Hon. Robin K. Sheares. Part 96.

Practitioner Intelligence

From attorneys who have appeared in Part 96. Last reviewed: October 16, 2026.

What to Expect

Part 96 is one of the slowest-moving parts in Kings County. The calendar is large and cases are called in order. Practitioners consistently report waiting well into the afternoon for their matters to be heard. This is not a part where you can expect to be in and out quickly.

Tips

• Block your entire Thursday. Do not schedule another appearance or meeting after a Part 96 calendar call. Attorneys regularly report being in the courtroom past noon, with some matters not being reached until mid-afternoon.
• Bring other work. The wait is real. If you or your per diem will be there for hours, plan accordingly.
• Plan on appearing in person. The published rules require in-person appearances unless the court instructs otherwise. They provide a Microsoft Teams link only for motions the court has scheduled virtually.
• Coverage logistics. If you’re hiring per diem coverage, be aware that the extended wait time means your covering attorney may need to be relieved if the case hasn’t been called by a certain hour. Build this into your coverage plan.

Wait Time Reports

March 2026: Attorney reported case still being called at 12:46 PM, with the part continuing to call cases into the afternoon.

Recent Field Notes (Spring 2026)

• "No appearance required" notations on reassigned cases can be ambiguous. When a case has been recently reassigned to Part 96 from another part and the NYSCEF docket entry is marked "no appearance required," counsel should still confirm with the Part Clerk before skipping the date. Practitioners have flagged inconsistent docket entries on reassigned matters in Spring 2026. If the docket entry is confusing, treat it as ambiguous and send coverage.
• Pending appeals on prior discovery orders. Where an appeal on a prior order is pending, counsel should arrive prepared to discuss the appellate posture so the Part understands why a scheduled appearance may be premature.

Field Note: October 8, 2026

On October 8, 2026, our office appeared for plaintiffs on the Medical Malpractice Early Settlement Part 7 calendar, in a case assigned to Justice Sheares, on the return of an unopposed motion to amend the caption and pleadings. The court granted the motion as unopposed by handwritten decision and order the same day. The copy photographed at the part did not show the justice's signature, so the order as filed on NYSCEF controls. That is an account of a specific appearance, not a published rule.