Commercial Division’s ‘Rocket Docket’ Provides for Accelerated Adjudication

Sensitive to the backlog of commercial cases in the New York state courts, the Chief Administrative Judge has adopted a new rule to provide for the accelerated adjudication of commercial disputes in the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court. Provided the parties agreed in writing to proceed in this expedited manner, this new rule is likely to significantly limit discovery, shorten the time line for resolution of disputes and reduce the attendant legal costs. The rule, promulgated by Administrative Order of the Chief Administrative Judge on April 17, 2014, as rule 9 of Section 202.70(g) of the Uniform Rules for the Supreme and County Courts (Rules of Practice for the Commercial Division), became effective on June 2, 2014.