Facing a number of long-standing judicial vacancies, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department announced earlier this week that it would be reducing its weekly oral argument sessions from three to just two.

The move, set to take effect at the start of the court's January 2020 term, came on the heels of a related decision by Presiding Justice Rolando Acosta in April to scale back appellate panels from five to four judges.

Both measures were seen by lawyers and former judges as the result of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's failure to appoint judges in a timely manner, even as the First Department continues to operate shorthanded. But the latest reduction to oral argument sessions would have a disproportionate impact of commercial cases and could create a troubling backlog for a court that prides itself on its ability to resolve complex appeals quickly and efficiently, sources said.