What's happening
This bill allows towns and villages to require their justices to be licensed attorneys by local law, effective for future terms.
Why it matters
Increases legal expertise in local courts. By allowing towns and villages to require their justices to be licensed attorneys, this bill could raise the legal qualifications of judges handling local criminal, civil, and traffic matters—potentially leading to more consistent and knowledgeable application of the law.
Impacts access to justice in smaller communities. Some towns and villages may have limited pools of attorneys, so this change could make it harder to find eligible candidates for justice positions, possibly resulting in vacancies or increased reliance on outside lawyers.
Empowers local decision-making. The bill gives local governments control over the professional standards of their courts, letting communities choose whether or not to impose this requirement based on their unique needs and circumstances.
Affects current and future candidates. The new requirement would only apply to future terms, ensuring current justices can serve out their terms but signaling to prospective candidates that higher qualifications may soon be necessary to run for these positions.
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Who cares
Town and village governing boards
The bill would let them require local justices to be admitted to practice law in New York by adopting a local law with a majority vote.
Nonlawyer town and village justices and candidates
An adopted requirement would make them ineligible to serve beginning with the next judicial term following the election after the local law’s enactment.
New York-admitted attorneys seeking local judgeships
They would meet the attorney-admission requirement in towns and villages that choose to adopt it.
Headline styles
Require Justice Law Degrees
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
7 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Ordered to third reading cal.116
- Advanced to third reading cal.318
- Reported
- Referred to judiciary
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1517
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 12, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, GALEF, ABINANTI, MAGNARELLI, SEPULVE- DA, BUCHWALD, WEPRIN, McDONOUGH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. PALUMBO, TITONE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the uniform justice court act, in relation to establishing minimum educational requirements of certain town and village justices
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The uniform justice court act is amended by adding a new section 105-a to read as follows: § 105-a. Minimum educational requirements of certain town and village
justices.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any town or village, may by a majority vote of the governing body of such town or village, require that any person who serves as a town or village justice be admitted to practice law in the state. Any change in the requirements for eligibility to serve as town or village justice shall take effect upon commencement of the next judicial term of office following the election after enactment of the local law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04633-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.