Opinion ID: 2060074
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Matter of Echevarria v Marks

Text: Petitioner Danny Echevarria pleaded guilty to first-degree rape and other offenses in return for an aggregate prison sentence of five years. PRS was not discussed during the plea proceeding and it was not made part of the sentence, although defense counsel referenced PRS during the sentencing proceeding. Before Echevarria was released from prison, he signed a DOCS certificate acknowledging a term of PRS. Thereafter, he violated the terms of PRS on several occasions and was returned to prison. Since People v Sparber (10 NY3d 457 [2008]) was decided while Echevarria was in custody for a PRS violation, DOCS notified the sentencing court that Echevarria should be resentenced. Petitioner commenced a CPLR article 78 proceeding against the sentencing judge (respondent Marks), seeking relief in the nature of prohibition to preclude resentencing on jurisdictional and constitutional grounds. In dismissing the petition, the Appellate Division reasoned that, even if resentencing was beyond the court's jurisdiction, Echevarria could not pursue discretionary prohibition relief because he had an adequate remedy at lawa direct appeal from his resentencing (57 AD3d 1479 [4th Dept 2008]). We granted leave to appeal (12 NY3d 828 [2009]).