NYS Court Officers

[Cravan]

Just got back from my Pre Med for Suffolk. I missed the weight by a few pounds but that wasnt going to be a problem until they saw my eye test results. I was just a tick under 5'11 but of course they wouldn't let me compare to the 5'11 requirements. Then they say my uncorrected vision has to be better than 20/40. So I leave and call my eye doctor who says on his machines my eyes meet the requirements. As far as the weight goes they use a scale that has to be 30 or 40 years old, and they don't take into account that your wearing a suit. Another thing that ****ed me off is my canvas lettet says business attire required so I wear a suit. I want to know why the other couple of guys who showed up not is business clothes where allowed to move forward? This day was a complete waste of my time and nothing but BS and aggrivation

I am sorry to hear the bad news. I hope things work out for you. Was Suffolk your only JD choice and what was your score?

[Cravan]

Hey everyone,

We're a month away from April 1, 2011. That means the budget deadline is almost here. I am happy that OCA is still processing people. I read an article the other day that stated that the OCA plans to hire 1,000 court officers within 4 years (250 per year). I am not sure if OCA is still trying to achieve this hiring goal.

[CivilServant14]

Hey everyone,

We're a month away from April 1, 2011. That means the budget deadline is almost here. I am happy that OCA is still processing people. I read an article the other day that stated that the OCA plans to hire 1,000 court officers within 4 years (250 per year). I am not sure if OCA is still trying to achieve this hiring goal.

When was the article dated? Do you have a web link?

[Cravan]

When was the article dated? Do you have a web link?

The article was dated around the time OCA administered the 2009 exam. I do have a web link. I was on google and found the article.

[Mtn29]

Just got back from my Pre Med for Suffolk. I missed the weight by a few pounds but that wasnt going to be a problem until they saw my eye test results. I was just a tick under 5'11 but of course they wouldn't let me compare to the 5'11 requirements. Then they say my uncorrected vision has to be better than 20/40. So I leave and call my eye doctor who says on his machines my eyes meet the requirements. As far as the weight goes they use a scale that has to be 30 or 40 years old, and they don't take into account that your wearing a suit. Another thing that ****ed me off is my canvas lettet says business attire required so I wear a suit. I want to know why the other couple of guys who showed up not is business clothes where allowed to move forward? This day was a complete waste of my time and nothing but BS and aggrivation

whats the indication that the other guys moved forward? I can imagine they mark off who has correctly taken direction/orders regarding the business attire. Whats your next move?

[Cravan]

When was the article dated? Do you have a web link?

Here is the article I was talking about.


ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO APPLY

The Shomrim Society of the NYS Courts (Shomrai Tzedek Society)
–Member of the National Conference of Shomrim Societies, Council of Jewish Organizations in Civil Service-
Wishes to Inform the Jewish Communities of New York State and
Vicinity of an Employment Opportunity with the NYS Courts - the
Court Officer Trainee Examination

The New York State Unified Court system is currently accepting examination
applications for Court Officer Trainee positions. Applicants must possess, by the date of
appointment, a high school diploma (or G.E.D. equivalent).
The starting salary is $42,000., which rises to $52,000. after two years. There are
many examination based promotional opportunities in the uniformed and non-uniformed
titles. A career in the NYS Court System can lead to future examination based promotional
opportunities offering salaries well in excess of $100,000 at longevity.
There is no maximum age limit; however, applicants must be at least 18 years old at
the time of appointment (applicants 14 years old may apply to take the test). The filing
deadline is July 31, 2009 (post-mark deadline). The filing fee is $30.00 (money orders only).
The next opportunity to take this test will likely be in 2013. Applications/information may
be obtained in any courthouse or: http://www.nycourts.gov.
Court Officer Trainees initially accrue 20 annual vacation days, 13 annual sick days
and 11 paid holidays. Vacation day accruals increase to 27 days after seven years. Court
Officer Trainees work 35 hours per week, and enjoy generous benefits and pension plans.
The NYS Unified Court System plans to hire 1,000 Court Officer Trainees over four years
(250 hires per year). Shomer Shabbos court employees have been accommodated in the
workplace. Alternative work schedules, which include job sharing (working 26 weeks) may
be available for those with child care, elder care or other special needs. Job-sharing and
alternative work schedules are subject to the needs of the court.
Tznius issues have been addressed by a well-respected member of the Vaad
Harobonim of Queens. Check with your own Rav for a P'sak Din.
Students studying in Israel at the time of the Court Officer Trainee Exam may apply
in advance for an alternate test date (see application booklet online for details). All Shomer
Shabbos applicants should check the box marked "Sabbath Observer" on the application form.
The New York State Unified Court System is an equal opportunity employer.
[/quote]
Posted 1 year ago #

[CivilServant14]

Thanks Craven..I read something similar a year ago. I believe the 250 per year are what the courts usually shoot for with expected retirements and expansion into new counties. Unfortunately every year it seems budget restraints throw a wrench into their plans.

[CivilServant14]

As unblindeacon stated you might not be new hires. OCA's definition may not match the Gov's. And new hires might mean only certain titles not others. As I stated, smoke and mirrors.

Dinosaur32 and unblindeacon:
Do you think this applies to Court Assistant positions as well or just officers? Thanks in advance!

[KAYNYC]

Hello Guys,

Can you give me any insight as to what the doctor exam for the full medical consists of?
Also, for those of you that had your full med in manhattan, what was that whole process like? Were there officers there?

[KwtEngine2]

whats the indication that the other guys moved forward? I can imagine they mark off who has correctly taken direction/orders regarding the business attire. Whats your next move?

I got my records from my eye doctor and now just waiting to hear back from admissions

[CivilServant14]

FYI people...I don't know how this would affect Court Officer positions but just wanted all to know the judiciary is planning on making changes to suit the governorship.

Copyright 2011. ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. New York Law Journal Online

Page printed from: http://www.nylj.com

Back to Article
Judiciary Promises More Budget Cuts

Joel Stashenko

03-03-2011

ALBANY - The judiciary promised the cash-strapped state government to make an additional $100 million in budget cuts yesterday—economies that Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman predicted would cost some court employees their jobs.

"We are going to need layoffs here," the chief judge said in an interview after announcing that the courts would cut from the $2.7 billion budget proposed in December. "We're not talking about a large system of layoffs of 2,000 people. But whether it will be 25, 50, 150 or 200, I just don't know."

Judge Lippman said employees who work in courtrooms or back-office workers who support courtroom functions would be protected from cuts. But he said there are "loads" of court administrators and others in jobs that do not affect courtroom operations whose positions could be sacrificed.

Yesterday's comments were the first time the courts have raised the possibility of layoffs.

The courts employ about 15,200 non-judicial workers, approximately 1,100 less than three years ago. But the cuts in payroll have been achieved through early retirements coupled with a hiring freeze.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo last month criticized the Judiciary for "not participating" in his efforts to close a budget gap of around $10 billion in the year that begins April 1.

Mr. Cuomo is proposing to cut spending by 10 percent and to eliminate about 10,000 positions from the executive agencies he controls (NYLJ, Feb. 2).

Judge Lippman said yesterday the Judiciary's budget was proposed two months before Mr. Cuomo's and that he has intended for weeks to answer Mr. Cuomo's call for cuts in the court budget.

The Judiciary's initial budget proposal was higher by $50 million, or 1.7 percent, than in the current fiscal year. Chief Administrative Judge Ann Pfau argued that the increase was due to negotiated salary and pension benefits over which the court system did not have control (NYLJ, Dec. 2. 2010).

Mr. Cuomo's office had no immediate response to Judge Lippman's announcement.

"This reduced budget request will have a significant impact on every part of our court system," Judge Lippman said in a statement released by his office yesterday. "Nevertheless, we can and will keep the doors of our courthouses fully open while fostering equal access to justice. Difficult sacrifices will be made, but this is exactly what we should be doing as a good partner in government at a time when the State is facing extraordinary fiscal challenges."

In addition to continued attrition and possible layoffs, Judge Lippman said that the courts would re-examine all non-personal service spending such as aid to town and village courts, the New York State Judicial Institute and legal reference materials.

He said in the interview that the entire judicial hearing officer program might have to be scrapped. The program employs some 300 retired judges who issue orders of protection, preside over jury selection in civil trials and otherwise relieve judges of some duties.

JHOs are paid $300 per day for their services and the program costs the state about $7 million a year, according to Judge Pfau.

The Legislature has created almost no new judgeships in the last decade, and the courts have come to rely on the JHOs to cope with rising caseloads.

Judge Lippman also said that he would push for long-term changes in court operations. That would include the renewal of the Judiciary's push to consolidate the state's 11 separate trial courts, a system the chief judge called "archaic and inefficient."

Such an initiative, most recently championed in 2007 by a task force appointed by then-Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye, would require amendments to the state Constitution, and the Legislature has traditionally shown no interest in moving ahead.

But Judge Lippman said he believes the tenor of the times makes court consolidation more attractive than it has been in decades. He based that reaction on the state's bleak fiscal outlook and the fact that Mr. Cuomo has made consolidation of in other areas of government to lower costs and eliminate redundant services a chief priority of his administration.

"We can save hundreds upon hundreds of millions of dollars by having a more efficient [court] structure," the chief judge said in the interview. "Let's look at it fresh because we have to in this economic climate. We can't continue to have such a structurally inefficient model."

Various studies of a consolidated court system have placed savings to the state at between $200 million and $500 million a year.

Judge Lippman also pledged to implement mandatory electronic filing for all New York state courts (see accompanying article). Finally, he said the Judiciary would forward to the Legislature within 10 days a package of proposals to streamline proceedings in civil, criminal, family and surrogate's courts.

Among those ideas are eliminating the requirement to exhaust remedies before courts can enforce an order of support through a contempt proceeding and to elevate the status of part-time city court judges to full-time so they also can serve in Family Court.

James Hennerty, deputy director of the Civil Service Employees Association, said yesterday he hopes the court system moves quickly to identify jobs that might be targeted for layoffs.

"Obviously, we want to discuss the specifics," Mr. Hennerty said. "We are in a somewhat difficult position. Management has a unilateral right to lay off employees. We cannot stop them. We are hoping that layoffs will not be necessary, or at least are minimal. We don't even like minimal, but we realize that times are difficult."

The CSEA represents 5,890 state court employees, many of them in the management or administrative capacities that Judge Lippman said would be targeted.

Judge Lippman told reporters after his State of the Judiciary address last month that the Judiciary was willing to make sacrifices that would not affect access to justice or result in curtailment of courthouse hours. He said the budget the Judiciary proposed in December was a starting point in negotiations with the governor and Legislature (NYLJ, Feb. 16).

@|Joel Stashenko can be contacted at [email protected].

[CivilServant14]

Here's another article that talks about a hiring freeze...I hope this doesn't happen. All of a sudden the OCA has decided to retract from its previous hard line stance. What happened? Did Cuomo have a one on one with Lippman?

Courts Budget

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York's judiciary has proposed trimming its budget by $100 million following criticism by Gov. Andrew Cuomo that its $2.7 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year didn't cut deeply enough.

Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman says Wednesday administrators will propose more cuts despite record caseloads related to a troubled economy, more foreclosures, evictions and other cases, and judges who haven't had raises in 13 years.

The harsher measures may include a hiring freeze, possible layoffs and cutting aid to local courts.

A commission will review possible pay raises for the 1,300 state-level judges.

Lippman says major long-term savings could come from mandatory electronic filing of court documents and consolidating New York's 11 trial courts.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[angelo3456]

Here some information i found posted yesterday on law360.com

NY Chief Judge Reduces Courts' Budget By $100M
Law360, New York (March 2, 2011) -- The head of the New York judiciary announced Wednesday that he had reduced the court system's $2.7 billion budget request for the 2011 fiscal year by $100 million at the request of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman said the austerity measures would take the form of a hard freeze on hiring and layoffs of administrative and nonoperational personnel, if necessary....

I would guess court officer are not considered administrative or nonoperational but who knows, just keep your fingers crossed.

[CivilServant14]

Here some information i found posted yesterday on law360.com

NY Chief Judge Reduces Courts' Budget By $100M
Law360, New York (March 2, 2011) -- The head of the New York judiciary announced Wednesday that he had reduced the court system's $2.7 billion budget request for the 2011 fiscal year by $100 million at the request of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman said the austerity measures would take the form of a hard freeze on hiring and layoffs of administrative and nonoperational personnel, if necessary....

I would guess court officer are not considered administrative or nonoperational but who knows, just keep your fingers crossed.

My question is this...how could the OCA justify laying off certain groups of personnel while hiring new COs? Even if COs are a critical role, it just wouldn't look good.

[Cravan]

Hey everyone,

The $100 million in budget cuts by chief judge Lippman is not looking good for anyone trying to obtain a job with the courts. We will have to see what happens next.