ALBANY – State Senate leaders are spurning calls that the body return to Albany in time to confirm Janet DiFiore as chief judge before the current holder of the position retires.

Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan believes nothing will be lost by addressing the DiFiore nomination to succeed Jonathan Lippman in the normal course of Senate business starting next month, said Flanagan spokesman Scott Reif. The Senate will return to Albany on Jan. 6.