 The Charter provided that the Mayor, Recorder, and Alderman, or any three of them given that either the Recorder or Mayor was one, were authorized to hold the Court of Common Pleas (Mayor's Court), which was presided over by the Mayor and Recorder alternately.An Act of 1691 created a Court of Common Pleas in each of New York's counties, which at the time numbered 12.Judges and clerks were appointed by the governor of New York and held office at his pleasure or during good behavior.