S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1511
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. RIVERA -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the judiciary law, in relation to the creation of the
fourteenth judicial district consisting of the county of Erie and a
supreme court library at Erie
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 70 of the judiciary law, as amended by chapter 690
of the laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows:
§ 70. Judicial departments. The state is hereby divided into four
judicial departments. The first department shall consist of the counties
embraced within the first and twelfth judicial districts; the second
department shall consist of the counties embraced within the second,
ninth, tenth, eleventh and thirteenth judicial districts; the third
department shall consist of the counties embraced within the third,
fourth and sixth judicial districts; the fourth department shall consist
of the counties embraced within the fifth, seventh [and], eighth AND
FOURTEENTH judicial districts.
§ 2. The opening paragraph and the eighth undesignated paragraph of
section 140 of the judiciary law, the opening paragraph as amended by
chapter 690 of the laws of 2007 and the eighth undesignated paragraph as
amended by chapter 10 of the laws of 1948, are amended and a new four-
teenth undesignated paragraph is added to read as follows:
The state is hereby divided into [thirteen] FOURTEEN judicial
districts, pursuant to the provisions of the first section of the sixth
article of the constitution, which districts shall be arranged as
follows:
The eighth judicial district shall consist of the counties of [Erie,]
Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Orleans, Niagara, Genesee, Allegany and Wyom-
ing;
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03033-01-5
A. 1511 2
THE FOURTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT SHALL CONSIST OF THE COUNTY OF ERIE.
THE CREATION OF SUCH FOURTEENTH DISTRICT SHALL NOT AFFECT OR IMPAIR THE
RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES OR COMPENSATION OF ANY OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE
SUPREME COURT IN OFFICE ON THE FIRST DAY OF JANUARY, TWO THOUSAND TWEN-
TY-SIX IN THE EIGHTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT AS THERETOFORE CONSTITUTED; EACH
SUCH OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE EMPLOYED IN THE COUNTY OF ERIE ON SUCH DATE
SHALL THEREAFTER BE AN OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE FOR THE FOURTEENTH JUDICIAL
DISTRICT AND EACH SUCH OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE EMPLOYED IN THE COUNTIES OF
CHAUTAUQUA, CATTARAUGUS, ORLEANS, NIAGARA, GENESEE, ALLEGANY AND WYOMING
ON SUCH DATE SHALL THEREAFTER BE AN OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE FOR THE EIGHTH
JUDICIAL DISTRICT.
§ 3. Subdivisions 8 and 13 of section 140-a of the judiciary law, as
amended by chapter 749 of the laws of 2023, are amended and a new subdi-
vision 14 is added to read as follows:
8. Eighth district, [twenty-eight] FIVE;
13. Thirteenth district, nine[.];
14. FOURTEENTH DISTRICT, SEVENTEEN.
§ 4. The county of Erie shall establish, maintain and expand, if
necessary, its court library, as established in accordance with sections
813 and 814 of the judiciary law, to accommodate the needs of the four-
teenth judicial district. The Charles B. Swartwood Law Library at Elmi-
ra shall continue to serve as the court library for the eighth judicial
district.
§ 5. The following named justices or their successors in office on the
effective date of this act shall for the remainder of the terms for
which they were elected or appointed be justices of the supreme court in
and for the eighth judicial district as reconstituted and continued by
this act.
Grace M. Hanlon
Diane Devlin
Frank Caruso
Paula Feroleto
Frank A. Sedita III
The following named justices or their successors in office on the
effective date of this act shall for the remainder of the terms for
which they were elected or appointed be justices of the supreme court in
and for the fourteenth judicial district as created and constituted by
this act. Any positions that were vacant on June 6, 2025 shall be
justices of the eighth judicial district.
Deborah A. Chimes
Emilio Colaiacovo
John DelMonte
Daniel J. Ferlong
Gerald Greenan III
Deborah A. Haendiges
Craig D. Hannah
John B. Licata
Joseph Lorigo
Amy C. Martoche
Edward A. Pace
Catherine Nugent Panepinto
Donna M. Siwek
Mary Slisz
Kelly Vacco
Raymond W. Walter
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Dennis E. Ward
Paul B. Wojtaszek
§ 6. The judiciary law is amended by adding a new section 816 to read
as follows:
§ 816. SUPREME COURT LIBRARY AT ERIE. THE LAW LIBRARY FOR THE COUNTY
OFFICIALS OF THE COUNTY OF ERIE, AS NOW CONSTITUTED AND ALL OF THE BOOKS
THEREIN, SHALL BE THE LAW LIBRARY OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF
NEW YORK IN THE FOURTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT AND SHALL BE IN THE CARE
AND CUSTODY AND UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN THE FOURTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OR A MAJOR-
ITY OF THEM, NOT DESIGNATED AS JUSTICES OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION, WHO
SHALL BE THE TRUSTEES THEREOF. THE TRUSTEES SHALL HAVE POWER TO RECEIVE
BY GIFT, DEVISE OR BEQUEST ANY PROPERTY GIVEN OR CONVEYED FOR THE
PURPOSE OF A LAW LIBRARY AND TO HOLD AND MANAGE AND DISPOSE OF THE SAME,
AND MAY MAKE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION OF
SAID LIBRARY AND PRESCRIBE PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF. THEY MAY
SUE FOR AND RECOVER SUCH PENALTIES AND MAY MAINTAIN ACTIONS FOR INJURY
TO SAID LIBRARY. THEY MAY ALSO DESIGNATE FROM AMONG THEIR NUMBER A
LIBRARY COMMITTEE OR COMMITTEES, THE MEMBERS OF WHICH SHALL HAVE THE
POWER TO ADMINISTER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE SAID
TRUSTEES. THE TRUSTEES MAY EMPLOY AND APPOINT SUCH PERSONS AS THEY MAY
DEEM NECESSARY FOR THE PROPER CARE, MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF SAID
LIBRARY AND FIX THEIR SALARIES. THE LIBRARY AND THE EQUIPMENT SHALL ALSO
BE AVAILABLE FOR THE USE OF THE SURROGATE, FAMILY AND CRIMINAL COURT
JUDGES, DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND OTHER COUNTY OFFICIALS OF THE COUNTY OF
ERIE AND THE JUDGES OF THE CIVIL COURT OF THE CITY OF BUFFALO PRESIDING
IN SUCH COUNTY. THE LIBRARIAN AND THE ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN, SHALL, IN
ADDITION TO THE DUTIES OF LIBRARIAN AND ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN, PERFORM ANY
AND ALL DUTIES AS MAY BE REQUIRED OF OR IMPOSED UPON THEM BY SAID TRUS-
TEES. THE TRUSTEES MAY ALSO PROCURE PROPER FURNITURE FOR THE SAID
LIBRARY, PURCHASE BOOKS THEREFOR AND DEFRAY ALL THE EXPENSES INCIDENTAL
TO ITS CARE AND MANAGEMENT. THEY SHALL YEARLY ASCERTAIN THE AMOUNT
NECESSARY FOR THE AFORESAID PURPOSES AND CERTIFY IT TO THE BOARD OF
ESTIMATE WHO SHALL PROVIDE FOR RAISING AND PAYING THE SAME.
§ 7. It is the intended object of this act to erect, in the fourth
judicial department, the fourteenth judicial district, comprised of the
county of Erie and to provide for the employees thereof selection,
designation, nomination and election in the general election to be held
in November, 2026 of justices of the eighth and fourteenth judicial
districts consistent with the foregoing provisions of this act. Any
other consistent provision of law, rule or regulation which by its terms
or in its application aids in the accomplishment of such object shall be
given full force and effect. Any provision which is inconsistent with
the accomplishment of such object shall be denied force and effect to
the extent that it may be applicable thereto.
§ 8. If any provisions of any section of this act shall be held void
or unconstitutional, all other provisions and all other sections of this
act which are not expressly held to be void or unconstitutional shall
continue in full force and effect.
§ 9. This act shall take effect immediately provided that sections one
through six of this act shall take effect January 1, 2026.