The New York circuit courts were

circuit court Circuit courts are court systems in several common law jurisdictions. It may refer to: * Courts that literally sit 'on circuit', i.e., judges move around a region or country to different towns or cities where they will hear cases; * Courts that s ...

s created by the

New York State Constitution The Constitution of the State of New York establishes the structure of the government of the State of New York, and enumerates the basic rights of the citizens of New York. Like most state constitutions in the United States, New York's constituti ...

of 1821, and abolished by the Constitution of 1846.

History

Under the provisions of the Constitution of New York, 1777, the justices of the

New York Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the superior court in the Judiciary of New York. It is vested with unlimited civil and criminal jurisdiction, although in many counties outside New York City it acts primarily as a court of civil ju ...

had been holding traveling circuit courts. Under the Constitution of 1821, the state was divided in eight senatorial districts, so known because each district elected four senators, which were also used as judicial divisions. The circuit courts were organized by an act passed April 17, 1823. Laws of 1822
c. 182, p. 208
/ref> The circuit court judges were appointed by the

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

and confirmed by the

State Senate In the United States, the state legislature is the legislative branch in each of the 50 U.S. states. A legislature generally performs state duties for a state in the same way that the United States Congress performs national duties at ...

. The circuit courts ceased to exist on July 5, 1847, when the jurisdiction was taken over by the district benches of the

the justices of which had been elected at the special judicial election in May 1847.

List of judges

First Circuit

*1823–1841 Ogden Edwards *1841–1845

William Kent William Kent (c. 1685 – 12 April 1748) was an English architect, landscape architect, painter and furniture designer of the early 18th century. He began his career as a painter, and became Principal Painter in Ordinary or court painter, b ...

*1845–1847 John W. Edmonds

Second Circuit

*1823–1827

Samuel Betts Samuel Rossiter Betts (June 8, 1786 – November 3, 1868) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as a United States Representative, United States representative from New York and a United States federal judge, United States ...

*1827–1831 James Emott *1831–1846 Charles H. Ruggles *1846 Selah B. Strong (declined) *1846–1847 Seward Barculo

Third Circuit

*1823–1830 William Alexander Duer *1830–1838 James Vanderpoel *1838–1844 John P. Cushman *1844–1847 Amasa J. Parker

Fourth Circuit

*1823–1828 Reuben H. Walworth *1828–1836 Esek Cowen *1838–1847 John Willard

Fifth Circuit

*1823–1834 Nathan Williams *1834

Samuel Beardsley Samuel Beardsley (February 6, 1790 – May 6, 1860) was an American attorney, judge and legislator from New York. During his career he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, New York Attorney General, United States Att ...

*1834–1838 Hiram Denio *1838 Isaac H. Bronson *1838–1847 Philo Gridley

Sixth Circuit

*1823–1831

Samuel Nelson Samuel Nelson (November 10, 1792 – December 13, 1873) was an American attorney and appointed as judge of New York State courts. He was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1872. He concu ...

*1831–1846 Robert Monell *1846–1847 Hiram Gray

Seventh Circuit

*1823–1828 Enos Throop *1829–1844 Daniel Moseley *1844–1847 Bowen Whiting

Eighth Circuit

*1823–1826 William B. Rochester *1826

Albert H. Tracy Albert Haller Tracy (June 17, 1793 – September 19, 1859) was an American lawyer and politician from New York (state), New York. Life Tracy pursued classical studies, and later studied medicine. In 1811, Tracy removed to New York (state), N ...

(declined) *1826–1829 John Birdsall *1829–1838

Addison Gardiner Addison Gardiner (March 19, 1797 – June 5, 1883) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the lieutenant governor of New York from 1845 to 1847 and Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1854 to 1855. Early life and caree ...

*1838 John B. Skinner *1838–1847 Nathan Dayton

References

* {{refend New York state courts Legal history of New York (state) 1823 establishments in New York (state) 1847 disestablishments in New York (state) Courts and tribunals established in 1823 Courts and tribunals disestablished in 1847