[phpisthebest]

It is confusing because NY likes to be confusing.

Almost every other state the State Supreme Court, is the top court of the state, just like the federal court

And the Court of Appeals is lower than the State Supreme Court.

Why NY needs to needless complicate everything is beyond me

[jrockway]

I guess it's because it's old. From the Wikipedia article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Supreme_Court):

> The New York Supreme Court is the oldest Supreme Court with general original jurisdiction. It was established as the Supreme Court of Judicature by the Province of New York on May 6, 1691. That court was continued by the State of New York after independence was declared in 1776. It became the New York Supreme Court under the New York Constitutional Convention of 1846.

The name predates the US Supreme Court (in fact, predates the US itself), and many other state courts. Basically, someone changed the naming convention out from under them.

[midoridensha]

There's nothing stopping the state from renaming the courts now to conform with established convention in the rest of the nation, in order to reduce confusion.

[nobody9999]

>There's nothing stopping the state from renaming the courts now to conform with established convention in the rest of the nation, in order to reduce confusion.

I imagine that the entire New York Legislature are hanging their heads in shame for confusing a few dozen folks on HN who don't even live in the state.

I further imagine that it will immediately become important for the governor to call an emergency session of the Legislature (which normally meets from January to June) to change the name of the court after they read your comment.

[phpisthebest]

I suspect the current Governor of NY would rather just abolish all the courts since she clearly does not believe in arresting or prosecuting any crime

[xeromal]

Thanks for digging this up. How cool!

[nwiswell]

> It became the New York Supreme Court under the New York Constitutional Convention of 1846.

Sounds like they blew their chance to name it properly. Oh well.

[phpisthebest]

it being old does not explain why it could not have been made into being the Top court.