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Assembly approves redrawing of several upstate judicial districts after hours of debate
Summary
Lawmakers approved legislation to redraw several judicial districts in the Fourth Department, splitting large population centers into their own districts to boost the likelihood that judges reflect local communities. The measure drew intense floor debate over timing, outreach to the Office of Court Administration and potential costs.
The Assembly on June 13 passed legislation that redraws judicial district boundaries in the Fourth Judicial Department, separating population centers into stand-alone districts and reallocating the 67 judicial seats across the newly configured districts. Sponsor Assemblymember Carmen Rivera said the redistricting is a constitutional authority of the legislature and aimed to make the supreme court bench more reflective of local populations.
Rivera framed the bill as a response to long-standing imbalances: population centers such as Monroe, Erie and Onondaga counties dominate their current, larger judicial districts, which he said has made it difficult for smaller counties to elect justices from their own communities. Rivera argued that drawing districts that contain whole counties would…
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