Rights Article 7 - Miscellaneous Rights and Immunities 79-A - Consequence of Sentence to Imprisonment for Life.

§  79-a.  Consequence of sentence to imprisonment for life.  1. Except as provided in  subdivisions  two  and  three,  a  person  sentenced  to imprisonment  for life is thereafter deemed civilly dead; provided, that such a person may marry while on community supervision, or after  he  or she has been discharged from community supervision, if otherwise capable of  contracting a valid marriage. A marriage contracted pursuant to this section by a person while he or she is on community supervision, without prior written approval of the commissioner of corrections and  community supervision,   shall   be   ground   for  revocation  of  the  community supervision. This section shall not be deemed to impair the validity  of a  marriage  between a person sentenced to imprisonment for life and his or her spouse.   2. A sentence to imprisonment for life shall not be deemed to  suspend the  right or capacity of any person so sentenced to commence, prosecute or defend an action or proceeding in any  court  within  this  state  or before   a  body  or  officer  exercising  judicial,  quasi-judicial  or administrative functions within  this  state;  provided,  however,  that where  at  the  time  of  the commencement and during the prosecution or defense of such action or proceeding  such  person  is  an  incarcerated individual  of  a  state  correctional  institution, he or she shall not appear at any place other than within the institution  for  any  purpose related  to  such  action or proceeding unless upon a subpoena issued by the court before whom such action or proceeding  is  pending  or,  where such  action or proceeding is pending before a body or officer, before a judge to  whom  a  petition  for  habeas  corpus  could  be  made  under subdivision  (b) of section seven thousand two of the civil practice law and rules upon motion of any party and upon a  determination  that  such person's  appearance  is essential to the proper and just disposition of the action or proceeding. Unless the court orders  otherwise,  a  motion for  such  subpoena  shall  be  made on at least two days' notice to the commissioner of corrections and community supervision.   3. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of  this  subdivision,  the state  shall  not  be  liable  for any expense of or related to any such action or proceeding, including but not limited to  the  expense  of  or related  to  transporting  the incarcerated individual to, or lodging or guarding him or her at any place other  than  in  a  state  correctional institution.  The  department  of  corrections and community supervision shall not be required to perform any services related to such action  or proceeding,  including  but not limited to transporting the incarcerated individual to or lodging or guarding him or her at any place other  than a  state  correctional  institution  unless and until the department has received payment for such services.  (b) Where the incarcerated individual is permitted in accordance  with any  other law to proceed with the action or proceeding as a poor person the expense of transporting the incarcerated individual to,  or  lodging or  guarding  him or her at any place other than in a state correctional institution or any other expense  relating  thereto  shall  be  a  state charge;  provided,  however,  that  where an incarcerated individual has been granted such permission and a recovery by judgment or by settlement is had in his or her favor, the court may direct him or her to  pay  out of the recovery all or part of any sum expended by the state.   4.  This section shall not apply to a person sentenced to imprisonment for an indeterminate term, having a minimum of one day and a maximum  of his natural life.   Nothing  in this section shall be deemed to preclude the issuance of a certificate of relief from disabilities or a certificate of good conduct pursuant to article twenty-three of the correction law to a  person  who previously has been sentenced to imprisonment for life.