EXAM 45-857 · THE ELIGIBLE LIST
The eligible list, explained
Passing is only the entry ticket. What actually decides when — or whether — you get hired is your rank on the eligible list. Here is exactly how that works.
How the scoring works
Your exam is reported on a scale of 0 to 100, and 70 is the passing mark. Here is the part that trips people up: the passing raw score — the number of questions you needed to answer correctly — is not fixed in advance. It is determined at a date after the exam is administered. So a scaled 70 does not necessarily equal 70 percent of questions correct.
Because everyone is placed on one ranked list, your score is not just pass or fail — it is a position relative to every other candidate. That position is what the courts work from.
From exam to appointment: the path
You take the exam and it is scored
Final ratings are reported on a 0–100 scale, and a scaled score of 70 is the passing mark. The passing raw score — how many questions you actually needed correct — is set at a date after the exam is administered, so a scaled 70 does not necessarily mean 70 percent correct.
Veteran credits are added (if eligible)
Eligible veterans can add credits — but only to a passing score. Credits must be claimed and documented before the eligible list is established. They can lift your rank, but they never turn a failing score into a passing one.
The eligible list is established and ranked
It typically takes about six months after the testing window ends to establish the list — so for exam 45-857, the first half of 2027. Everyone who passed is placed on one statewide list, ordered by final score.
The list is canvassed in rank order
When the courts have vacancies to fill, they canvass the list in strict score and rank order for the region you selected. There is no guarantee your rank will be reached — the list is worked from the top down based on the needs of the courts.
The two appointment regions
When you self-schedule, you complete an Availability Inquiry and select one of two regions where you would accept an appointment. You can update your selection any time while the list is active. The regions are:
NYC + 9th & 10th Judicial Districts
All five boroughs, plus Nassau, Suffolk, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties.
3rd through 8th Judicial Districts
The rest of New York State, north and west of the downstate region.
You are canvassed in rank order within the region you select, so your region choice and your rank work together.
How long the list stays active
Eligible lists exist for one to four years and may be extended. Over that window, the courts canvass the list in rank order as vacancies come up. That is why a rank near the top is so valuable: candidates at the top are reached early, while those lower down may wait years — or not be reached before the list expires.
One more important point: the prior Court Officer-Trainee lists, 45-841 (Upstate, 2024–25) and 45-843 (Downstate, 2025), expire and become inactive when the 45-857 list is established in the first half of 2027. Even candidates who passed those exams and were not appointed must take 45-857 to stay in the running.
Why a few points can mean years
This is the insight at the center of everything we do, and we want to be honest about it rather than dramatic. With a large statewide applicant pool all placed on one ranked list, scores bunch up tightly near the top. When thousands of people are separated by a handful of points, a small difference in score can move you past — or behind — a large number of other candidates.
Since the list is canvassed strictly from the top down over several years, where you land on that curve is what determines how soon you are reached. We cannot promise a specific rank or a job — no one honestly can, and appointment depends on the needs of the courts. What we can do is help you convert preparation into the extra points that move you up the list.
Your rank is the whole game.
The pass mark is 70, but the list is worked in rank order — so the goal is not just to pass, it is to place as high as you can. See where you stand today.
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