What's happening
This bill requires that, except for current officeholders, all judges presiding over criminal trials in New York must be licensed attorneys in the state.
Why it matters
Raises the baseline qualifications for judges in criminal cases by requiring legal training and state bar admission, which could improve the quality and fairness of judicial decisions.
Exempts current officeholders, meaning existing non-attorney judges can continue serving, potentially creating a two-tier system for a transitional period.
Could significantly impact rural or small-town courts, where non-lawyer judges are more common, possibly leading to judicial vacancies or the need for more attorneys to seek judgeships.
May increase public trust in the criminal justice system by ensuring all judges overseeing criminal trials are formally trained in New York law.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Require Judges Be NY Lawyers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
11 Co-sponsors
4 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to judiciary
- Referred to judiciary
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7385
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 25, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the judiciary law, in relation to requiring that judges in criminal trials are admitted to practice law within the state
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The judiciary law is amended by adding a new section 9 to read as follows:
§ 9. Qualifications and restrictions of judges. No person, other than one who holds such office at the effective date of this section, shall preside over a criminal trial unless he or she has been admitted to practice law in this state.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07036-01-7
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.