Bill > A05787

This bill requires town and village justices in courts with high arraignment volumes to be attorneys admitted to practice law in New York state for at least five years before taking office. The Office of Court Administration, in consultation with the Division of Criminal Justice Services, will determine which towns and villages have high arraignment volumes by reviewing data from 2018 and 2019, with subsequent reviews occurring every ten years. The requirement will apply only to the top 100 courts with the highest arraignment volumes, and changes in eligibility will take effect at the start of the next judicial term after a court is designated as having a high arraignment volume. Current non-attorney justices serving in these courts will be allowed to continue in their roles, and if a town or village no longer qualifies as having a high arraignment volume, they will be exempt from the attorney requirements. The bill aims to ensure that justices in courts with significant criminal case loads have substantial legal training and experience, potentially improving the quality of judicial decision-making in these jurisdictions.

Justice

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5787