Research

Administrative History

The Judicial Conference of the State of New York was established by Chapter 869 of the Laws of 1955 upon the recommendation of the Temporary Commission on the Courts, a body created to study the operation of the courts of the state. The powers and duties of the Judicial Council of the State of New York were assigned to the Judicial Conference at that time.

The conference was to continuously study and make recommendations on the transfer to the conference of administrative functions of various state courts then performed by judicial and non-judicial personnel of the courts; to study ways to relieve court congestion; to recommend assignment of judges and justices; to recommend relative to fiscal matters, pending legislation, and court decisions affecting the administration of justice; and to establish methods for the preservation, maintenance, and disposition of court records. Members of the conference included the chief judge of the court of appeals (chairman), presiding justices of each appellate division of the supreme court, and a supreme court justice from each department.

The authority of the Judicial Conference was revised by Chapter 685 of the Laws of 1962, which implemented the constitutional provision that authority and responsibility for administration of the unified court system be vested with the Administrative Board of the Judicial Conference. In consultation with the whole conference, the Administrative Board established standards and policies for general application statewide. It supervised the court system in areas of general and fiscal practice; administrative methods; the dispatch of judicial business; court rules, congestion, equipment, budgets, and statistics; and hearings and investigations relating to the administration of justice.

The Judicial Conference was empowered to advise and assist the Administrative Board to adopt and amend the Civil Practice Rules, to recommend statutory changes in the CPLR, and to report to the governor and legislature. Members of the Administrative Board were ex-officio members of the Judicial Conference.

Originally, a state administrator (or administrative judge) appointed by the chair of the Administrative Board served as secretary to the Judicial Conference. The secretary appointed staff of the Office of Court Administration to coordinate the activities of administrative judges outside New York City and to oversee the New York City administrative judge, in consultation with the appellate division and the presiding judges and in accordance with standards and policies of the Administrative Board.

By Section 28 of Article VI of the State Constitution, authority for administrative supervision of the court system is vested in the chief judge of the court of appeals. Chapter 156 of the Laws of 1978 implements these provisions. The chief judge appoints a chief administrator of the courts responsible for supervising and administering operation of the trial courts and for directing the Office of Court Administration, which the chief judge establishes.

Section 214 of Article 7-A of the Judiciary Law continues the Judicial Conference to consult with the chief judge and chief administrator on the administration and operation of the unified court system; study and recommend changes in laws, statutes, and rules relatng to civil, criminal, and family law practice; and advise the chief administrator on establishment of educational programs, seminars, and institutes for judicial and non-judicial personnel.