N.Y. Criminal Procedure Law 245.25 – Disclosure prior to certain guilty pleas
§ 245.25 Disclosure prior to certain guilty pleas.
Terms Used In N.Y. Criminal Procedure Law 245.25
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
1. Pre-indictment guilty pleas. Upon a felony complaint, where the prosecution has made a pre-indictment guilty plea offer requiring a plea to a crime, the prosecutor must disclose to the defense, and permit the defense to discover, inspect, copy, photograph and test, all items and information that would be discoverable prior to trial under subdivision one of section 245.20 of this article and are in the possession, custody or control of the prosecution. The prosecution shall disclose the discoverable items and information not less than three calendar days prior to the expiration date of any guilty plea offer by the prosecution or any deadline imposed by the court for acceptance of the guilty plea offer. If the prosecution does not comply with the requirements of this subdivision, then, on a defendant's motion alleging a violation of this subdivision, the court must consider the impact of any violation on the defendant's decision to accept or reject a plea offer. If the court finds that such violation materially affected the defendant's decision, and if the prosecution declines to reinstate the lapsed or withdrawn plea offer, the court – as a presumptive minimum sanction – must preclude the admission at trial of any evidence not disclosed as required under this subdivision. The court may take other appropriate action as necessary to address the non-compliance. The rights under this subdivision do not apply to items or information that are the subject of a protective order under section 245.70 of this article; but if such information tends to be exculpatory, the court shall reconsider the protective order. A defendant may waive his or her rights under this subdivision; but a guilty plea offer may not be conditioned on such waiver.
2. Other guilty pleas. Upon an indictment, superior court information, prosecutor's information, information, simplified information, or misdemeanor complaint, where the prosecution has made a guilty plea offer requiring a plea to a crime, the prosecutor must disclose to the defense, and permit the defense to discover, inspect, copy, photograph and test, all items and information that would be discoverable prior to trial under subdivision one of section 245.20 of this article and are within the possession, custody or control of the prosecution. The prosecution shall disclose the discoverable items and information not less than seven calendar days prior to the expiration date of any guilty plea offer by the prosecution or any deadline imposed by the court for acceptance of the guilty plea offer. If the prosecution does not comply with the requirements of this subdivision, then, on a defendant's motion alleging a violation of this subdivision, the court must consider the impact of any violation on the defendant's decision to accept or reject a plea offer. If the court finds that such violation materially affected the defendant's decision, and if the prosecution declines to reinstate the lapsed or withdrawn plea offer, the court – as a presumptive minimum sanction – must preclude the admission at trial of any evidence not disclosed as required under this subdivision. The court may take other appropriate action as necessary to address the non-compliance. The rights under this subdivision do not apply to items or information that are the subject of a protective order under section 245.70 of this article; but if such information tends to be exculpatory, the court shall reconsider the protective order. A defendant may waive his or her rights under this subdivision; but a guilty plea offer may not be conditioned on such waiver. Notwithstanding the timelines contained in the opening paragraph of paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section 245.10 of this article, the prosecutor's discovery obligation under subdivision one of section 245.20 of this article shall be performed as soon as practicable, but not later than fifteen days before the trial of a simplified information charging a traffic infraction under the vehicle and traffic law, or by an information charging one or more petty offenses as defined by the municipal code of a village, town, city, or county, that do not carry a statutorily authorized sentence of imprisonment, and where the defendant stands charged before the court with no crime or offense, provided however that nothing in this subdivision shall prevent a defendant from filing a motion for disclosure of such items and information under subdivision one of such section 245.20 of this article at an earlier date.
3. Repleader. Nothing in this section shall prevent the waiver of discovery from being a condition of a repleader, where the defendant's original conviction is vacated on agreement between the parties pursuant to section 440.10 of this part.