Supreme Court Report

Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →

Howard Griffith v. New York

IFP petition · Appellate Division, Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Judicial Department, No. KA 24-01886 · judgment December 9, 2024


Dismissed · October 6, 2025

Question presented

If a defendant can demonstrate that the conviction for his/her sexually violent offense is unconstitutional, should it be deemed to be a further violation of his/her constitutional rights if, because he/she is a sex offender, the “Clean Slate Act” does not authorize him/her to have his/her criminal record sealed? I am trying to convince the New York State Court of Appeals that I should be given back my right to take an appeal from my unconstitutional conviction for “Rape in the First Degree [ ]” because I can't have my criminal record sealed in essence of the “Clean Slate Act” going into effect, but the New York State Court of Appeals cannot consider this because a precedent hasn't been established for it to be determined that it is a further violation of my constitutional rights with regard to being subject to the conditions that need to be considered in this question.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Howard Griffith

For respondent
Bradley Wayne Oastler
Onondaga County District Attorney's Office

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences

Proceedings

  1. Dec 15 2025
    Motion for reconsideration of order denying leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed by petitioner DENIED.
  2. Nov 25 2025
    Motion DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/12/2025.
  3. Nov 13 2025
    Motion for reconsideration of order denying leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed by petitioner.
  4. Oct 06 2025
    The motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis is denied, and the petition for a writ of certiorari is dismissed. See Rule 39.8.
  5. Jul 31 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
  6. Jul 24 2025
    Waiver of right of respondent New York to respond filed.
  7. Jun 23 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due August 14, 2025)