S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    344
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 9, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Judiciary
 
 AN ACT to amend the judiciary law, in  relation  to  the  timeliness  of
   judicial decisions
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Article 2-A of the judiciary law is amended by adding a new
 section 49 to read as follows:
   § 49. TIMELY JUDICIAL DECISIONS. 1. A JUDGE SHALL RENDER DECISIONS  ON
 MOTIONS AND ISSUE NON-JURY VERDICTS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
   2.  TIMELY IS DEFINED AS BEING NO LATER THAN NINE MONTHS FROM THE DATE
 THE PARTIES HAVE FULLY SUBMITTED THE MATTER FOR  THE  JUDGE'S  CONSIDER-
 ATION.
   3.  THE  FAILURE TO MAKE A TIMELY DECISION SHALL BE CONSIDERED MISCON-
 DUCT.  THE CLERK OF THE COURT SHALL REFER ANY UNTIMELY DECISIONS TO  THE
 COMMISSION FOR CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE DISCIPLINE OF THE JUDGE.
   4.  A JUDGE SHALL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE CLERK'S DUTY TO TRANSMIT SUCH
 INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSION. ANY SUCH INTERFERENCE MAY SUBJECT A JUDGE
 TO REMOVAL FROM OFFICE.
   5. THE COMMISSION SHALL REMOVE FROM OFFICE ANY JUDGE FOUND  TO  BE  IN
 VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION MORE THAN FIVE TIMES, AND MAY ISSUE SUCH LESS-
 ER PENALTIES AS IT DEEMS APPROPRIATE FOR LESS NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS.
   6.  A JUDGE SHALL BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE FOR FAILURE TO RENDER A DECI-
 SION ON A MOTION OR A NON-JURY VERDICT WITHIN TWO YEARS  FROM  THE  DATE
 THE  PARTIES  HAVE  FULLY SUBMITTED THE MATTER FOR THE JUDGE'S CONSIDER-
 ATION.
   7. WITH RESPECT TO MATTERS CURRENTLY PENDING BEFORE A JUDGE WHICH HAVE
 NOT BEEN DECIDED WITHIN THE TIME LIMIT SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION  SIX  OF
 THIS  SECTION,  THE JUDGE SHALL HAVE SIX MONTHS TO RENDER A TIMELY DECI-
 SION. IF A DECISION IS NOT RENDERED WITHIN SUCH TIME, ALL PENALTIES  SET
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03375-01-9

 A. 344                              2
 
 FORTH  IN  THIS STATUTE SHALL APPLY, INCLUDING THE PENALTY PRESCRIBED IN
 SUBDIVISION SIX OF THIS SECTION.
   8.  A  JUDGE  MAY BE EXCUSED FROM COMPLIANCE FOR EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUM-
 STANCES AS SUCH ARE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION OR  WHEN  A  JUDGE  HAS
 REQUESTED  THAT  THE  CHIEF  ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE TRANSFER THE MATTER TO
 ANOTHER JUDGE WHEN HE OR SHE HAS A GOOD FAITH BASIS FOR BELIEVING HE  OR
 SHE CANNOT DECIDE THE MATTER IN A TIMELY FASHION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2021.