David Saxe and James Catterson's Proposal for Private Judging in New York

March 16, 2021 - Last year, the New York court system implemented appropriate technologies to ensure it could provide the same vital functions and services that were once only done in-person. As resumption of services continue today with mostly virtual appearances, the need for exploring alternative methods for handling disputes and civil litigation remains equally important, with both financial and administrative benefits for the court system and for the parties involved.  
 
In an article published by the New York Law Journal on March 12, 2021 entitled, “A Proposal for Private Judging in New York," Justices David B. Saxe and James M. Catterson set forth a proposal for a private judging system in New York, using California's long embraced private judging model as a blueprint. Private judging would allow litigants to choose a "private judge" to oversee every stage of and to address all the issues of a lawsuit.