Appeals Bureau

The Appeals Bureau handles all of the office's appellate work. Assistant District Attorneys in the Bureau file briefs and argue appeals in all state and federal courts. Because of the Manhattan location and the large number of appeals, Bureau members play a prominent role in precedent-setting litigation that shapes the body of criminal law in New York.

In a typical year, members of the Bureau represent the appellant or respondent in about a third of the criminal appeals heard by the New York Court of Appeals. In addition, because of the expertise and reputation of the Bureau, its members are asked to appear as amicus curiae in significant cases in which the office would not otherwise be a party. Appeals Bureau attorneys also shape the law by selecting and pursuing appeals in which the state is the appellant, and by drafting proposed legislative amendments.

In addition to its work on criminal appeals, the Appeals Bureau handles office-related civil litigation in both the federal and state courts, including habeas corpus proceedings and civil rights actions. Assistant District Attorneys in the Bureau argue before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and frequently litigate in both state and federal trial courts. In addition, some attorneys in the Bureau review eavesdropping applications that are to be submitted by the office, or the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor.