Remedy to be provided in the event the rejection of an administrative appeal was marred by a procedural error
Supreme Court granted the petition to annul the determination of the Commissioners of the New York State Department of Parole [Board] affirming the determination of a panel of the Board denying Petitioner's application for parole. Supreme Court then remanded the matter for a new review before a new panel of the Board. The Board appealed the court's decision.
The Appellate Division unanimously modified the Supreme Court's ruling on the law, reinstating the panel's denial of parole but remanded the matter to the Commissioners of the Board for a new administrative appeal of that action to be considered by a new panel.
The Appellate Division explained that Supreme Court had correctly determined that the rejection of the administrative appeal was marred by procedural error when the administrative Panel permissibly considered communications in opposition to a Petitioner's application for parole submitted by public officials and members of the community and refused to provide the Petitioner with access to any of the communications it had considered in connection with the Petitioner's application for parole.
However, said the Appellate Division, the correct remedy for this procedural error in the conduct of the Panel is the annulment of the decision and the remand of the matter for new administrative appellate proceedings in which the Board should turn over the requested material, with any authorized and necessary redactions, to the Petitioner rather than the annulment of the initial denial of parole by the Panel as the matter must still undergo a proper administrative review.
The decision is posted on the Internet at: