People v. Laird
Docket 294 KA 24-01950
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 02564
- Docket
- 294 KA 24-01950
Appeal from a judgment of conviction entered after defendant's guilty plea in Cayuga County Court
Summary
The Appellate Division, Fourth Department, affirmed a Cayuga County Court judgment convicting Craig E. Laird, who pleaded guilty, of four counts of aggravated family offense and one count of criminal contempt in the second degree. The appeal challenged the conviction following the October 3, 2024 judgment, but the appellate court unanimously found no reversible error and affirmed. The opinion is brief and records the affirmance without extended discussion of the underlying facts or legal analysis.
Issue Decided
- Whether the judgment of conviction entered after defendant's guilty plea should be reversed
Court's Reasoning
The appellate court reviewed the conviction entered after the defendant's guilty plea and found no basis to disturb the judgment. The court's unanimous affirmance indicates it found the plea and resulting judgment procedurally proper and that no preserved error warranted reversal. The short opinion does not elaborate on specific factual or legal errors, implying the appeal lacked merit.
Parties
- Appellant
- Craig E. Laird
- Respondent
- The People of the State of New York
- Judge
- Thomas G. Leone
- Attorney
- Ryan James Muldoon
- Attorney
- Brittany Grome Antonacci
- Attorney
- Christopher T. Valdina
Key Dates
- Decision date
- 2026-04-24
- Judgment date
- 2024-10-03
What You Should Do Next
- 1
Consult appellate counsel about further appeal
If the defendant wishes to continue, consult counsel about seeking leave to the New York Court of Appeals and evaluate deadlines and grounds for further review.
- 2
Prepare for sentencing or judgment enforcement
Ensure compliance with any outstanding sentencing, incarceration, or postconviction obligations as the affirmed judgment remains in force.
- 3
Consider postconviction remedies
Discuss with counsel whether postconviction motions or collateral challenges (for example, ineffective assistance of counsel) may be appropriate given the record and plea circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What did the court decide?
- The appellate court unanimously affirmed the conviction entered after the defendant pleaded guilty to multiple counts of aggravated family offense and one count of criminal contempt.
- Who is affected by this decision?
- The decision directly affects Craig E. Laird, whose conviction and sentence remain in effect; it also upholds the prosecution's successful prosecution in Cayuga County.
- Does this mean the case is over?
- The Appellate Division affirmed the judgment, but the defendant may still have further appellate options such as seeking leave to appeal to the Court of Appeals, subject to applicable deadlines and standards.
- Why did the court affirm without detailed explanation?
- The opinion is brief and records a unanimous affirmance; that typically means the court found no reversible error in the proceedings below and saw no need to expand on the reasoning in this decision.
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 Laird - 2026 NY Slip Op 02564 People v Laird 2026 NY Slip Op 02564 April 24, 2026 Appellate Division, Fourth Department THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, RESPONDENT, v CRAIG E. LAIRD, DEFENDANT-APPELLANT. Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department Decided on April 24, 2026 294 KA 24-01950 Present: Lindley, J.P., Curran, Ogden, Nowak, And Delconte, JJ. RYAN JAMES MULDOON, AUBURN, 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 October 3, 2024. The judgment convicted defendant, upon a guilty plea, of aggravated family offense (four counts) and criminal contempt in the second degree. It is hereby ORDERED that the judgment so appealed from is unanimously affirmed. Entered: April 24, 2026 Ann Dillon Flynn