Bill > A08890

This bill expands the eligibility criteria for judges who can preside over youth parts in superior courts across New York state. Currently, only family court judges can preside over these specialized court parts, but the proposed legislation would allow additional superior court judges to be assigned to youth parts if they are determined by the chief administrator of the courts to be qualified based on their prior training and experience with juvenile justice proceedings. Specifically, the bill allows judges who have experience in juvenile delinquency proceedings in family court or adolescent/juvenile offender proceedings in superior courts to be eligible. The youth parts will continue to have exclusive jurisdiction over juvenile and adolescent offender cases, and judges assigned to these parts will still be required to receive specialized training in areas such as juvenile justice, adolescent development, youth custody and care, and effective methods for reducing youth unlawful conduct. The change aims to provide more flexibility in judicial assignments while maintaining a focus on specialized, age-appropriate judicial handling of youth cases.

Budget and Finance, Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A8890