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Screening of Abacus: Small Enough to Jail

In Recognition of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

This documentary film recounts the prosecution of the Sung Family, owners of Chinatown’s Abacus Federal Savings Bank, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

Monday, May 19, 2025 at 6:00 PM | Appellate Division, First Department | Register Now!

2025 Law Day Art Contest Winners

The Constitution's Promise: Out of Many, One

One hundred students participated in this contest from the Society and Office for Justice Initiatives on this year's Law Day theme, creating incredible art about what it means to them.

View the winning artworks!

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Samuel Jones Tilden: Lawyer, Statesman, and Victim of Fate

Check out our latest podcast episode of Chatting with the Authors of Judicial Notice with guest Hon. Helen E. Freedman on the subject of her JN article Samuel Jones Tilden, where she discusses his early years, breaking up Boss Tweed’s ring, and his 1876 contested election bid. Watch or Listen Now!

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Meet Andrew Berman, The “Cher” of Preservation

Host Adrian Untermyer discusses the present and future of historic preservation advocacy in NY with Andrew Berman, whose name is now shorthand for NY’s history-saving movement after leading Village Preservation for a quarter-century — earning his new nickname as “The ‘Cher’ of Preservation.”. Watch or Listen Now!

Head Back to School with Our Teaching Democracy Toolkit

As teachers turn to planning for the new school year, we review our educational materials! Our initiatives have one central goal: to empower students to be better informed citizens. Our Teaching Democracy Toolkit provides a variety of resources for NYS educators teaching social studies, US history, and government. Learn more!

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Recent Blog Posts

Law Day 2025 Art Contest Winners

On May 1, Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson announced the winners of the 2025 Law Day Art Contest, co-sponsored by the Society and the … More Law Day 2025 Art Contest Winners »

Welcome Our New Director of Programs, Education, and Research!

Historical Society of the New York Courts Names Dr. Julia Rose Kraut As Its New Director of Programs, Education, and Research The Historical Society … More Welcome Our New Director of Programs, Education, and Research! »

Lifetime Member of the Society Honored at 60 Centre Street

This article was written by Adrian Untermyer, a Society Trustee and an urbanist who advocates for historic preservation and improved transportation in Greater New … More Lifetime Member of the Society Honored at 60 Centre Street »

nylegalhistory

The Society's mission is to preserve, protect and promote the legal history of New York State.

As we observe #AAPIHeritageMonth, we reflect on th

In honor of #JewishAmericanHeritageMonth, we spotl

If you’re not familiar with his work, meet Andre

2025 Law Day Celebration: Chief Judge Rowan D. Wil

The Society is a proud co-sponsor of this year's L

If you’ve ever heard the line “Low bridge, eve

Cattaraugus County, officially formed in 1808, is

On Wednesday we held our #Gala Dinner at the @harv

New York’s 18th Attorney General, Samuel Beardsl

The courts may not be the first place people think

This past weekend marked Patriots’ Day in Massac

As we approach the 250th anniversary of Patriots’ Day in 2025—a commemoration of the first battles of the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775—we’re highlighting stories from New York’s own Revolutionary past. Though often overshadowed by events in Massachusetts, New York was a vital site of resistance and radical ideas.

Among its early patriots was John Holt, a printer who stood up to royal authority with ink and conviction. Holt was the publisher of The New-York Journal, one of the most important newspapers in colonial America. By the early 1760s, his paper had become a central platform for patriot sentiment in New York.

Holt reprinted fiery essays, letters, and articles critical of Parliament, royal governors, and the erosion of colonial self-rule. In 1770, he published a series of pieces defending the rights of New Yorkers to oppose British policies—particularly the quartering of troops and enforcement of unpopular trade laws.

Colonial officials accused Holt of sedition. He faced repeated threats of prosecution and mob retaliation, and some presses were destroyed in political violence. But Holt refused to back down, insisting that the press had a right—and duty—to speak out against unjust rule. His determination made him a target but also a hero to many.

Holt’s legal troubles were never fully resolved in court, but the threat of charges and censorship made clear how fragile civil liberties were under colonial authority. His case foreshadowed broader constitutional questions that would come to define the Revolution: Where did sovereignty lie? What limits could a government impose on speech? Could a subject critique the king?

When New York eventually joined the fight for independence, it did so on the shoulders of individuals like Holt, who believed that liberty must be defended not only on battlefields but also through words—and laws.

📸: Wikipedia

#PatriotsDay #AmericanRevolution #HSoftheNYCourts #NYSCourts #NYSJudges #NYSLawyers #NYSHistory #NYCHistory #NYHistory #NYLegalHistory #LegalHistory #AmericanHistory #History

The Historical Society of the New York Courts main

Here’s a helpful resource for teachers who want

The Herkimer County Courthouse has stood at the ce

Greene Carrier Bronson, New York’s 17th Attorney

It’s time for another story of how the Erie Cana

“We need more women kicking open doors.” So sa

As part of our education committee initiatives, Ho

Charlotte Smallwood Cook didn’t set out to make

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