There is a Surrogate's Court in each county in the state.Constitution of the State of New York Article VI, § 12. "a. The surrogate's court is continued in each county in the state. There shall be at least one judge of the surrogate's court in each county and such number of additional judges of the surrogate's court as may be provided by law. [...]" The judges of this court are styled the "Surrogate of [X] County".Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2603. "1. The judge of the surrogate's court may be designated as the surrogate. He may sign any paper wherever he may be at any time. 2. Where the county judge is also a judge of the surrogate's court he shall be designated as such without any addition referring to his office as county judge. 3. Where a judicial officer other than the judge of the surrogate's court acts as a judge of the surrogate's court in a case prescribed by law, he may be designated as 'surrogate', notwithstanding his official title. [...] The surrogate is elected countywide, and is required to be a resident of the pertaining county. Each of New York's 62 counties has one surrogate, except New York County and Kings County which have two each. Surrogates are elected to 10-year terms, except those in the five counties within New York City where surrogates are elected to 14-year terms.Constitution of the State of New York Article VI, § 12. "[...] c. The terms of the judges of the surrogate's court in the city of New York shall be fourteen years, and in other counties ten years, [...]" In some counties, usually those with a small number of inhabitants, the judge of the County Court holds at the same time the office of surrogate.Constitution of the State of New York Article VI, § 14. "The legislature may at any time provide that outside the city of New York the same person may act and discharge the duties of county judge and surrogate or of judge of the family court and surrogate, or of county judge and judge of the family court, or of all three positions in any county."
