N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 17: Town, village and city courts; jurisdiction; regulation; judges

§ 17. a. Courts for towns, villages and cities outside the city of New

York are continued and shall have the jurisdiction prescribed by the

legislature but not in any respect greater than the jurisdiction of the

district court as provided in section sixteen of this article.

b. The legislature may regulate such courts, establish uniform

jurisdiction, practice and procedure for city courts outside the city of

New York and may discontinue any village or city court outside the city

of New York existing on the effective date of this article. The

legislature may discontinue any town court existing on the effective

date of this article only with the approval of a majority of the total

votes cast at a general election on the question of a proposed

discontinuance of the court in each such town affected thereby.

c. The legislature may abolish the legislative functions on town

boards of justices of the peace and provide that town councilmen be

elected in their stead.

d. The number of the judges of each of such town, village and city

courts and the classification and duties of the judges shall be

prescribed by the legislature. The terms, method of selection and method

of filling vacancies for the judges of such courts shall be prescribed

by the legislature, provided, however, that the justices of town courts

shall be chosen by the electors of the town for terms of four years from

and including the first day of January next after their election.