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John Jay
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The Court of Appeals, New York States highest court, is composed of a Chief Judge and six Associate Judges, each appointed to a 14-year term. When a vacancy occurs, the Governor makes an appointment from among names submitted by the Commission on Judicial Nomination. Each appointment is subject to confirmation by the State Senate. | New Yorks highest appellate court was established to articulate Statewide principles of law in the context of deciding particular lawsuits. The Court thus generally focuses on broad issues of law as distinguished from individual factual disputes. There is no jurisdictional limitation based upon the amount of money at stake in a case or the status or rank of the parties. |
Robert Livingston
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HISTORY For the first several decades of New Yorks history as a State, the highest court was composed of the Justices of the Supreme Court (a trial court), the Chancellor (a judicial officer) and members of the State Senate. It was known as the Court for the Trial of Impeachments and the Correction of Errors. It was modeled after the appellate system in Englands House of Lords. Perhaps because of its size and unwieldiness, it never achieved renown. However, New Yorks first Chief Justice did: John Jay, one of the founders of our democracy, later became the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1789. Another key figure in the earliest days of the States legal system was Jays friend and colleague, Robert Livingston, the first Chancellor. Together with Gouverneur Morris, Jay and Livingston are credited with drafting New York States first Constitution. | The Court of Appeals was established by the Constitutional Convention of 1846 with eight members, four to be elected for eight-year terms by voters Statewide and the other four Supreme Court Justices having the shortest remaining terms to serve as acting Court of Appeals Judges for one year. The Constitutional Convention of 1869 created the Court of Appeals as we know it today. That Court sat to hear appeals for the first time in July 1870. By that year the State had become a bustling center of commerce and industry. Litigation increased to such a degree that New York States court of last resort became backlogged with cases, a situation that persisted for decades. While the entire nations judicial system continues to contend with increasing case volumes, New York States highest court has achieved currency in handling its docket. The Court today typically hands down its decisions six to eight weeks after oral argument of a case. |
 The Historical Society of the Courts of the State of New York
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