The legal profession is an ever-changing business. It’s important for lawyers to be open to new ideas at all times. One idea that has taken hold recently is the concept of law new, which is all about benefiting clients in innovative ways. This can include working with underserved communities, finding new ways to deliver services, and creating strategies that were not part of standard practice in the past.

citation: A court document that tells someone they must go to court and show up for a hearing or otherwise comply with the law. A citation usually has a number and a letter (N=New York, K=Kings, Q=Queens, X=Brooklyn, R=Richmond, and Y=Staten Island). A citation can also refer to a specific case in a court’s docket book.

judgment: The final decision in a court case. In New York State, a judge’s judgment in a civil case is published and can be found online. In criminal cases, a verdict is announced in court and the defendant is either found guilty or not. A verdict can be appealed, which is a process of reviewing the court’s ruling.

law of the state: Law passed by a legislature and codified in the New York Consolidated Laws, as well as decisions by courts that interpret these laws. New York has its own Constitution, but the main source of state law is the consolidated statutes.

amicus curiae: Latin for “friend of the court.” A person or organization that gives advice to a court on what the law means, but is not a party to the case. Often amicus curiae are hired by a party to the case to help convince the court to change something.

constructive abandonment: A reason for divorce that happens when one spouse stops spending time with the other for at least a year, which results in the feeling by the other spouse that they have been abandoned. This is the main reason that people are granted divorces in New York State.

The Center for New York City and State Law’s mission is to make NYC government more transparent, understandable, and effective through news and explainer articles; research and analysis; a wide range of public events with expert guests; in-depth podcast conversations; and other programming. The Center is made possible by the generous support of our donors.

adminss