Among the several ancient writs which haves survived through the eons is the Writ of Mandamus.* Mandamus is sought in an effort to compel a governmental entity or officer to perform a ministerial duty.
In contrast, the Writ cannot be used to compel an act that involve[s] an exercise of judgment or discretion on the part of the public officer or entity. Citing Matter of Mensch v Planning Bd. of the Vil. of Warwick, 189 AD3d 1245, the Appellate Division explained that a discretionary act involves the exercise of reasoned judgment which could typically produce different acceptable results whereas "a ministerial act envisions direct adherence to a governing rule or standard with a compulsory result".
In this action the Appellate Division held that the Petitioners seeking a court order in the nature of mandamus "failed to establish that there existed a clear legal right to the relief sought." Rather, opined the court, Petitioners "sought to compel conduct involving the application of the discretion and judgment of the [Employer]."
Accordingly, the Appellate Division concluded that the remedy of mandamus was not available to the Petitioners.
* Other surviving ancient common law writs include the Writ of Prohibition, issued by a higher tribunal to a lower tribunal to "prohibit" the adjudication of a matter then pending before the lower tribunal on the grounds that the lower tribunal "lacked jurisdiction"; the Writ of Injunction - a judicial order preventing a public official from performing an act; the Writ of Certiorari, compelling a lower court to send its record of a case to the higher tribunal for review by the higher tribunal; and the Writ of “Quo Warranto” [by what authority].