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: Anthony HARRISON, Appellant, v. DIVISION OF PAROLE, CHAIRMAN, Respondent.
Appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court (Lamont, J.), entered August 24, 2005 in Albany County, which, in a proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78, granted respondent's motion to dismiss the petition for lack of personal jurisdiction.
Petitioner sought to challenge a determination revoking his parole by bringing a CPLR article 78 proceeding. In the order to show cause commencing the proceeding, Supreme Court directed petitioner to serve the “[o]rder to [s]how [c]ause, petition, exhibits and any supporting affidavits, by ordinary [f]irst [c]lass [m]ail, upon each named respondent and upon the Attorney General ․ on or before June 17, 2005.” As a result of petitioner's failure to serve respondent with the papers as directed in the order to show cause, respondent moved to dismiss the petition. Supreme Court granted the motion, and this appeal ensued.
We affirm. It is well settled that the “[f]ailure of an inmate to satisfy the service requirements set forth in an order to show cause requires dismissal for lack of jurisdiction absent a showing that imprisonment presented obstacles beyond his control which prevented compliance” (Matter of Gittens v. Selsky, 193 A.D.2d 986, 987, 598 N.Y.S.2d 110 [1993]; see Matter of Frederick v. Goord, 20 A.D.3d 652, 653, 798 N.Y.S.2d 210 [2005], lv. denied 5 N.Y.3d 712, 806 N.Y.S.2d 163, 840 N.E.2d 132 [2005] ). Respondent submitted an affidavit in support of the motion to dismiss establishing that the papers specified in the order to show cause were not served upon either the Division of Parole or respondent. Petitioner's affidavit of service predates the signing of the order to show cause and does not encompass the papers enumerated therein. Moreover, he has not maintained that his imprisonment precluded him from effectuating proper service. Under these circumstances, Supreme Court properly dismissed the petition.
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: May 25, 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)