Our CNYWBA membership year kicked off June 1st!

Joining at a sustaining membership level includes admission to our annual Judicial Reception!

Please join or renew now: 

https://www.cnywba.org/membership

If you are a law firm or legal organization and would like to enroll multiple members, please reach out to us at cnywba@gmail.com.

As you may be aware, on June 12, 2025 the New York State Legislature passed legislation [A.8883(Rivera)/S.8418(Gianaris)] to realign judicial districts within the Appellate Division, Fourth Department. Specifically, the bill alters the counties within the Fifth, Seventh, and Eighth Judicial Districts and creates the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Judicial Districts. Erie, Monroe, and Onondaga counties will each become single-county judicial districts, and the remaining 19 counties will be placed in two separate districts.

The Unified Court System (“UCS”) is currently reviewing this legislation to assess its impact on judicial operations and seeks feedback from interested stakeholders in the Fourth Department on the realignment of these judicial districts.

UCS would appreciate hearing thoughts and comments from the CNYWBA on the potential impact of the legislation.

Feedback on the realignment of judicial districts should be sent to cnywba@gmail.com. All comments should be provided by Friday, August 8, 2025.

Upstate Medical University is conducting a survey of legal professionals regarding your perspective on parents/guardians who refuse treatment for minor children with serious illnesses, including curable childhood cancer.

Relevant survey participants are:

• current or retired judges
• county attorneys
• Attorneys for the Children (AFC).

Virtual interviews will last 30-45 minutes. The interview will be recorded and transcribed, and the recordings will be deleted once transcribed. Identifying information will not be collected.



If you are interested in participating, please complete the online eligibility survey linked below!

SAVE THE DATE!



Details, including sponsorship information, will be coming soon. Can't wait to see you there!

Email cnywba@gmail.com with questions.

Know someone we should shout out? Have something worth celebrating?

We love to feature our members! Email us at cnywba@gmail.com.

Share your opinion with the Administrative Board of the Courts!

The Administrative Board of the Courts is soliciting public comments on a proposal to amend various court rules and appendices to eliminate the phrase “poor person” from those provisions.

• Commercial Division insurance cases: Proposal to amend 22 NYCRR §§ 202.70(b)(10), 202.70(c)(2) and 202.70(c)(6) to clarify the types of insurance coverage cases that will be heard by the Commercial Division

• Commercial Division virtual evidence courtrooms:  Proposal to add a new Rule 25-a to the Rules of the Commercial Division relating to virtual evidence courtrooms

• Criminal proceeding electronic appearances: Proposal adopt a new rule regulating the use of electronic appearances during criminal proceedings

• Rules of Professional Conduct: Proposal to amend various provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct relating to conflicts of interest and other issues

• Judicial certifications: Request for public comments on the applications of JSCs seeking certification or recertification to continue their judicial service

All five requests are available at https://ww2.nycourts.gov/rules/comments/index.shtml

Additionally, please comment on the following three proposed amendments:

• Generative artificial intelligence: Proposal to add a new Rule 6(e) to the Rules of the Commercial Division regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence in preparing court documents

• Attorney-client fee disputes: Proposal to amend 22 NYCRR Part 137 to: (1) amend the time period during which attorney fee disputes may be submitted to the Attorney-Client Fee Dispute Resolution Program; and (2) allow certain Unified Court System employees to be paid for time spent mediating fee disputes



• Child support violation proceeding deadlines: Proposal to amend Rule 205.43 of the Uniform Rules of the Family Court relating to time deadlines for child support violation proceedings

These are available at: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/rules/comments/index.shtml

Comments on the proposed rule changes should be sent to rulecomments@nycourts.gov and comments on the applications for judicial certifications should be sent to jsccertification@nycourts.gov. All comments are due by Friday, August 8, 2025.