Just a little bit ago, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore announced that former Associate Judge Paul Feinman, who had abruptly and unexpectedly retired last week just before the beginning of the March argument session, has passed away. Chief Judge DiFiore released this statement this morning: Governor Cuomo added his condolences, releasing this statement: I am stunned. …
Continue reading "New York Court of Appeals Associate Judge Paul Feinman Passes Away"
In an entirely unexpected announcement this afternoon, Tuesday, March 23, 2021, just before the Court of Appeals was about to take the bench for its first in-person arguments of 2021, Associate Judge Paul Feinman announced that he was retiring from the bench effective immediately, citing health reasons. Obviously, our first thoughts are of his well-being …
With COVID cases on the decline in New York (7-day rolling average of 3.2% COVID positive tests), and in particular in the Capital Region (7-day rolling average of 2%), the Court of Appeals announced this week that it would return to in-person arguments for its March argument session that begins on March 23rd. Since the …
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This article first appeared in the December 2020 edition of the NYSBA Journal, which can be found here. A direct link to the article is here. 2020 has been a year unlike any other. With the spread of COVID-19 growing in New York exponentially in March, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore and the entire court system …
Continue reading "New York Court of Appeals’ Year in Review, COVID-19 Edition"
In a very surprising announcement, somewhat buried in the late afternoon on the day before election day 2020, Associate Judge Leslie Stein announced that she would be retiring from the Court of Appeals bench effective June 4, 2021. Judge Stein, who joined the Court on February 9, 2015, wasn't slated to reach New York's mandatory …
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Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit New York, the state had a huge budget deficit to overcome. With the pandemic decreasing state revenues even further, Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced a planned $300 million reduction to the New York court system's budget. That's a very large cut, and the courts did not have a choice …
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After the Third Department declared that DFS violates the New York Constitution's ban on gambling, the thought was that the industry's only savior would be the seven Judges of the New York Court of Appeals. But now there may be another way.Yesterday, Senator Joseph Addabo introduced a new bill that could provide a way around …
Following the First and Second Department's forays into virtual Skype arguments, the Court of Appeals announced yesterday that it would be hearing arguments virtually during its June session. Although some attorneys whose appeals had been scheduled for the March or April/May session won't get the chance to argue, because the Court will be taking a …
Although most New York courts remain limited to hearing designated essential matters, or deciding their already fully submitted motions, the Appellate Division, First and Second Departments are expanding virtual operations for all of their appeals. For appellate lawyers like me, that's very good news. Earlier today (April 15th), the First Department released an update advising …
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A little less than three years ago, following the in depth look that Adam Feldman took at how infrequently women were getting the chance to argue at the Supreme Court, I took a look at how they were faring at the New York Court of Appeals. Examining the data from the 2016 arguments before the …
New York Appeals 