The Commission on Judicial Nomination has now released its Report concerning its seven nominated candidates to fill the vacancy on the New York State Court of Appeals caused by the untimely passing of Associate Judge Theodore T. Jones.  By law, the Governor is to make his appointment from among these seven nominees between fifteen and thirty days after receipt of the Commission’s Report.

Established by the New York State Constitution, the Commission screens candidates for vacancies on the Court of Appeals, New York State's highest court.  When a vacancy on the Court of Appeals occurs or is known to be imminent, the Commission broadly solicits applications from candidates who reflect the diversity of the citizenry of the State of New York, and then considers all interested candidates.  From these candidates, the Commission selects, based on merit, a slate of well qualified nominees which it forwards to the Governor.  The Governor then selects a candidate whose nomination is forwarded to the State's Senate Judiciary Committee.

This website includes: descriptions of the Commission's role and operation; a list of the Commission's members; the legal sources for the Commission's mandate; a list of all historical nominees forwarded to the Governor since the Commission's inception; and all Commission press releases from 2007 to date.

When the Commission is engaged in the process of soliciting candidates for a vacancy on the Court, this website also contains application forms that can be used by interested candidates. 

Inquiries may be addressed to the Commission's Counsel at the below address:

Commission on Judicial Nomination
c/o Stephen P. Younger, Counsel
Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP
1133 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036-6710
Phone:  212-336-2685
Fax:  212-336-2222
Email:  spyounger@pbwt.com

Please contact the Commission's Counsel if you wish to receive the Commission's press releases, or if you wish to inform the Commission of a qualified candidate for a vacancy on the Court of Appeals.  All candidates nominated by third parties will still be required to fill out the Commission's application forms, which the Commission will provide to the nominated candidates.  Candidates need not be so nominated in order to apply for a Court vacancy.