People ex rel. Hirschberg v. McNeill — 303 N.Y. 464

Majority

p. 464

The People of the State of New York ex rel. Henry Hirschberg, Petitioner, on Behalf of John W. Delaney, Relator, Appellant, against John F. McNeill, as Superintendent of Matteawan State Hospital, Respondent.

Argued January 14, 1952;

decided January 25, 1952.

Henry Hirschberg and Ernest M. Levinson for appellant.

The order of Special Term denying the right of an inmate of Matteawan State Hospital to private consultation with counsel violated rights guaranteed by both State and Federal Constitutions. (People v. McLaughlin, 291 N. Y. 480 ; Powell v. Alabama, 287 U. S. 45 ; Moore v. Dempsey, 261 U. S. 86 ; Avery v. Alabama, 308 U. S. 444 ; People ex rel. Mayor of City of N. Y. v. Nichols, 79 N. Y. 582 ; People ex rel. McDonald v. Keeler, 99 N. Y. 463 ; People ex rel. Campbell v. Hannan, 56 Hun 469 , 125 N. Y. 691 ; Wynehamer v. People, 13 N. Y. 378 ; People v. Hull, 251 App. Div. 40 ; People v. Gordon, 262 App. Div. 534 ; Freeman v. People, 4 Denio 9 ; People ex rel. Peabody v. Chanler, 133 App. Div. 159 .)

p. 465

Nathaniel L. Goldstein, Attorney-General (Raymond B. Madden, Wendell P. Brown and Herman N. Harcourt of counsel), for respondent.

The Commissioner of Correction may lawfully establish and cause the enforcement of rules and regulations for the government and supervision of Matteawan State Hospital and the inmates thereof. (Matter of Hughes v. Cashin, 184 Misc. 757 ; Matter of Thaw, 158 App. Div. 571 .)

Subdivision 4 of section 588 of the Civil Prac-

tice Act authorizes an appeal directly to this court from appropriate judgments or orders “ where the only question involved on the appeal is the validity of a statutory provision of the state or of the United States under the constitution of the state or of the United States ”. The validity of no statutory provision of the State or of the United States is here involved. The rule only of the hospital is questioned. Such a rule is not a statute within the meaning of the State Constitution (cf. F. T. B. Realty Corp. v. Goodman, 300 N. Y. 140 , 144, 145).

The appeal should be dismissed, without costs.

Loughran, Ch. J., Lewis, Conway, Desmond, Dye, Fuld and Froessel, JJ., concur.

Appeal dismissed.

Cases cited

People v. McLaughlin 291 N. Y. 480 N.Y. 1944-01-06 p. 464
Powell v. Alabama 287 U. S. 45 SCOTUS 1932-11-07 p. 464
Moore v. Dempsey 261 U. S. 86 SCOTUS 1923-02-19 p. 464
Avery v. Alabama 308 U. S. 444 SCOTUS 1940-01-02 p. 464
People ex rel. Mayor v. Nichols 79 N. Y. 582 N.Y. 1880-01-27 p. 464
People ex rel. McDonald v. Keeler 99 N. Y. 463 N.Y. 1885-10-06 p. 464
People ex rel. Campbell v. Hannan 125 N. Y. 691 N.Y. 1890-12-09 p. 464
Wynehamer v. People 13 N. Y. 378 N.Y. p. 464
Freeman v. People 4 Denio 9 N.Y. Sup. Ct. p. 464
People ex rel. A. Russell Peabody v. Chanler 133 App. Div. 159 N.Y. App. Div. 1909-06-04 p. 464
Hughes v. Cashin 184 Misc. 757 N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1945-04-02 p. 465
In re Thaw 158 App. Div. 571 N.Y. App. Div. 1913-10-31 p. 465
F. T. B. Realty Corp. v. Goodman 300 N. Y. 140 N.Y. 1949-12-29 at 144, 145 p. 465