New York Court of Appeals Decisions

The highest appellate court in the State of New York is known as the New York Court of Appeals. Founded in 1847, it is located in Albany. The Court holds jurisdiction over any type of appeal but generally may review only legal rather than factual issues. This focus on legal issues is intended to help the Court develop principles of law that will apply across the state, rather than resolving specific disputes. Its jurisdiction does not hinge on the amount of money at stake in a civil case or the types of parties involved. Most appeals must pass through the Appellate Division before reaching the Court of Appeals, but an appeal may go directly from the trial court to the Court of Appeals in a civil case in which the only disputed issue is the constitutionality of a law.

The New York Court of Appeals has featured some of the most famous legal minds in the nation, including eventual U.S. Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo. It has issued several controversial decisions in recent years, including a 2004 ruling that the state death penalty law was unconstitutional and a 2006 ruling that the state constitution does not require the recognition of same-sex marriage. Each decision by the Court of Appeals is binding on lower courts but only persuasive authority for future cases heard by the Court of Appeals.

A candidate to serve on the New York Court of Appeals must have been admitted to practice law for at least five years. Article Six, Section 20 of the New York Constitution provides this requirement. Seven judges serve on the Court, including a Chief Judge. While New York previously used elections to select judges, the state has shifted to a system in which the Governor of New York appoints a judge from a group of candidates. Each judge serves a 14-year term.

Browse Opinions From the New York Court of Appeals

Recent Decisions From the New York Court of Appeals
Syeed v Bloomberg L.P.  
Date: March 14, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 01330
Docket Number: 20

Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a plaintiff, Nafeesa Syeed, an Asian-American woman who sued Bloomberg L.P., alleging employment discrimination. She claimed she was subjected to discrimination due to her sex and race while working for…

Matter of Colon v Teachers' Retirement Sys. of the City of N.Y.
Date: March 14, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 01331
Docket Number: 25
In re Agramonte v Local 461  
Date: March 14, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 01332
Docket Number: 26

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the petitioners, who are members of Local 461, a union representing lifeguards employed by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, sought to enforce certain provisions in the union's local and…

Taxi Tours Inc. v Go N.Y. Tours, Inc.
Date: March 14, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 01333
Docket Number: 27
People v Watts  
Date: February 22, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00926
Docket Number: 10

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case of a sex offender diagnosed with severe schizophrenia and psychosis, the New York Court of Appeals held that due process does not require a competency examination before a sex offender's risk level can be…

People v Seignious  
Date: February 22, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00927
Docket Number: 14

Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a defendant who was charged with burglary in the second degree as a sexually motivated felony, which required the prosecution to prove both that the defendant committed the burglary and that his…

People v Boone  
Date: February 22, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00928
Docket Number: 8

Justia Opinion Summary: In two cases, People v Boone and People v Cotto, the Court of Appeals of New York State ruled on a central question related to the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA). The question was whether the 30-day deadline for…

Bazdaric v Almah Partners LLC  
Date: February 20, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00847
Docket Number: 11

Justia Opinion Summary: The plaintiff, Srecko Bazdaric, was injured while painting an escalator during a renovation project. The escalator was covered with a plastic sheet, which Bazdaric slipped on, sustaining injuries that left him unable to…

People v Ramirez  
Date: February 20, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00848
Docket Number: 13

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case of People v. Ramirez, Fernando Ramirez, the defendant, was convicted of causing a three-car collision while intoxicated, resulting in one death and four serious injuries. During the trial, which took place…

People v Aguilar  
Date: February 20, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00849
Docket Number: 3

Justia Opinion Summary: In a dispute involving a fatal stabbing outside a Manhattan bar in 2000, defendant Gonzalo Aguilar appealed his conviction of murder in the second degree, attempted murder in the second degree, and assault in the first…

People ex rel. Rankin v Brann  
Date: February 20, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00850
Docket Number: 4

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case before the Court of Appeals of the State of New York, the defendant was initially charged with a felony, released on bail, and then arrested three more times for additional violent felonies. The People sought…

Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. v MUFG Union Bank, N.A.  
Date: February 20, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00851
Docket Number: 6

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2016, Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), offered a bond swap whereby its noteholders could exchange unsecured notes due in 2017 for new, secured notes due in 2020. PDVSA…

People v Novas
Date: February 15, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00792
Docket Number: 12
Clifton Park Apts., LLC v New York State Division of Human Rights  
Date: February 15, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00793
Docket Number: 2

Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves Clifton Park Apartments, LLC and its attorney (collectively referred to as "Pine Ridge"), CityVision Services, Inc. ("CityVision"), and the New York State Division of Human Rights ("DHR"). CityVision is…

Regan v W Assoc., LLC
Date: February 15, 2024
Citation: 2024 NY Slip Op 00794
Docket Number: 59 SSM 12
The opinions published on Justia State Caselaw are sourced from individual state court sites. These court opinions may not be the official published versions, and you should check your local court rules before citing to them. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site, or the information linked to on the state site.

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

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