Editing Rochester, New York (section)

==Government==
{{further|List of mayors of Rochester, New York}}
[[File:FederalBuildingRochesterNewYorkFrontView.JPG|thumb|right|[[Rochester City Hall (New York)|Rochester City Hall]]]]
Rochester is governed by a [[mayor]] serving as chief executive of city government and a city council consisting of four district members and five at-large members.<ref>{{cite web |title=Article V, Part A, The Council |url=https://ecode360.com/28971422#28971422 |website=Charter of the City of Rochester |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref> Rochester has had a [[Strong Mayor|Strong mayor-council]] form of government since the approval of its current charter in a referendum in 1984.<ref name="strongmayor">{{Cite news |date=November 11, 1984 |title=STRONG-MAYOR SYSTEM RETURNING IN ROCHESTER |pages=47 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/11/nyregion/strong-mayor-system-returning-in-rochester.html |access-date=January 12, 2024}}</ref>  Administrative officers are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council.<ref>{{cite web |title=Article II, Administrative Departments |url=https://ecode360.com/28971181 |website=Charter of the City of Rochester |access-date=28 December 2023}}</ref> All city legislation is proposed and passed by the council, and subject to a [[veto]] by the mayor, unless a majority of two-thirds approved it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Article V, Part A, Legislative Acts |url=https://ecode360.com/28971422#28971422 |website=Charter of the City of Rochester |access-date=28 December 2023}}</ref> The current mayor is [[Malik Evans]], serving since January 1, 2022.

Upon the city's charter in 1834, the mayor had few powers and most power was vested in the city council, which was composed of alderman representing individual wards.<ref>{{cite book |last1=McKelvey |first1=Blake |title=ROCHESTER THE WATER - POWER CITY 1812-1854 |date=1945 |publisher=Harvard University Press |location=Cambridge |pages=245–246 |url=https://archive.org/details/rochesterthewate000355mbp/page/n277/mode/2up |access-date=18 January 2024}}</ref> The charter was frequently modified during the 19th century to expand or reduce the mayor's powers, until an 1898 act by the New York State Legislature centralized all appointments under the mayor. The city abolished the mayor's office and adopted a city manager system in a 1925 referendum, after which the mayor became a minor position and the city manager assumed executive authority, with both being chosen by the members of the city council.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=McKelvey |first1=Blake |title=His Honor, The Mayor of Rochester |journal=Rochester History |date=January 1969 |volume=XXXI |issue=1}}</ref> A 1984 referendum restored the Strong mayor system.<ref name="strongmayor" /> [[William A. Johnson Jr.|William A. Johnson]], the city's first African American mayor, served from 1994 to 2005. [[Lovely Warren]], the city's first female mayor, served from 2014 to 2021.

=== Federal representation ===
The city is covered by [[New York's 25th congressional district]] currently represented by Democrat [[Joseph D. Morelle|Joe Morelle]] of [[Irondequoit, New York|Irondequoit, Monroe County]], in Congress. From 1987 until 2018, the city was represented by longtime Democrat [[Louise Slaughter|Louise M. Slaughter]] of [[Fairport, New York|Fairport, Monroe County]], in Congress.

=== State representation ===
After redistricting based on the [[2020 United States census]], the city was split between two state senate districts:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|- 
! District !! Area of the city !! Senator !! Party !! First took office !! Residence
|- {{party shading/Democratic}}
| [[New York's 55th State Senate district|55]] || Eastern<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/senate2022/sen55.pdf | title = Senate District 55 | work = 2022 Senate Maps | publisher = The New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment | location = [[Albany, New York]] | access-date = December 28, 2023 | archive-date = January 8, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230108000413/https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/senate2022/sen55.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> || [[Samra Brouk]] || Democratic || 2021 || Rochester, Monroe County
|- {{party shading/Democratic}}
| [[New York's 56th State Senate district|56]] || Western<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/senate2022/sen56.pdf | title = Senate District 56 | work = 2022 Senate Maps | publisher = The New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment | location = [[Albany, New York]] | access-date = December 28, 2023 | archive-date = December 8, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231208034447/https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/senate2022/sen56.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> || [[Jeremy Cooney]]  || Democratic || 2021 || Rochester, Monroe County
|}

After redistricting based on the 2020 census, the city was split between three state assembly districts:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|- 
! District !! Areas of the city !! Assemblyperson !! Party !! First took office !! Residence
|- {{party shading/Democratic}}
| 136 || [[Brighton, Monroe County, New York|Brighton]], [[Irondequoit, New York|Irondequoit]], northwest portion and easternmost tip of the City of Rochester<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/2024assembly/asm136.pdf | title = Assembly District 136 | work = 2024 Assembly Maps | publisher = The New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment | location = [[Albany, New York]] | access-date = December 28, 2023 | archive-date = December 8, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231208022450/https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/2024assembly/asm136.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> || [[Sarah Clark (politician)|Sarah Clark]] || Democratic || 2020 || Rochester, Monroe County
|- {{party shading/Democratic}}
| 137 || [[Gates, New York|Gates]], center of the City of Rochester<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/2024assembly/asm137.pdf | title = Assembly District 137 | work = 2024 Assembly Maps | publisher = The New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment | location = [[Albany, New York]] | access-date = December 28, 2023 | archive-date = December 8, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231208022451/https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/2024assembly/asm137.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> || [[Demond Meeks]] || Democratic || 2020 || Rochester, Monroe County
|- {{party shading/Democratic}}
| 138 || [[Chili, New York|Chili]], [[Henrietta, New York|Henrietta]], [[Riga, New York|Riga]], and the Southeast portion of the City of Rochester<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/2024assembly/asm138.pdf | title = Assembly District 138 | work = 2024 Assembly Maps | publisher = The New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment | location = [[Albany, New York]] | access-date = December 28, 2023 | archive-date = December 8, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231208022450/https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/2024assembly/asm138.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> || [[Harry Bronson|Harry B. Bronson]] || Democratic || 2011 || Rochester, Monroe County
|}

=== County representation ===
{{See also|Monroe County, New York#Government and politics}}
Rochester is represented by districts 7, 16, and 21–29 in the Monroe County legislature (a 29-seat body with legislators elected to two-year terms).<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www2.monroecounty.gov/files/County%20Legislative%20Districts.pdf | title = Legislative District Map | date = 2016 | publisher = Monroe County Board of Elections | location = Rochester, New York | access-date = June 20, 2019 | archive-date = November 16, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171116033627/http://www2.monroecounty.gov/files/County%20Legislative%20Districts.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> Rochester is also under the jurisdiction of the county executive (currently Democrat Adam Bello) along with the rest of Monroe County. The District Attorney is also elected at the county level along with several other offices (such as Sheriff and Clerk) which in part govern the city.

=== Courts ===
Rochester is part of the 7th Judicial District of the [[New York Supreme Court]] and the 4th Department of the [[New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division]].

====Rochester City Court====
Rochester City Court is part of the [[judiciary of New York|New York State Unified Court System]]<ref>N.Y. Const. Art. VI, § 17(a).</ref> and consists of ten full-time judges, each of whom is elected to a 10-year term. Each judge must be a city resident and must have been an attorney in New York for at least five years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/UCT/2104|title=Legislation|website=NY State Senate}}</ref> Judges have a mandatory retirement age of 70. Vacancies on the court are filled by the mayor, and judges so appointed must run for a full term at the next general election.<ref>UCCA § 2104 (e)(2)(i)</ref>

In New York State, the 61 [[city courts]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Latwin |first1=Joseph |title=City Courts: Organization and Civil Jurisdiction |journal=Westchester Bar Journal |date=Fall 1990 |volume=17}}</ref> outside of New York City handle the arraignment of felonies, try misdemeanors and lesser offenses, and try civil lawsuits involving claims of up to $15,000. Rochester City Court also hears small claims matters up to $5,000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ww2.nycourts.gov/courts/7jd/monroe/City-Court/Resources/SmallClaimsAppRocCityCourt.pdf|title=SmallClaimsAppRocCityCourt &#124; NYCOURTS.GOV|website=ww2.nycourts.gov}}</ref> Rules of practice and procedure within all city courts are prescribed by the Uniform City Court Act.<ref>UCCA § 102</ref> Rochester City Court, like all city courts, follows the individual assignment system ("IAS"). This means that each case is assigned to a judge when the case is first initiated, and, with a few exceptions, stays under the supervision of that particular judge until the case is resolved.<ref>Latwin, Joseph (Fall 1990). "City Courts: Organization and Civil Jurisdiction". Westchester Bar Journal, 280.</ref>

Created in 1876, the Court was initially named the "Municipal Court of the City of Rochester" and had two judges.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Henry |title=The Courts of the State of New York |date=1909 |publisher=Wilson Publishing Co. |location=New York |page=473}}</ref> Originally, city courts throughout the state were self-regulating, and prescribed their own rules of procedure and bounds of jurisdiction.<ref name="auto">Latwin, Joseph (Fall 1990). "City Courts: Organization and Civil Jurisdiction". Westchester Bar Journal, 279.</ref> Rochester City Court was governed by the Rochester City Court Act, which was a part of the Charter of the City of Rochester.<ref>H.G. Fischer & Co. v Lincoln Rochester Trust Co., 195 Misc 983, 985 (Rochester City Court, 1949).</ref> In 1935, Judge Jacob Gitelman introduced weekend sentencing. He was the first judge in New York State to do so.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://roccitylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2013.004-Gitelman.pdf |title=Jacob Gitelman Papers |website=Rochester Public Library |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220420035220/https://roccitylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2013.004-Gitelman.pdf |archive-date=April 20, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1964, the New York State Constitution was amended to require uniform jurisdiction, practice, and procedure for the city courts, to be regulated by the state legislature.<ref name="auto"/> The court's first African-American judge, Reuben K. Davis, was appointed to the city court bench in March 1967.<ref>{{cite web |title=Celebrating Black History Month in the 7th Judicial District |url=https://www.nycourts.gov/legacypdfs/courts/7jd/7JD%20Black%20History%20Month%202022%20Overview%20Booklet.pdf |publisher=The Legacy}}</ref>

In the 1980s, the court heard cases involving the prosecution of the "Topfree Seven", women who intentionally bared their chests once a year in order to protest the criminalization of female nudity. Judge Herman J. Walz  ruled that the women could not be prosecuted under New York's public nudity statute because their act of going topless in order to protest the law was imbued with First Amendment protections.<ref>{{cite web |title=Judge Rules Women Free To Bare Breasts To Get A Message Across |url=https://apnews.com/article/0aa95d20d279772537c579b9b99922b3 |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> The decision was later affirmed by the [[New York Court of Appeals]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bauder |first1=David |title=NY's Highest Court Throws Out Charges Against Topless Protesters |work=AP NEWS |url=https://apnews.com/article/dc9d9094606f9c7a4df3beaee0ee63d6 |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>People v Santorelli, 80 NY2d 875 (1992), affg People v Craft, 134 Misc 2d 121 (Rochester City Court, 1986).</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fahringer |first1=H P |title=Equal in all things: drawing the line on nudity |journal=Criminal Law Bulletin |date=1993 |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=137–146}}</ref> By 1995, Rochester City Court had eight judges. A ninth was added in 2001.<ref>L.2001, c. 584, §§ 3 to 6, effective December 28, 2001</ref> The Court was brought to its current complement of ten judges in 2014.<ref>L.2013, c. 548 §§ 1 to 4, effective April 1, 2014.</ref>