Research


Administrative History

Before the late eighteenth century most of the business of the Supreme Court of Judicature related to civil litigation and criminal prosecution, either before the justices in regular terms of court, or in circuit courts held in each county. Starting in 1784 most, and after 1797, all Supreme Court civil trials in New York City were held by a justice in what were called "sittings" or circuit court. A few criminal trials, the attorney general the prosecutor, occurred in the Supreme Court regular terms as late as 1801. After that date district attorneys were responsible for criminal prosecutions. Starting in 1797 most procedural orders were entered not in the minute books but in separate common rule books. Thereafter most of the business in regular terms of the Supreme Court in New York City, as documented by entries in the minute books, was deciding motions and points of law raised during pleading or trial, and reviewing judgments of lower courts removed to the Supreme Court by writ of error or writ of certiorari.