What's happening
This bill increases the number of surrogate court judges in Bronx County from one to two.
Why it matters
Directly impacts Bronx County residents. by increasing judicial capacity in the surrogate’s court, which handles wills, estates, and guardianships—potentially reducing wait times and case backlogs for families dealing with these sensitive legal matters.
Represents a significant change. for the Bronx, aligning its surrogate’s court with those of New York and Kings counties, suggesting the state recognizes increased caseloads or population needs in the Bronx that require more judicial resources.
May improve the efficiency and accessibility. of estate and guardianship proceedings for Bronx residents, especially benefiting attorneys, families, and vulnerable individuals who rely on timely court decisions for inheritance, guardianship, and related issues.
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Who cares
Bronx County Residents and Families
People in the Bronx who need access to Surrogate's Court for matters such as wills, estates, guardianships, and adoptions may benefit from increased judicial resources and potentially faster case processing.
Attorneys and Legal Professionals
Lawyers who practice probate, estate, and family law in the Bronx will care about the addition of another judge, which could impact court scheduling, delays, and overall efficiency.
Judicial System Administrators
Court administrators and staff responsible for managing caseloads and courtroom logistics in Bronx County will be directly affected by the change in staffing and resource allocation.
Current and Prospective Surrogate's Court Judges
Existing and future judges in the Bronx Surrogate’s Court have a vested interest in how increased judicial presence may affect workload distribution, job opportunities, and professional responsibilities.
Headline styles
Add Bronx Surrogate Judge
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to judiciary
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
10334
IN SENATE
May 14, 2026
Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the judiciary law, in relation to the number of surrogate's court judges in Bronx County
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 179 of the judiciary law, as amended by chapter 240 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
§ 179. Surrogates, New York county, Bronx county and Kings county. The surrogate's courts of New York county, Bronx county and Kings county shall each consist of two surrogates.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14549-01-6
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the judiciary law, in relation to the number of surro- gate's court judges in Bronx County
Purpose
To increase the number of surrogate's court judges in Bronx county.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Amends Section 179 of the Judiciary law. Section 2. Sets forth the effective date.
Justification
This bill proposes adding Bronx County to the list of counties with two surrogate court judges to address significant delays in processing cases related to deceased individuals, wills, and estate management. With approximately 1.4 million residents, the Bronx sees around 180,000 court cases annually across various types, including surrogate matters. The aim is to equalize services in the Bronx with those in Manhattan and Brooklyn, as current bottlenecks are causing extended wait times for families regarding estate issues.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
TBD.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.