People v. Fagan

Decision Date14 November 1985
Citation66 N.Y.2d 815,498 N.Y.S.2d 335,489 N.E.2d 222
Parties, 489 N.E.2d 222 The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Alonzo FAGAN, Appellant.
CourtNew York Court of Appeals Court of Appeals
OPINION OF THE COURT MEMORANDUM.

The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed.

The courts below properly found that the dismissal, at the conclusion of a final parole revocation hearing of charges lodged against the defendant, did not bar a later prosecution of criminal charges based on the same acts. Collateral estoppel is a flexible doctrine, not to be applied automatically just because its formal prerequisites are met (Gilberg v. Barbieri, 53 N.Y.2d 285, 292, 441 N.Y.S.2d 49, 423 N.E.2d 807). Strong policy considerations militate against giving issues determined in prior litigation preclusive effect in a criminal case, and indeed we have never done so (see, People v. Plevy, 52 N.Y.2d 58, 65, n. 4, 436 N.Y.S.2d 224, 417 N.E.2d 518). The correct determination of guilt or innocence is paramount in criminal cases (People v. Berkowitz, 50 N.Y.2d 333, 345, 428 N.Y.S.2d 927, 406 N.E.2d 783), and the People's incentive to litigate in a felony prosecution would presumably be stronger than in a parole revocation proceeding (cf. Gilberg v. Barbieri, supra).

We have examined defendant's other contention and found it to be without merit.

WACHTLER, C.J., and JASEN, MEYER, SIMONS, KAYE, ALEXANDER and TITONE, JJ., concur.

Order affirmed in a memorandum.

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  • State v. McDowell
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of Connecticut
    • August 26, 1997
    ...U.S. 920, 111 S.Ct. 2021, 114 L.Ed.2d 107 (1991); People v. Fagan, 104 A.D.2d 252, 483 N.Y.S.2d 489 (1984), aff'd, 66 N.Y.2d 815, 489 N.E.2d 222, 498 N.Y.S.2d 335 (1985); Commonwealth v. Cosgrove, 427 Pa.Super. 553, 629 A.2d 1007 (1993); State v. Dupard, 93 Wash.2d 268, 609 P.2d 961 The New......
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    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
    • June 16, 1999
    ...(1990); Green v. State, 463 So.2d 1139 (Fla.1985); People v. Fagan, 104 A.D.2d 252, 483 N.Y.S.2d 489 (1984), aff'd, 66 N.Y.2d 815, 498 N.Y.S.2d 335, 489 N.E.2d 222 (1985); State v. Williams, 131 Ariz. 211, 639 P.2d 1036 (1982); State v. Dupard, 93 Wash.2d 268, 609 P.2d 961 (1980). For cases......
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    • United States State Supreme Court (California)
    • September 6, 1990
    ...F.2d 336; Green v. State (Fla.1985) 463 So.2d 1139; People v. Fagan (1984) 104 A.D.2d 252, 483 N.Y.S.2d 489, affd. (1985) 66 N.Y.2d 815, 498 N.Y.S.2d 335, 489 N.E.2d 222; State v. Williams (1982) 131 Ariz. 211, 639 P.2d 1036; State v. Dupard (1980) 93 Wash.2d 268, 609 P.2d 961. For cases ap......
  • U.S. v. McMillian
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Columbia District
    • May 18, 2006
    ...be stronger than in a parole revocation proceeding. Hilton, supra, 722 N.Y.S.2d 461, 745 N.E.2d at 382 (quoting New York v. Fagan, 66 N.Y.2d 815, 498 N.Y.S.2d 335, 489 N.E.2d 222, 223 (1985)) (other citation omitted). Even assuming that Judge Bowers' unappealed ruling on the suppression mot......
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