Transfer to criminal court

§ 813. Transfer to criminal court. 1. At any time prior to a finding on the petition the court may, with the consent of the petitioner and upon reasonable notice to the district attorney, who shall have an opportunity to be heard, order that any matter which is the subject of a proceeding commenced pursuant to this article be prosecuted as a criminal action in an appropriate criminal court if the court determines that the interests of justice so require.

2. The court may simultaneously with the transfer of any matter to the appropriate criminal court, issue or continue a temporary order of protection which, notwithstanding any other provision of law, shall continue in effect, absent action by the appropriate criminal court pursuant to subdivision three of section 530.12 of the criminal procedure law, until the defendant is arraigned upon an accusatory instrument filed pursuant to this section in such criminal court.

3. Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit or restrict a petitioner's rights to proceed directly and without court referral in either criminal or family court, or both, as provided for in section one hundred fifteen of this act and section 100.07 of the criminal procedure law.