People v. Deal
Docket 218 KA 24-00911
Court of record · Indexed in NoticeRegistry archive · AI-enriched for research
- Filed
- Jurisdiction
- New York
- Court
- Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
- Type
- Opinion
- Case type
- Criminal Appeal
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Citation
- 2026 NY Slip Op 02546
- Docket
- 218 KA 24-00911
Appeal from a judgment of conviction following a guilty plea to aggravated criminal contempt in Cayuga County Court.
Summary
The Appellate Division, Fourth Department affirmed defendant Austin R. Deal's conviction for aggravated criminal contempt entered after a guilty plea in Cayuga County Court. The court issued a short, unanimous order affirming the judgment and adopting the same memorandum issued in a related appeal (People v Deal, Appeal No. 1). No new factual findings or legal analysis are included in this slip opinion beyond affirmance of the conviction entered April 18, 2024.
Issue Decided
- Whether the judgment convicting defendant of aggravated criminal contempt should be affirmed on appeal following the plea.
Court's Reasoning
The court issued a unanimous short order affirming the conviction and referenced the memorandum issued in the related appeal for its reasoning. Because the opinion adopts the reasoning from the companion memorandum, the affirmance rests on the analysis contained in that memorandum rather than new discussion in this slip opinion.
Authorities Cited
- People v Deal (appeal No. 1 memorandum)
Parties
- Respondent
- The People of the State of New York
- Appellant
- Austin R. Deal
- Judge
- Thomas G. Leone
- Attorney
- Bradley E. Keem
- Attorney
- Christopher T. Valdina
- Attorney
- Brittany Grome Antonacci
Key Dates
- County Court judgment date
- 2024-04-18
- Appellate Division decision date
- 2026-04-24
What You Should Do Next
- 1
Consult appellate counsel about further review
If the defendant wishes to pursue further appellate review, contact counsel immediately to evaluate grounds for seeking leave to the Court of Appeals and to preserve any deadlines.
- 2
Review the companion memorandum
Obtain and review the memorandum referenced in the opinion (People v Deal, Appeal No. 1) to understand the court's full reasoning and any issues that might support further appeal or post-conviction relief.
- 3
Consider post-conviction remedies
If factual or legal issues remain (for example, ineffective assistance of counsel or involuntariness of the plea), discuss possible collateral challenges such as a CPL 440 motion with counsel.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What did the court decide?
- The Appellate Division unanimously affirmed the conviction for aggravated criminal contempt entered after the defendant pleaded guilty.
- Who is affected by this decision?
- Defendant Austin R. Deal is affected because his conviction was upheld; the People (prosecution) remain the prevailing party on appeal.
- Why did the court affirm without new discussion?
- The court issued a short order that adopts the reasoning set out in a companion memorandum from a related appeal, so it affirmed based on that existing analysis.
- Can this decision be appealed further?
- A defendant generally may seek leave to appeal to the Court of Appeals, but time limits and leave requirements apply; consult counsel promptly to determine options.
The above suggestions and answers are AI-generated for informational purposes only. They may contain errors. NoticeRegistry assumes no responsibility for their accuracy. Consult a qualified attorney before relying on them.
Full Filing Text
People v Deal - 2026 NY Slip Op 02546 People v Deal 2026 NY Slip Op 02546 April 24, 2026 Appellate Division, Fourth Department THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, RESPONDENT, v AUSTIN R. DEAL, DEFENDANT-APPELLANT. (APPEAL NO. 2.) Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department Decided on April 24, 2026 218 KA 24-00911 Present: Lindley, J.P., Curran, Ogden, Delconte, And Hannah, JJ. KEEM APPEALS, PLLC, SYRACUSE (BRADLEY E. KEEM OF COUNSEL), FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT. BRITTANY GROME ANTONACCI, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AUBURN (CHRISTOPHER T. VALDINA OF COUNSEL), FOR RESPONDENT. Appeal from a judgment of the Cayuga County Court (Thomas G. Leone, J.), rendered April 18, 2024. The judgment convicted defendant upon a plea of guilty of aggravated criminal contempt. It is hereby ORDERED that the judgment so appealed from is unanimously affirmed. Same memorandum as in People v Deal ([appeal No. 1] — AD3d — [Apr. 24, 2026] [4th Dept 2026]). Entered: April 24, 2026 Ann Dillon Flynn