Hand v. Gutwein — 113 A.D.3d 975

Majority

p. 975

In the Matter of Aaron Hand, Appellant, v Eric Gutwein, as Hearing Officer, Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Respondent.

[978 NYS2d 913]

We affirm. In situations where an inmate is improperly denied the right to call a witness at a disciplinary hearing, the appropriate remedy of remittal or expungement depends upon whether the situation constitutes a regulatory or constitutional

p. 976

violation (see Matter of Alvarez v Goord, 30 AD3d 118 , 121 [2006]). “[W]hile [a] hearing officer’s actual outright denial of a witness without a stated good-faith reason, or lack of any effort to obtain a requested witness’s testimony, constitutes a clear constitutional violation [requiring expungement,] [mjost other situations constitute regulatory violations [requiring a new hearing]” (Matter of Moulton v Fischer, 100 AD3d 1131 , 1131 [2012], lv dismissed 20 NY3d 1021 [2013] [internal quotation marks and citation omitted]). Here, because the Hearing Officer stated a good-faith basis for the denial of the witnesses, the error was not of constitutional dimension (see e.g. Matter of Buari v Fischer, 70 AD3d 1147 , 1148 [2010]; Matter of Alvarez v Goord, 30 AD3d at 121 ). Moreover, “[r]emittal for a rehearing rather than expungement is generally permissible where, as here, substantial evidence otherwise supports the determination” (Matter of Deboue v Fischer, 108 AD3d 818 , 819 n [2013]). Accordingly, we find that under the circumstances herein, Supreme Court correctly remitted the matter for a new hearing rather than order expungement (see Matter of Morris-Hill v Fischer, 104 AD3d 978 , 978-979 [2013]; Matter of Gross v Yelich, 101 AD3d 1298 , 1298 [2012]; Matter of Alvarez v Goord, 30 AD3d at 121 ).

Rose, J.P., Stein, Garry and Egan Jr., JJ., concur. Ordered that the judgment is affirmed, without costs.

Cases cited

Alvarez v. Goord 30 AD3d 118 N.Y. App. Div. 2006-04-13 at 121 p. 976
Moulton v. Fischer 100 AD3d 1131 N.Y. App. Div. 2012-11-08 at 1131 p. 976
Carol v. Madison Plaza Associates, LLC 20 NY3d 1021 N.Y. 2013-02-07 p. 976
Buari v. Fischer 70 AD3d 1147 N.Y. App. Div. 2010-02-11 at 1148 p. 976
Deboue v. Fischer 108 AD3d 818 N.Y. App. Div. 2013-07-03 at 819 p. 976
Morris-Hill v. Fischer 104 AD3d 978 N.Y. App. Div. 2013-03-07 at 978-979 p. 976
Gross v. Yelich 101 AD3d 1298 N.Y. App. Div. 2012-12-13 at 1298 p. 976