Cayuga County Supreme Court Minutes

Supreme Court of the Judicature 1691 Through 1777

Highest court of common law possessing both original and appellate jurisdiction
Combined jurisdiction of 3 English courts:
- Court of Common Pleas
- Court of Exchequer
- King's Bench
1693 - Circuit courts held in each county at least once a year and New York City twice a year
Held court of oyer and terminer (criminal) and court of general gaol and delivery in which grand juries returned indictments against suspects who were then tried here or in the supreme court
Appeals over £100 (£300 in 1753) went to Royal Governor and Council (Court for the Correction of Error)
Jurisdiction overlapped with county courts
Judgments and civil actions signed and filed in New York City

Jurisdiction over points of law raised in proceedings in the circuit court and reviewed cases from county level civil and criminal courts and justice courts
Court of Trial and Impeachment of Errors replaced Governor and Council as Court of last resort
Supreme Court Justices held circuit courts, courts of oyer and terminer 2 regular terms a year
Civil over £100
Court of general jurisdiction within 52 counties of the state - 4 circuits
1785 - 4 regular terms a year - 2 in New York City 2 in Albany
1801 - civil over $250 (New York City $500)
1820 - one term of New York City moved to Utica

Appeals from circuits
All verdicts in circuit returned to Supreme Court for final judgement, signing, docketing and filing
8 circuits created
1841 - One term of Albany moved to Rochester
Most justices served both as Supreme Court Circuit Justices and Courts of Equity Justices and Vice Chancellors

Statewide court of unlimited jurisdiction in law and equity
Appeals from judgments in the trial courts - civil, criminal, equity, from orders and decisions of other supreme court justices, and from the County Courts, Mayor's Court, Recorder's Courts
Appeals to the Court of Appeals
One single court with 8 circuits was created instead of 8 independent courts (circuits)

Jurisdiction remains the same as in previous years
Court restructured into 4 judicial departments each having a General Term in each of the 8 judicial districts

Appellate Division
Civil Term
Criminal Term
Statewide trial court of general unlimited jurisdiction in law and equity and limited appellate jurisdiction
Civil cases in every county and New York City
Criminal - felony cases
Appellate - civil, criminal, administrative adjudication decisions by state agencies
Created to ease workload of Court of Appeals by having court of intermediate jurisdiction
Circuit courts and court of oyer and terminer abolished
Presently 12 districts - county clerks are the clerks of the Supreme Court in their respective counties
Superior Courts of Buffalo, New York and Rochester were absorbed by the Supreme Court