22 NYCRR 206.3

(a) General. There shall be established for all actions heard in the Court of Claims an individual assignment system which provides for the continuous supervision of each action by a single judge. Except as otherwise may be authorized by the Chief Administrator or by these rules, every action shall be assigned and heard pursuant to the individual assignment system.

(b) Assignments. Except as otherwise provided by these rules, actions shall be assigned to the judges of the court upon the filing of a claim with the court. Assignments shall be made by the clerk pursuant to a method of random selection authorized by the Chief Administrator. The judge thereby assigned shall be known as the "assigned judge" with respect to that matter and, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (c) of this section, shall conduct all further proceedings therein.

(c) Exceptions.

(1) Assignment of public construction contract claims and incarcerated person pro se claims shall be made at a time and in a manner authorized by the Chief Administrator or the presiding judge.

(2) Where the requirements of matters already assigned to a judge are such as to limit the ability of that judge to handle additional cases, the Chief Administrator or the presiding judge may authorize that new assignments to that judge be suspended until the judge is able to handle additional cases.

(3) The Chief Administrator or the presiding judge may authorize the establishment of special categories of actions, including but not limited to public construction contract actions, incarcerated person pro se actions, medical malpractice actions, appropriation actions and actions requiring protracted consideration, for assignment to judges specially assigned to hear such actions. Where more than one judge is specially assigned to hear a particular category of action or proceeding, the assignment of such actions or proceedings to the judges so assigned shall be at random.

(4) The Chief Administrator or the presiding judge may authorize the assignment of one or more special reserve trial judges. Such judges may be assigned matters for trial in exceptional circumstances where the needs of the court require such assignment.

(5) Matters requiring immediate disposition may be assigned to a judge designated to hear such matters when the assigned judge is not available.

(6) The Chief Administrator or the presiding judge may authorize the assignment or transfer of any action and any matter relating to an action from one judge to another in accordance with the needs of the court. Prior to effectuating any transfer under this subdivision, the presiding judge shall, whenever necessary and appropriate, consult the judge already assigned to the matter and the judge receiving the matter.

(7) In accordance with the Judiciary Law, the Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR), the Rules of the Chief Administrator of the Courts, and this Part, the presiding judge may refer a matter to a judicial hearing officer upon the consent of the parties, the recommendation of a judge, or the presiding judge's own initiative.