Allows for justices to reside in any town, village or city within the same assembly district as the court such justice serves and establishes educational…

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why the sponsor says this is needed

Study after study has demonstrated that judges of justice courts, also known as town, village, and city courts, account for the overwhelming majority of judicial misconduct cases and routinely result in New York- ers being denied their fundamental due process rights. Data indicates that this is exacerbated in rural areas, where these judges are often not attorneys. Expanding eligibility to those residing in the same New York State Assembly District would allow for the expansion of the pool of qualified justice courts. Unlike other jurisdictions, New York State Assembly Districts must be made up of like communities under state law. Most importantly, the judge will still be voted on only by the residents of the city, town, or village where the court is located. Town and village court justices make up the majority of all judges in New York State. In 2019, Monroe County's Democrat & Chronicle reported that "town and village justices comprise less than two-thirds of the roughly 3,400 judges in New York, yet account for 70 percent of the discipline cases brought by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Of those cases, 80% of the disciplined judges are non-lawyers, according to the Commission. This bill will help ensure that New Yorkers facing difficult times and who are now in front of our court system will have access to the fair administration of justice, and those voting for town, village, and city courts will have access to the most qualified judges available. PRIOR HISTORY: 2024: Similar Bill (A.1146/Lunsford) Died in Judiciary 2023: Similar Bill (A.1146/Lunsford) Died in Judiciary 2022: Similar Bill (A.9066/Lunsford) Died in Judiciary

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.