Spiegel v. Whalen
Spiegel v. Whalen
Opinion of the Court
OPINION OF THE COURT
After the disqualification of one of two partners authorized to operate this nursing home, the Public Health Council and the Commissioner of Health were not obliged to continue such authorization, initially granted the partnership, for the benefit of the remaining partner alone.
Two separate authorizations are now prerequisites for the operation of a nursing home — a grant of "establishment” from the Public Health Council, in effect giving the medical facility the right to exist, and an operating certificate from the Commissioner of Health authorizing an identified person,
In July, 1975, after trial, William Spiegel was convicted of grand larceny of moneys belonging to two patients in the home. That criminal proceeding is now on appeal. Following the conviction, hearings were held on behalf of the commissioner and the Public Health Council which resulted in revocation of establishment of William and Eva Spiegel as partners to operate the home and of the related operating certificate issued to the partnership. The Commissioner of Health directed the cessation of all operations, the transfer of all patients and the surrender of the operating certificate. The present article 78 proceeding ensued. On transfer from Supreme Court the Appellate Division annulled the commissioner’s determination, directed him to restore the operating certificate to "Eva Spiegel d/b/a University Nursing Home” and modified the revocation of establishment by the Public Health Council to the extent of directing the respondents to permit operation of the home by Eva Spiegel alone. We conclude that the determination of the Appellate Division must be reversed.
It is no longer seriously disputed that William Spiegel’s conviction warranted his exclusion from establishment and the operation of the home. It is the position of appellants, however, that inasmuch as establishment and the operating certificate were granted to the partnership, at least in the circumstances disclosed in this record, it was not arbitrary and capricious on the part of either commissioner or council to revoke in whole the authorizations granted to the partnership because of the disqualification of one of the two partners. While the applicable statute, subdivision 1 of section 2806 of
For the reasons stated the judgment of the Appellate Division should be reversed, with costs, the determinations of the Commissioner of Health and the Public Health Council reinstated and the petition dismissed, all without prejudice to the right of Eva Spiegel, if she be so advised, to make a de novo individual application for establishment and an operating certificate with respect to University Nursing Home.
Chief Judge Breitel and Judges Jasen, Gabrielli, Jones, Wachtler, Fuchsberg and Cooke concur in Per Curiam opinion.
Judgment reversed, etc.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In the Matter of William Spiegel, Individually and as a Partnership Doing Business as University Nursing Home v. Robert P. Whalen, as Commissioner of the Department of Health of the State of New York
- Status
- Published