N.Y. Jud. Law § 121-a

§ 121-a. Assignment of official referees. The justices of the\nappellate division in each department shall have power to fix the time\nand places for the hearing of references within their respective\ndepartments by the official referees of the supreme court.\n Every official referee shall devote his whole time to the duties of\nhis office. The work of official referees shall be regularly reviewed by\nthe justices of the appellate divisions of the supreme court. Official\nreferees may be assigned for service as in any county, judicial\ndepartment or district, without regard to his place of residence or\ndistrict or department of appointment and when so assigned shall perform\nall of the duties regularly discharged by an official referee. The\nseveral appellate divisions of the supreme court shall promptly adopt\nrules and procedures for the requisition, transfer and assignment of\nofficial referees.\n