Appellate Division 1st Department Update

Updated October 4, 2023

Oral Arguments – Appeals

Oral arguments will be held in-person at the courthouse located at 27 Madison Avenue. As usual, oral arguments will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 2:00 p.m., and if necessary, on Fridays at 10:00 a.m.

As is customary, oral arguments will be livestreamed on the Court’s website and YouTube channel.

Our historic and landmark courtroom is opened to the bar and public.

COVID-19 Protocols

The Unified Court System COVID-19 Safety and Operational Protocols related to courthouse entry were discontinued on June 2, 2023.

However, we ask all court users to continue to follow COVID-19 isolation and quarantine guidelines in accordance with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health authorities.

We ask you NOT to enter the courthouse if you are COVID-19 positive.

COVID-19 positive persons having business before the Court should contact the Court by telephone at 212-340-0422.

  1. Face masks will no longer be required for any persons, regardless of vaccination status, with the following exception:
    • Return from Isolation. Any person, returning from isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, must wear a well-fitting, disposable, non­ woven mask in all areas of the courthouse and other court facilities for five (5) calendar days after the end of his/her isolation; and
    • Exposure to a Person with COVID-19. Any individual, after coming in contact with someone with COVID-19, must wear a well-fitting, disposable, non-woven mask at all times in all areas of the courthouse or other court facilities for the next 10 days.
  2. Voluntary masking. All persons may wear a mask in the courthouse or court facilities if they so choose.

Electronic Filing

Matters Subject to Mandatory E-filing

All matters before the First Department, except original proceedings and attorney matters, are subject to mandatory e-filing via NYSCEF in accordance with the procedural and electronic filing rules of the Court. For additional information on the e-filing requirements, please click here.

Original Proceedings and Attorney Matters

All filings, including petitions, motions, and applications, made in connection with original proceedings and attorney matters shall be submitted electronically via the Digital Submission portal in NYSCEF. For additional information on the Digital Submission portal, please click here.

Hard Copy Submissions – NEW

Briefs. Records and Appendices. Effective November 6, 2023, no hard copies of records and briefs shall be filed with the court in matters that are electronically filed.

Motions and Original Proceedings. Motions and applications, and original proceedings shall be filed in digital form only (via NYSCEF or Digital Submission Portal). No hard copy submission is required unless requested by the Court.

Attorney Matters. In addition to the digital copy, the original document (i.e., one hard copy) shall be filed with the Court.

Procedures for Interim ReliefApplications – NEW

An application for interim relief shall be e-filed and accepted for filing before it is entertained by Court. Reasonable notice shall be given to the other parties as required by Rule 1250-4(b). Once the application has been processed, if the Court wants to hear oral argument, the parties will be informed of the date and time when the application will be heard. If the parties prefer to be heard virtually instead of in­ person, a request for virtual participation shall be made in the interim relief application.

Hyperlinks

The Court accepts, on a voluntary basis, briefs with hyperlinks to cited primary authorities (constitutions, case law, statutes, rules and regulations) available on Westlaw, Lexis, or state or federal government websites. Citations to secondary and other sources should not be hyperlinked. All citations (with or without hyperlinks) shall appear in standard citation form.

Admission of Attorneys to the Bar

Applications and other documents for admission to the bar shall be transmitted electronically to the Court’s Committee on Character and Fitness via the online portal set up by the Court.

In-person admission ceremonies resumed on October 2, 2023.

Requests for Certificates of Good Standing are processed electronically via the statewide Appellate Division online portal. Paper certificates are no longer issued in­ person. Instructions for obtaining a Certificate of Good Standing and the link to the portal are posted on the webpage of the Committee on Character and Fitness.

Attorney Grievance Matters

The Attorney Grievance Committee is fully operational. Complaints, pleadings and all other submissions shall be transmitted electronically to the Committee.

Additional information is posted on the Attorney Grievance Committee webpage.

Pre-argument Conference Program

Until further notice, the Pre-argument Conference Program will continue to hold conferences remotely via Microsoft Teams and other virtual platforms.

Important Update to Court Announcements October 15th

Important Court Updates
Civil courts of New York are implanting mandatory e-filing on No Fault cases.

Accordingly, the schedule for implementation of e-filing for all new “No Fault” actions is as follows:

October 6, 2021 – Kings County Civil Court
November 1, 2021 – New York County and Richmond County Civil Courts
November 22, 2021 – Bronx County and Queens County Civil Courts


LATEST COURT UPDATE

To view any of these Administrative Orders as a downloadable PDF file, please click on the corresponding links:

Mandatory e-filing

Previous No-Fault files will be converted to electronic form

Sign up your cases with eLaw for case watch updates, including notifications for virtual appearances!

We will continue to monitor all information as it is received as pass along any changes. Please refer to our blog, Facebook page or twitter account for the most current information. Stay safe!

Important Update to Court Announcements August 9th

Important Court Updates
New protocols will require all Unified Court System judges and non-judicial employees who have not been vaccinated to be tested regularly for Covid-19. The new protocols will go into effect on Tuesday, September 7th.

LATEST COURT UPDATE

To view any of these Administrative Orders as a downloadable PDF file, please click on the corresponding links:

Message from Chief Judge Janet Difiore

Hon. Carolyn Walker-Diallo as Administrative Judge of the New York City Civil Court

Sign up your cases with eLaw for case watch updates, including notifications for virtual appearances!

We will continue to monitor all information as it is received as pass along any changes. Please refer to our blog, Facebook page or twitter account for the most current information. Stay safe!

Important Update to Court Announcements July 12

Important Court Updates
Commencing Monday, July 26, 2021, all cases on in the New York City Criminal Court will require personal appearances (except if you have a previously scheduled virtual conference.)

LATEST COURT UPDATE

To view any of these Administrative Orders as a downloadable PDF file, please click on the corresponding links:

Message from Chief Judge Janet Difiore

Second Department to Resume in person Oral Argument

Sign up your cases with eLaw for case watch updates, including notifications for virtual appearances!

We will continue to monitor all information as it is received as pass along any changes. Please refer to our blog, Facebook page or twitter account for the most current information. Stay safe!

Important Update to Court Announcements May 24

Important Court Updates
Monday, May 24th, marks the physical return of all judges and court staff to courthouses across the state.

LATEST COURT UPDATE

To view any of these Administrative Orders as a downloadable PDF file, please click on the corresponding links:

Message from Chief Judge Janet Difiore

Sign up your cases with eLaw for case watch updates, including notifications for virtual appearances!

We will continue to monitor all information as it is received as pass along any changes. Please refer to our blog, Facebook page or twitter account for the most current information. Stay safe!

Important Update to Court Announcements April 19

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Important Court Updates
Effective Monday, May 24th, all judges and court staff will be required to physically return to work in their assigned courthouses.

LATEST COURT UPDATE

To view any of these Administrative Orders as a downloadable PDF file, please click on the corresponding links:

Message from Chief Judge Janet Difiore

Sign up your cases with eLaw for case watch updates, including notifications for virtual appearances!

We will continue to monitor all information as it is received as pass along any changes. Please refer to our blog, Facebook page or twitter account for the most current information. Stay safe!

Important Update to Court Announcements April 5

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Important Court Updates
Resumption of Jury Trials, Non-Jury Trials and Inquests – Queens County
Please be advised that in-person Jury Trials, Non-Jury Trials, Summary Bench Trials and Inquests have recommenced.

If you have a case that is ready for trial, with the Request for Judicial Invention (RJI) and Note of Issue having already been filed, please complete the attached form and submit it to the Chambers of the Administrative Judge at QSJAC@nycourts.gov. All fields of the form must be completed if applicable.

Please indicate if your case has been granted a trial preference by Order of this Court.  Below is the form.

LATEST COURT UPDATE

To view any of these Administrative Orders as a downloadable PDF file, please click on the corresponding links:

Message from Chief Judge Janet Difiore
The Commission to Reimagine the Future of New York’s Courts
Trial Request Form

Sign up your cases with eLaw for case watch updates, including notifications for virtual appearances!

We will continue to monitor all information as it is received as pass along any changes. Please refer to our blog, Facebook page or twitter account for the most current information. Stay safe!

Important Update to Court Announcements March 16

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Important Court Updates
I am including the latest court information that has been made available to eLaw. As the situation is rapidly changing, I will continue to provide court information as it is provided to me by the Court, members of the Bar and our partner company, PM Legal.

LATEST COURT UPDATE

To view any of these Administrative Orders as a downloadable PDF file, please click on the corresponding links:

Message from Chief Judge Janet Difiore
Recommencement of Jury Trials

Sign up your cases with eLaw for case watch updates, including notifications for virtual appearances!
We will continue to monitor all information as it is received as pass along any changes. Please refer to our blog, Facebook page or twitter account for the most current information. Stay safe!

Important Update to Court Announcements March 8th

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Important Court Updates
I am including the latest court information that has been made available to eLaw. As the situation is rapidly changing, I will continue to provide court information as it is provided to me by the Court, members of the Bar and our partner company, PM Legal.

LATEST COURT UPDATE

To view any of these Administrative Orders as a downloadable PDF file, please click on the corresponding links:

Message from Chief Judge Janet Difiore

Sign up your cases with eLaw for case watch updates, including notifications for virtual appearances!
We will continue to monitor all information as it is received as pass along any changes. Please refer to our blog, Facebook page or twitter account for the most current information. Stay safe!

Important Update to Court Announcements February 22 – 3PM

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Important Court Updates
IMPORTANT COURT INFORMATION

I am including the latest court information that has been made available to eLaw. As the situation is rapidly changing, I will continue to provide court information as it is provided to me by the Court, members of the Bar and our partner company, PM Legal.

Lasted Court Update
To view any of these Administrative Orders as a downloadable PDF file, please click on the corresponding links:
Updated Court Closings
Message from Chief Judge DeFiore – February 15, 2021
Message from Chief Judge DeFiore – February 22, 2021


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