ALBANY – An attempt by state court administrators to bar Supreme Court justices from receiving their pensions after they are certificated to stay on the bench past age 70 was unconstitutional, a state appeals court ruled Thursday.

The Appellate Division, Third Department, panel said in a 4-0 decision that the courts were pre-empted from administratively prohibiting the practice commonly known as “double-dipping” by state Retirement and Social Security Law §212.