WHEREAS, the Commercial Division of New York State Supreme Court is an efficient, sophisticated, up-to-date court, dealing with challenging commercial cases, and has had as its primary goal the cost-effective, predictable and fair adjudication of complex commercial cases, and
WHEREAS, since its inception the Commercial Division has implemented rules, procedures and forms especially designed to address the unique problems of commercial practice, and through the work of the Commercial Division Advisory Council – a committee of commercial practitioners, corporate in-house counsel and jurists devoted to the Division’s excellence – the Commercial Division has functioned as an incubator, becoming a recognized leader in court system innovation, and demonstrating an unparalleled creativity and flexibility in development of rules and practices, and
WHEREAS, the Administrative Board of the Courts (Board) requested public comment on the advisability of adopting Commercial Division Rules into general civil practice, and after review of public comments, including those received from the Advisory Committee on Civil Practice and the Advisory Committee on Matrimonial Practice, and after input from a working group of judges and attorneys, and recognizing that the COVID-19 pandemic has created unique opportunities for permanent reform, the Board approved adoption of certain Commercial Division Rules to other courts of civil jurisdiction, and
NOW THEREFORE, upon consultation with and approval of the Administrative Board of the Courts, pursuant to authority vested in me as Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York under Article VI, section 28(b) of the State Constitution, I have determined to incorporate certain rules, and variations thereof, of the Commercial Division into the Uniform Rules for the Supreme Court and the County Court, effective February 1, 2021 until further order as per the attached Exhibits delineating each rule so adopted.
Chief Lawrence K. Marks
Chief Administrative Judge of the Courts
December 29, 2020
