New York
New York’s highest court is the Court of Appeals of New York. The court has six associate judges and one chief judge. The chief judge is appointed according to the same procedures as the associate judges. (Source: New York Constitution)
Judicial Selection
The governor nominates a Court of Appeals judge from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. The governor’s nominee must be confirmed by a majority of the state senate. An appointed judge serves a 14-year term. Judges may stand for reappointment to additional 14-year terms in the same appointment process. To fill an interim vacancy, the governor nominates a candidate from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. The nominee must be confirmed by a majority of the state senate. There are no term limits. The mandatory retirement age is 70.
State Constitution
New York has had four state constitutions adopted between 1777 and 1894. As of January 1, 2024, it had 233 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
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SCOTUS’s Review of Ban on Trans Health Care Highlights Need for State Litigation
Even if the U.S. Supreme Court decides that bans on gender-affirming care for trans youth are constitutional, state courts can strike down such laws under state constitutions.
SCOTUS’s 2nd Amendment Decision Leaves Open Questions for State Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the disarmament of a domestic abuser in United States v. Rahimi, but litigation over where to draw the line will continue.
Oklahoma Supreme Court Rejects Reparations for Tulsa Race Massacre
The decision is the latest — and perhaps final — blow to the massacre’s two remaining survivors in their decades-long quest for justice.
Three U.S. Supreme Court Cases that Transformed State Judicial Elections
Judicial elections have become major political battlegrounds — complete with dark money, special interests, and attack ads — thanks to several U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
Every State Supreme Court Justice in One Searchable Database
A new resource from the State Law Research Initiative lets users sort the nation’s high court justices by state, professional background, party affiliation, and more.
Legislative Efforts to Abolish Qualified Immunity Yield Mixed Results
Colorado and New Mexico have enacted laws to hold police and other officials accountable for state constitutional violations, while other states have broadened immunities.
New Findings Highlight Lack of Diversity on State Supreme Courts
More data and further scholarship is needed to devise policies for promoting a state bench that adequately represents the varied background of the public.
States May Close the ‘Open Fields’ Exception to the Fourth Amendment
An appellate court in Tennessee became the latest to reject a significant exception to the federal protection against unreasonable search and seizure.