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New York Official Reports
Law Reporting Bureau History
The Office of the State Reporter was created in 1804 by the appointment of George Caines as New York's first State Reporter. During the ensuing 200+ years, the office has evolved into the New York State Law Reporting Bureau, now headed by the 27th State Reporter.
The history of the Law Reporting Bureau and State Reporter was compiled on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of New York State law reporting in a 2004 publication entitled "But how are their decisions to be known?"
A significant contributor to the Law Reporting Bureau's historical record was James M. Flavin, the 21st State Reporter. Mr. Flavin was a pioneer in computer-assisted legal research and publishing, inspiring technological advances in his agency, in the New York State Bar Association and in the private sector. On May 30, 2008, a celebration of Mr. Flavin's contributions to electronic legal publishing was held at the New York State Court of Appeals.
"But how are their decisions to be known?" recounts the history of New York State law reporting for the two centuries since its inception in 1804.
On May 30, 2008, a celebration was held at the New York Court of Appeals commemorating the contributions of James M. Flavin to electronic legal research and publishing.
Former State Reporters
William J. Hooks
William J. Hooks was appointed the 26th State Reporter by the Court of Appeals, effective June 25, 2009. A native of Brooklyn, Mr. Hooks is a graduate of Le Moyne College and Albany Law School and was admitted to the New York Bar in 1980. He joined the Law Reporting Bureau in 1981 as a legal editor under State Reporter John T. Fitzpatrick, was appointed Assistant State Reporter in 1990 by State Reporter Frederick A. Muller, and was appointed Deputy State Reporter in 2008 by State Reporter Gary D. Spivey. Mr. Hooks succeeds Mr. Spivey, who retired on June 24, 2009.
Mr. Hooks is a member of the New York State Bar Association's Intellectual Property Section, a past-president of the Association of Reporters of Judicial Decisions, and has served on the Board of Regents of Le Moyne College. He and his wife, Nancy, have three children and live in Latham.
Cara J. Brousseau
Cara J. Brousseau was appointed the 27th State Reporter by the Court of Appeals effective April 4, 2019. Ms. Brousseau joined the Law Reporting Bureau in 2015 as Assistant State Reporter, and was appointed Deputy State Reporter in 2017. Ms. Brousseau is a graduate of Allegheny College and Albany Law School. She also earned a Master of Public Administration from Rockefeller College at the University of Albany. Prior to working at the Law Reporting Bureau, Ms. Brousseau served as Deputy Executive Director & Counsel to the New York State Board of Law Examiners, and was a personal law clerk to the Hon. Susan P. Read at the Court of Appeals. Ms. Brousseau also worked in private practice focusing primarily on civil litigation and health care law.
Ms. Brousseau is a past-president of the Capital District Women's Bar Association, and the 2014 recipient of the organization's Hon. Judith S. Kaye Distinguished Attorney Member Award.
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New York State Law Reporting Bureau
17 Lodge Street, Albany, NY 12207
phone: (518) 453-6900
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