New York State Judicial Conference Annual Reports

Chronological.

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.

The series consists of published volumes of annual reports of the Judicial Conference on its proceedings and the work of various courts of the state, which it was required by law to report to the legislature. Early volumes continue the format and coverage of its predecessor, the Judicial Council. Later volumes (from 1962) include the report of the Administrative Board of the Judicial Conference as well as that of the Judicial Conference itself, reflecting court reorganization under the state constitution. Volumes dating from 1975 on (pursuant to changes mandate by Chapter 615 of the Laws of 1974) include reports of the Administrative Board of the Judicial Conference, the Judicial Conference itself, and the Office of Court Administration.

Reports prior to 1975 covered a judicial year, which began on the first of July and end on June 30th of the following year. A special 6-month transition report was produced for July 1, 1974 to December 31, 1974. From 1975 onward the reports cover a full calendar year. The 1971 report for judicial year July 1, 1969 to June 30, 1970 is missing from the series.

Reports typically include statements on committee compositions, summaries of recent developments resulting from implementation of legislative acts, and detailed reviews of activities of state and municipal (New York City) criminal and civil courts, judicial data centers, and products of related task forces, studies, law conferences, and special programs. There are extensive statistical tables and appendices in the reports.

Volume list.

This series was transferred under records disposition number 90338.

These records were originally accessioned under series G0005 and were reaccessioned as series B2464 as part of a State Archives conversion project.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.