Provides counsel appointed in the supreme court or surrogate's court for certain family matters shall be compensated in the same manner as certain law guardians

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Latrice Walker

Harmonizes pay for court-appointed family-matter counsel with law guardians in NY Supreme and Surrogate’s Courts, ensuring parity and consistent compensation.

REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

Overview

Bill A 6421 would require counsel appointed in the New York Supreme Court or Surrogate’s Court for certain family matters to be compensated in the same manner as law guardians. The main aim is to standardize and align compensation for these attorneys with the established framework used for law guardians.

Status: Referred to Judiciary (introduced March 4, 2025)

What the bill would do

Mandate that counsel appointed in the Supreme Court or Surrogate’s Court for specified family matters receive compensation under the same system used for law guardians.

The phrase “certain family matters” indicates a scope defined in the bill’s text, relating to family-law or family-court proceedings overseen by the higher courts (Supreme Court and Surrogate’s Court). The exact matters covered are not detailed in the provided summary, but would be defined in the bill’s language.

Key provisions and changes

Establishes parity in compensation between two groups of court-appointed counsel:

Counsel appointed in Supreme Court or Surrogate’s Court for designated family matters.
Law guardians (the existing category with an established compensation framework).

By mirroring the compensation scheme, the bill would likely specify:

How rates are determined (e.g., hourly rates, cap limits, or flat fees).
Eligible costs and expenses.
Administration and oversight mechanisms for paying counsel.

The bill does not include dollar figures or rate data in the provided summary; those details would appear in the complete text and any implementing regulations.

Impact and who would be affected

Affected parties: Attorneys serving as counsel in Supreme Court or Surrogate’s Court in the described family matters.

Potential beneficiaries: Individuals and families involved in the proceedings who rely on appointed counsel, ensuring consistent payment practices with law guardians.

Fiscal impact: Could affect court budgets and state or local funding streams responsible for compensation to court-appointed counsel, depending on how compensation is funded and administered.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Status: Referred to Judiciary (March 4, 2025). This is an early procedural step; the bill has not yet advanced to committee votes, amendments, or passage.

Related legislation:

Companion bill: S 4101 (listed as a companion in the companion track).
Numerous related A-series bills from prior sessions (e.g., A 7949, A 1303, A 6792, A 1609, A 8905, A 5848, A 5202, A 4313, A 272).

Context: The presence of multiple related and companion bills across sessions suggests ongoing interest in harmonizing compensation for court-appointed counsel in family matters.

Questions and considerations

The exact scope of “certain family matters” and the specific compensation framework for law guardians (rates, eligible services, and billing rules) will be defined in the bill’s text and any regulations.

Implementation would require alignment with existing judiciary budgeting and potential amendments to associated statutes governing compensation.

Next steps for readers

Monitor committee activity in the Judiciary to see whether A 6421 advances and any amendments clarifying scope and compensation details.

Review the bill’s full text for precise definitions, rate structures, and implementation timelines once available.

Compare with companion S 4101 for parallel provisions and potential differences between chambers.

Bill