Governor Hochul Signs Hoylman-Sigal Legislation to Reduce Case Backlog in Family and Civil Courts

NEW YORK — Governor Hochul recently signed legislation sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D, WFP - Manhattan) and Assemblymember Landon Dais (D - Bronx) to reduce the backlog in the Family Court system by creating additional judgeships.

The legislation S.9839/A.10540 increases the number of family and civil court judges throughout New York State by 28. The legislation will add 16 judges in New York City as well as two in Nassau County, two in Suffolk County, and one additional judge in each of the following counties: Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Erie, Jefferson, Rensselaer, Rockland and Westchester counties.

These reforms will help address the backlogs and delays documented during the New York State Senate’s 2023 hearing on the crisis in New York State’s Family Court, and the subsequent report published.  

State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said: “Some of the most important and intimate legal matters go through our Family Court system but lately, due to a lack of resources, our state’s Family Court system has fallen into a state of disarray. Last fall, the New York State Senate held a hearing on the crisis in New York State’s Family Court to detail these concerns and consider possible solutions. One of the many valuable ideas to come out of this hearing, and the subsequent report published by my office, was the desperate need to increase the number of Family Court judges which could help address the thousands of backlogged cases in the system. I’m thrilled that today my bill with Assembly Member Dais to do just that has been signed into law. We will be creating 28 Civil and Family Court judges across New York State. I am grateful to Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Governor Hochul for listening to the concerns of our constituents and committing to increasing resources for our Family Court System in both the state budget and in the passing of this law today. I am hopeful that this increase in judgeships will allow more children and families to have their cases heard, and seek justice, in a timely manner.”

Governor Kathy Hochul said: “Civil and family courts adjudicate some of the most sensitive issues New Yorkers face, and for too long, backlogs and delays have inhibited their ability to function effectively. This legislation gives our courts the tools to tackle the case backlog and carry out the fair and efficient justice system New Yorkers deserve.”

New York State Court of Appeals Chief Judge Rowan Wilson said: “Addressing the needs of families in distress is one of the highest priorities of the New York State Unified Court System, and we applaud Governor Hochul and the Legislature for their leadership on this issue. Creating these new judgeships across the State, together with the augmentation of resources required to serve our families, will greatly enhance our ongoing efforts to improve the lives of children and families and to ensure that individuals appearing in Family Court receive the fair, thoughtful and expeditious delivery of justice that they deserve.”

Assemblymember Landon C. Dais said: “I sponsored this bill in the Assembly because I recognize the critical gap we must bridge in our family and civil court system to improve the quality of justice they deliver to those in our communities. By adding more judges to the Family Courts system in New York City and State, this legislation will be a landmark improvement for many families. Too many cases are backlogged partially due to the shortage of Judges in our family courts and civil courts systems negatively impacting our most vulnerable. When this bill is enacted, these court systems can expedite case proceedings and justice can reach more families in a timely and equitable manner. I applaud Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal for his work on the bill and Governor Hochul for signing the bill.”