N.Y. Criminal Procedure Law § 230.20: Removal of action; removal from county court to supreme court and change of venue; upon motion of party

§ 230.20 Removal of action; removal from county court to supreme court

and change of venue; upon motion of party.

1. At any time within the period provided by section 255.20, the

appellate division of the department embracing the county, upon motion

of either the defendant or the people, may, for good cause shown, order

that the indictment and action be removed from the county court to the

supreme court at a term held or to be held in the same county.

2. At any time within the period provided by section 255.20, the

appellate division of the department embracing the county in which the

superior court is located may, upon motion of either the defendant or

the people demonstrating reasonable cause to believe that a fair and

impartial trial cannot be had in such county, order either:

(a) that the indictment and action be removed from such superior court

to a designated superior court of or located in another county; or

(b) that the commissioner of jurors of such county, in consultation

with the appropriate administrative judge of the judicial district in

which the county is located, expand the pool of jurors to encompass

prospective jurors from the jury lists of counties that are within the

judicial district in which, and that are geographically contiguous with

the county in which, such superior court is located.

In making such determination the appellate division shall consider,

among other factors, the hardship on potential jurors and the potential

depletion of a county's qualified juror list that may result from an

order expanding the jury pool. An order of removal under paragraph (a)

herein must, if the defendant is in custody at the time, include a

provision for transfer of custody by the sheriff or other appropriate

public servant of the county of confinement to the sheriff or other

appropriate public servant of the county to which the action has been

removed. If the order is issued upon motion of the people, the appellate

division may impose such conditions as it deems equitable and

appropriate to insure that the removal does not subject the defendant to

an unreasonable burden in making his defense. Any additional cost to the

people incurred in complying with the order must be borne by the county

from which the action originated.

3. Any motion made pursuant to this section must be based upon papers

stating the grounds therefor, and must be made within the period

provided by section 255.20 and upon five days notice thereof together

with service of the moving papers upon, as the case may be, (a) the

district attorney or (b) either the defendant or his counsel. In any

case, the motion must be made returnable either during the appellate

division term during which such moving papers are served or during the

next term thereof.

4. If the appellate division grants the motion and orders a removal of

the action, a certified copy of such order must be filed with the clerk

of the superior court in which the indictment is pending. Such clerk

must thereupon transmit such instrument, together with the pertinent

papers and proceedings of the action, including all undertakings for

appearances of the defendant and of the witnesses, or a certified copy

or copies of the same, to the term of the superior court to which the

action has been removed. Such latter court must then proceed to conduct

the action to judgment or other final disposition.