§ 126 Vacancies

When a family court judge in New York City leaves the job early (for any reason other than their term simply ending on schedule), someone needs to fill that empty seat right away. This rule says the mayor of New York City gets to choose who fills that seat.

The person the mayor picks doesn't get a full new term. They only serve for whatever time was left on the previous judge's term. Once that time is up, the seat would then be filled through the normal process, like an election, depending on how family court judges are usually chosen in that county.

This rule matters because it keeps the courts running without long delays. If a judge suddenly retires, resigns, or can't continue for some reason, the court still needs someone in that role to hear cases and keep things moving. The mayor's appointment power fills that gap quickly.