TAKING THE BENCH FALL 2025 SPRING CERTIFICATION COURSE

Session 1: April 7, 8, 9, 10, 11                                                     
Session 2: June 12, June 13 (virtual)

The Office of Court Administration is offering a Spring 2025 Taking the Bench Certification Course for newly elected or appointed Town and Village Justices. Taking the Bench is comprised of two separate training sessions, consisting of a five-day training, followed by a subsequent follow-up a few months later. The first session will be held at the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge’s Training Room located at 187 Wolf Road (2nd Floor), Albany on April 7th (Monday), April 8th (Tuesday), April 9th (Wednesday), April 10th (Thursday) and April 11th (Friday), 2025. Breakfast is provided for all registrants from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., classes start at 9:00 a.m. and lunch will be provided each day. The second session will be held Live Virtual on Microsoft Teams on June 12th (Thursday) and June 13th (Friday), 2025.

Each newly elected or appointed Town or Village Justice, who is not a member of the New York State Bar, is required pursuant to §17.2 of the Rules of the Chief Judge (22 NYCRR 17.2) to attend the first available Certification Course after his/her appointment or election. A non-lawyer Town or Village Justice may not assume the functions of the office until he or she has filed a certificate of completion of the Certification Course with his/her municipality (Uniform Justice Court Act §105). Attorney Justices are strongly encouraged to attend, and some Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits may be available for attending attorney judges.

Justices will receive their certification to assume the bench after successful completion of the “First Session” of Taking the Bench in April.  

VIEW DETAILS AND REGISTRATION MATERIALS