The Role of the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court

A native of Toronto, Ontario, Kevin Beigel is an experienced attorney who received his law degree from the University of Western Ontario. Kevin Beigel worked for a prominent corporate immigration law firm in Toronto for five years before opening Beigel Law, his own immigration law firm. To augment his work, he is associated with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in New York.

The New York State constitution was signed in 1894 and included the creation of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. New York state has four appellate court locations that serve different areas, with the first division serving New York and Bronx counties. Part of the court's role is to hear appeals, but it requires the court’s permission, and a case may have to be heard at the Appellate Term, a lower court, before being heard by the Appellate Division. Appeals from criminal court, family court, and the surrogate court can all be heard here.

The Appellate Division is also responsible for admitting new lawyers to the bar, and they average about 3,000 new lawyers each year. In addition, the division hands out disciplinary measures to lawyers who have been found guilty of wrongdoing.