New York has the nation’s most complex court structure, with 11 separate trial courts. This unwieldy structure makes effective administration of justice far more difficult and meaningful access to justice far less attainable for litigants in our state’s courts. The Unified Court System remains committed under the Excellence Initiative to doing all it can to continue achieving efficiencies and upgrading the quality of justice we deliver. It is abundantly clear, however, that the current court structure frustrates those goals, does not serve the public well and, critically important, increases the costs of litigation in the state courts.

These problems have been evident for years, fueling multiple efforts over the past half century to restructure and simplify New York’s trial court system. Chief Judge Janet DiFiore’s plan will create a streamlined, transparent, and more navigable structure, replacing an antiquated, byzantine system with a modern design far better able to meet the needs and demands of 21st century litigation. It will overhaul and truncate our existing system of 11 separate and distinct trial courts, each with its own culture, practices, and jurisdictional barriers. This will allow for a far more equitable allocation of resources and caseloads among the trial courts, enabling the more efficient and expeditious processing and adjudication of cases.