Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that the New York State Bar Association on June 12 recommended that the state no longer allow non-attorneys to be local justices, and that town and village courts should be consolidated into district courts. Sherry Levin Wallach, who was the association’s immediate past president, said, "All judges must have a legal education and at least five years of experience practicing law before taking the bench.” Richard Lewis, the president of the New York State Bar Association, said, “We need to continue to adapt to our changing society and improve our system so that all stakeholders, plaintiffs’ attorneys, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and of course, the parties can achieve justice." The state legislature would have to pass a law to make the bar association's changes. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.