Deputy chief administrative judge for courts outside New York City appointed

Judge James P. Murphy has been appointed as deputy chief administrative judge for courts outside New York City.

The appointment was made by Chief Administrative Judge Joseph A. Zayas with the approval of Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson and in consultation with the presiding justices of the Second, Third and Fourth Departments of state’s Appellate Division.

Murphy succeeds Judge Norman St. George, who was appointed first deputy chief administrative judge in May.

Murphy will manage the day-to-day operations of the trial-level courts outside New York City, which include over 640 state-paid judges and 6,000-plus non-judicial employees. He will work with local administrative judges in overseeing the implementation of court system programs and protocols, and the allocation of personnel and other court resources.

He also will be responsible for oversight of New York’s town and village courts.

“Judge Murphy is an energetic leader with a keen intellect and a passion for the law and public service. An effective administrator, he has led the Fifth Judicial District with distinction over the past four years, deftly overseeing the District in navigating the myriad operational and other challenges posed by the pandemic and guiding the District forward in its transition to today’s ‘new normal,’” Zayas said in a news release.

“I am pleased that he will be taking on this critical administrative post and look forward to working with him in his new role,” Zayas said.

“I am deeply honored that Chief Administrative Judge Zayas has entrusted me with this awesome responsibility. I have spent almost 40 years inside all of the Courts in New York, in one role or another, and I am excited to use that experience to make our courts work more efficiently and equitably,” Murphy said.

Prior to his appointment, Murphy served as administrative judge for the Fifth Judicial District, which includes Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego counties.

He began his judicial career with his 2005 election to the state Supreme Court and was re-elected in 2019. He served in the court’s matrimonial, general civil and commercial parts.

From 2007 to 2019, he was the supervising judge for the town and village courts in the Fifth Judicial District, overseeing over 200 town and village justices.

Before his ascension to the bench, Murphy was a member of the Onondaga County Legislature. Previously, he served as an assistant District Attorney in Onondaga County and was in private practice for 20 years, with an emphasis on civil litigation and municipal law.

Murphy is a Syracuse native and graduate of the Syracuse University College of Law.