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Levyn v. Ambach

56 N.Y.2d 912 Court N.Y. Decision date 1982-06-15 English

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p. 912
In the Matter of Bernice Levyn, Appellant, v Gordon M. Ambach, as Commissioner of Education of the State of New York, et al., Respondents.
Decided June 15, 1982
p. 914
APPEARANCES OF COUNSEL
Paul Henry Janis and James R. Sandner for appellant.
Kenneth Pawson and Robert D. Stone for Gordon M. Ambach, as Commissioner of Education of the State of New York, respondent.
Andrew L. Sichenzie for Board of Education, Community School District No. 20 and another, respondents.

opinion of the court

On review of submissions pursuant to rule 500.2 (b) of the Rules of the Court of Appeals (22 NYCRR 500.2 [b]), order affirmed, with costs. The commissioner is empowered to substitute his judgment of the proper penalty for that of the hearing panel whose action he was reviewing (Matter of Shurgin v Ambach, 56 NY2d 700 ). In fixing dismissal as the appropriate penalty, his decision to disregard the testimony of petitioner’s psychiatrist was not arbitrary or capricious, inasmuch as the psychiatrist had commenced treatment after the events' in question and had refused to express any opinion as to petitioner’s functions as a teacher.

Concur: Chief Judge Cooke and Judges Jasen, Gabrielli, Jones, Wachtler, Fuchsberg and Meyer.

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