Law & Order: Part #?

Factual Questions
1

Here’s a fairly simple question, so I apologize if it’s been asked before.

On Law & Order, whenever we cut to a trial, the caption reads as follows: “Superior Court, Part #, <date>”

What’s with the “Part #”? How are trials divided into parts? Is this usual procedure? When the number is high, like “Part 95,” how far are you, generally, into the trial?

Thanks for any help you can give!

2

My WAG is that it’s a matter of to which judge and/or courtroom the case is assigned. Nothing more mysterious.

3

What it appears to be, is parts of the New York supreme court. For example, the Bronx County New York Supreme court

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/w_c_d/courtinf.htm

Also, try the New York courts web page. It shouldn’t take too long for you to find your answer.

http://www.courts.state.ny.us/