Learn About the Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
IN RE: Hasaun GRIGGER, Appellant, v. Glenn S. GOORD, as Commissioner of Correctional Services, Respondent.
Appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court (Canfield, J.), entered March 7, 2005 in Albany County, which, in a proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78, granted respondent's motion to dismiss the proceeding for lack of standing.
On March 7, 2004, petitioner's mother went to visit petitioner at the correctional facility where he was incarcerated, but was denied entry after she tested positive for contact with cocaine on an ion scanner used to screen visitors. Petitioner filed a grievance as a result, which was ultimately denied by the Central Office Review Committee following a hearing. He then commenced this CPLR article 78 proceeding. Respondent, in turn, moved to dismiss the petition on various procedural grounds. Supreme Court granted the motion and dismissed the petition on the basis that petitioner lacked standing. Petitioner appeals.
While prison inmates do not have a right to visitation that is protected by the federal or state constitution (see Matter of Encarnacion v. Goord, 8 A.D.3d 850, 852, 778 N.Y.S.2d 562 [2004] ), the privilege of visitation afforded by the applicable regulations (see 7 NYCRR 200.1-200.5) can be restricted only as described in 7 NYCRR 200.5, and both visitors and inmates have the right to administrative and judicial review of such a restriction (see 7 NYCRR 200.5[b]; see also Matter of Serrano v. Goord, 266 A.D.2d 661, 662, 698 N.Y.S.2d 742 [1999], lv. denied 94 N.Y.2d 762, 707 N.Y.S.2d 622, 729 N.E.2d 341 [2000] ). The basis for standing to seek judicial review of such a restriction, however, is an injury in fact caused by the action or policy in question (see Matter of Hebel v. West, 25 A.D.3d 172, 803 N.Y.S.2d 242 [2005]; Matter of Gilkes v. New York State Div. of Parole, 192 A.D.2d 1041, 1042, 597 N.Y.S.2d 224 [1993], lv. denied 82 N.Y.2d 654, 602 N.Y.S.2d 803, 622 N.E.2d 304 [1993] ). Petitioner does not and cannot claim standing based upon his loss of visitation privileges with his mother because it was her ability to visit, rather than his own privilege of receiving her as a visitor, that was restricted after the ion scanner found traces of cocaine on her person (see Matter of Eulo v. Walker, 277 A.D.2d 547, 547, 714 N.Y.S.2d 827 [2000]; Matter of Gomez v. Hollis, 277 A.D.2d 551, 552, 714 N.Y.S.2d 826 [2000] ). Although he was indirectly affected by that incident, petitioner cites no actual or reasonably probable occasion when use of the scanner has or will deprive him of his own visitation privileges. In the absence of a qualifying injury, Supreme Court correctly found that petitioner failed to establish his standing to challenge the use of the ion scanner.
ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed, without costs.
Thank you for your feedback!
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.
Decided: March 02, 2006
Court: Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, New York.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)
Harness the power of our directory with your own profile. Select the button below to sign up.
Learn more about FindLaw’s newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)