{"jurisdiction": "us-ny", "code": "cpl", "section": "350.20", "citation": "CPL § 350.20", "heading": "Trial by judicial hearing officer", "text": ["§ 350.20 Trial by judicial hearing officer.", "1. Notwithstanding any provision of section 350.10 of this article, in any case where a single judge trial of an information in a local criminal court is authorized or required, the court may, upon agreement of the parties, assign a judicial hearing officer to conduct the trial. Where such assignment is made, the judicial hearing officer shall entertain the case in the same manner as a court and shall:", "(a) determine all questions of law;", "(b) act as the exclusive trier of all issues of fact; and", "(c) render a verdict.", "2. In the discharge of this responsibility, the judicial hearing officer shall have the same powers as a judge of the court in which the proceeding is pending. The rules of evidence shall be applicable at a trial conducted by a judicial hearing officer.", "3. Any action taken by a judicial hearing officer in the conduct of a trial shall be deemed the action of the court in which the proceeding is pending.", "4. This section shall not apply where the single judge trial is of an information at least one count of which charges a class A misdemeanor.", "5. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this section, for all proceedings before the district court of Nassau county the administrative judge of Nassau county may, and for all proceedings before the district court of Suffolk county, the administrative judge of Suffolk county may, without the consent of the parties, assign matters involving traffic and parking infractions except those described in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of subdivision two of section three hundred seventy-one of the general municipal law to a judicial hearing officer in accordance with the provisions of section sixteen hundred ninety of the vehicle and traffic law and for all proceedings before the Buffalo city court the administrative judge of the eighth judicial district may, without the consent of the parties, assign matters involving traffic infractions except those described in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) of subdivision two-a of section three hundred seventy-one of the general municipal law to a judicial hearing officer in accordance with the provisions of section sixteen hundred ninety of the vehicle and traffic law and for all proceedings before the Rochester city court the administrative judge of the seventh judicial district may, without the consent of the parties, assign matters involving traffic infractions except those described in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) of subdivision two-b of section three hundred seventy-one of the general municipal law to a judicial hearing officer in accordance with the provisions of section sixteen hundred ninety of the vehicle and traffic law."], "official_source": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CPL/350.20", "from_official_api": true, "plain_english": "- **1.** Even where § 350.10 would govern, **on agreement of the parties** the court may assign a **judicial hearing officer** to conduct the trial. The JHO then **(a)** decides all questions of law, **(b)** is the exclusive trier of fact, and **(c)** renders a verdict. ★\n- **2.** The JHO has the **same powers as a judge** of that court, and the **rules of evidence apply.** ★\n- **3.** Any action the JHO takes in the trial **is deemed the action of the court.**\n- **4. Key limit:** this section **does NOT apply if any count charges a class A misdemeanor.** ★ (A-misdemeanors can't be sent to a JHO.)\n- **5. No-consent traffic exception:** for specified courts, the administrative judge **may assign traffic/parking matters to a JHO WITHOUT the parties' consent** — the **Nassau** and **Suffolk** county district courts, **Buffalo** city court, and **Rochester** city court — carving out the serious matters listed in General Municipal Law § 371, per Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1690. ★\n\n---\n\n**★ Exam hits:**\n- In a single-judge trial the **judge decides both law and fact and must render a verdict** (§ 350.10(2)) — no jury.\n- **Openings and summations are discretionary**, but all-or-nothing for both sides: **People open first; defendant sums up first** (§ 350.10(3)(a),(c)); evidence order follows **§ 260.30**.\n- **Every count needs a disposition** — an undisposed count = **automatic not guilty** (§ 350.10(5)); court may convict of a **lesser included offense** (§ 350.10(6)).\n- A **JHO** can run the trial only **by agreement of the parties**, with a judge's powers and the rules of evidence (§ 350.20(1)–(2)).\n- **JHO assignment is barred if any count is a class A misdemeanor** (§ 350.20(4)) — the classic trap.\n- **Exception:** administrative judges in **Nassau/Suffolk district courts and Buffalo/Rochester city courts** may assign **traffic/parking matters to a JHO without consent** (§ 350.20(5)).\n\n\n---\n*Verbatim statute:* [[CPL - Article 350]]", "retrieved": "2026-09-27", "url": "https://elyphived.com/us-ny/cpl/350.20", "publisher": "Elyphived LLC"}