Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
REMARKS
Council Member Bottcher introduces resolution to support increasing number of Supreme Court justices
1:10:17
·
85 sec
Council Member Erik Bottcher introduces a resolution supporting state legislation to remove the cap on the number of New York Supreme Court justices. He argues that the current limit, based on an outdated provision from 1846, is causing significant delays in the justice system and affecting public safety, fairness, and efficiency.
- The proposed state legislation would amend the New York State constitution to remove the current limit of one justice per 50,000 people in a judicial district.
- The legislation needs to pass again this year to be put on the November ballot as a state constitutional amendment.
- Bottcher emphasizes the critical nature of supporting this change to improve justice and fairness in the state.
Erik Bottcher
1:10:17
Imagine waiting years for your day in court, whether you're a victim seeking justice, a tenant fighting eviction, or a business trying to resolve contract dispute.
1:10:26
Imagine being stuck in jail for months because the courts don't have the capacity to hear your case.
1:10:32
For too many New Yorkers, this isn't a hypothetical, it's reality.
1:10:36
And it's putting public safety, fairness, and efficiency at risk.
1:10:40
That's why today I'm introducing a resolution in support of state legislation that would remove an outdated and arbitrary cap on the number of justices in New York's Supreme Court, the trial court of general jurisdiction that hears most civil and criminal cases.
1:11:00
This provision in the New York State constitution dates back to 1846, last updated in 1961 when caseloads were a third of what they are today, and we're now stuck with a rigid cap on the number of supreme court justices, one for every 50,000 people in a judicial district.
1:11:22
State legislation by senator Brad Hoyleman Segal and assembly member Alex Borres needs to get passed again this year.
1:11:31
It will put it on the ballot in November as a state constitutional amendment.
1:11:36
It's critical that we all get behind this in order for justice and fairness to improve in our state.