NONHUMAN RIGHTS v. BREHENY

No. 52.

38 N.Y.3d 555 (2022)

197 N.E.3d 921

176 N.Y.S.3d 533

2022 NY Slip Op 03859

In the Matter of NONHUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT, INC., on Behalf of HAPPY, Appellant, v. JAMES J. BREHENY, in His Official Capacities as Executive Vice President and General Director of Zoos and Aquariums of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Director of the Bronx Zoo, et al., Respondents.

Court of Appeals of New York.

Decided June 14, 2022.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Monica L. Miller , admitted pro hac vice, Novato, California, Nonhuman Rights Project, New Hyde Park ( Elizabeth Stein of counsel), and Steven M. Wise , admitted pro hac vice, Coral Springs, Florida, for appellant.

Phillips Lytle LLP, Buffalo ( Kenneth A. Manning , Joshua Glasgow and William V Rossi of counsel), for respondents.

Super Law Group, LLC, New York City ( Reed Super of counsel), for Martha C. Nussbaum, amicus curiae.

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, Washington, D.C. ( Bezalel A. Stern and Ira T Kasdan , admitted pro hac vice, of counsel), for Protect the Harvest and others, amici curiae.

Chaffetz Lindsey LLP, New York City ( David M. Lindsey of counsel), for John Berkman and others, amici curiae.

Richman Law & Policy, Irvington ( Jay Shooster of counsel), for Christine M. Korsgaard, amicus curiae.

Ana L. McMonigle , Hartford, Connecticut, for Gary L. Comstock and others, amici curiae.

Fisher & Byrialsen, PLLC, New York City ( Jane H. Fisher-Byrialsen of counsel), for Jane H. Fisher-Byrialsen and others, amici curiae.

Shook Hardy & Bacon L.L.P., New York City ( Scott A. Chesin of counsel) and Washington, D.C. ( Philip S. Goldberg , admitted pro hac vice, and Christopher E. Appel of counsel), for American Veterinary Medical Association and others, amici curiae.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, New York City ( Kathleen Sullivan of counsel) and Austin, Texas ( John F Bash , admitted pro hac vice, of counsel), for National Association for Biomedical Research, amicus curiae.

Lan Cao , Orange, California, for Edwin Cameron, amicus curiae.

Law Offices of R. Tamara de Silva, LLC, Chicago, Illinois ( R. Tamara de Silva , admitted pro hac vice, of counsel), for Mahinda Deegalle and others, amici curiae.

Pryor Cashman LLP, New York City ( Susan P Witkin of counsel), for Joe Wills and others, amici curiae.

Ana L. McMonigle , Hartford, Connecticut, for Laurence H. Tribe and others, amici curiae.

FisherBroyles LLP, Los Angeles, California ( Paul Beard II , admitted pro hac vice, of counsel), for New York Farm Bureau and others, amici curiae.

Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, New York City ( Avishai D. Don of counsel) and Washington, D.C. ( Michael A. Johnson and Dirk C. Phillips of counsel), and Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Silver Spring, Maryland ( John C. Keeney, Jr. , of counsel), for Association of Zoos & Aquariums and others, amici curiae.

Law Offices of David Karopkin, Brooklyn ( David Karopkin of counsel), for Randall S. Abate and others, amici curiae.

Amy Trakinski , New York City, for Carol Bakhos and others, amici curiae.

Lan Cao , Orange, California, for Christina Nellist and others, amici curiae.

Richman Law & Policy, Irvington ( Jay Shooster of counsel), for Peter Singer and others, amici curiae.

Chaffetz Lindsey LLP, New York City ( David M. Lindsey of counsel), for Shannon Minter and another, amici curiae.

Law Office of Calvin D. Weaver, Hammondsport ( Calvin D. Weaver of counsel), and Richard L. Cupp Jr. , for Richard L. Cupp Jr., amicus curiae.

The Law Offices of Susan P Witkin, PLLC, New York City ( Susan Peckett Witkin of counsel), for Maneesha Deckha, amicus curiae.

Isha Jain , Washington D.C., for K.S. Panicker Radhakrishnan, amicus curiae.

Dechert LLP, New York City ( Jenna Newmark and Patrick Andriola of counsel), for Andrew Linzey and another, amici curiae.

Fenwick & West LLP, New York City ( Marc Greco of counsel), and Animal Legal Defense Fund ( Ariel Flint of counsel), for Animal Legal Defense Fund, amicus curiae.


OPINION OF THE COURT

For centuries, the common-law writ of habeas corpus has safeguarded the liberty rights of human beings by providing a means to secure release from illegal custody. The question before us on this appeal is whether petitioner Nonhuman Rights Project may seek habeas corpus relief on behalf of Happy...

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