Information and Perspective on How Judges are Chosen in New York State

There are two primary methods of judicial selection: election and appointment. Most states, including New York, opt for a hybrid of elective and appointive positions.

In early statehood, selection of judges conformed to the English tradition of appointment. In 1846, the process moved entirely to an elected judiciary. Today there is a hybrid of elected and appointed judges in the state.

This article explains how judges are selected for each court in the New York State court system.

Merit selection eliminates the role of money and significantly reduces the role of politics in judicial selection while providing for selection of highly-qualified judges by representatives of diverse groups of people.