Rule 200.11. Assignment of criminal actions

(a) General. Criminal actions heard in the Supreme Court and County Court may be resolved pursuant to an individual assignment system which provides for continuous supervision of each action by a single judge. Assignments under such a system shall be made by the clerk of the court pursuant to a method of random selection authorized by the Chief Administrator. Alternatively, courts may establish a trial assignment part for the supervision of cases from arraignment in superior court through disposition by guilty plea or dismissal or assignment to another judge for hearings and/or trial. In the latter scenario, such assignment shall be made pursuant to a method of random selection authorized by the Chief Administrator.

(b) Specialized Parts. The Chief Administrator may authorize the establishment in any superior court of specialized parts, which shall primarily handle designated categories of cases – such as those involving domestic violence, gun possession, sex offenses, homicide offenses, or matters where the defendant is being diverted into treatment or other programming – for assignment to judges specially trained or with particular experience in such matters. Where more than one judge is assigned to hear a particular category of action, the assignment of such cases to the judges so assigned shall be random.

(c) Exceptions. (1) Where the requirements of matters already assigned to a judge are such as to limit the ability of that judge to handle additional cases, the Chief Administrator, a Deputy Chief Administrative Judge or the administrative judge in Supreme Court or the supervising judge in County Court may authorize that new assignments to that judge be suspended until the judge is able to handle additional cases.

(2) The Chief Administrator, a Deputy Chief Administrative Judge or the administrative judge in Supreme Court or the supervising judge in County Court may authorize the assignment of one or more special reserve trial judges. Such judges may be assigned matters for trial in exceptional circumstances where the needs of the courts require such assignment.

(3) Matters requiring immediate disposition may be assigned to a judge designated to hear such matters when the assigned judge is not available.

(4) The Chief Administrator, a Deputy Chief Administrative Judge or the administrative judge in Supreme Court or the supervising judge in County Court may authorize the transfer of any action and any matter relating to an action from one judge to another in accordance with the needs of the court. Prior to effectuating any transfer under this subdivision, the administrative judge in Supreme Court or the supervising judge in County Court shall, whenever necessary and appropriate, consult the judge already assigned to the matter and the judge receiving the matter.