The origin of the New York State Association of Magistrate's Court Clerks dates back to September 18, 1979 at the Brown's Loch Sheldrake Country Club. Following an afternoon training session for court clerks, which was conducted in conjunction with the State Magistrate's Association, The Hon. Samuel Fiandach, then the time and place chairperson for the S.M.A., along with the Hon. Jud Wright, urged the court clerks in attendance to formally organize. Say no more, the organization begins.

Elected were Evelyn Sivecz as President, Sheryl Lips as 1st Vice-President, Rita Gilchrist as 2nd Vice-President, Marge Kopunek as 3rd Vice-President, Joanne Dixon as Secretary and Dora Schultz as Treasurer, a post she held until September of 2002. As stated in her first Message from the President article President Evelyn Sivecz stated "IT WAS THE CONSENSUS OF OPINION THAT THE AIMS OF THIS NEW ASSOCIATION SHOULD ENCOMPASS EDUCATION, THE IMPROVEMENT OF COURT CLERICAL SYSTEMS, TO ACCOMPLISH A CLOSER LIAISON WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, COURTS, AND CLERKS IN THE STATE AND TO ALLOW US TO BE OF GREATER SERVICE TO OUR JUSTICES AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE."

 To this day, almost 25 years later, the aims of the Association have not changed. By February of 1980 by-laws were presented, the organization accepted suggestions for its name, membership was begun and additional officers were elected. The first constitution and by-laws were adopted on September 15, 1980. By this date there were 175 paid members and the annual dues were $5.00.

From 1980 to 1984 the organization grew from an initial membership of 175 to about 253 members by June of 1984. Evelyn Sivecz handed the President's Gavel to Sybil Kennedy, who in turn passed the Gavel to Bonnie Reed. On February 5, 1986 the Association was formally recognized by New York State as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, filing as a type B, Educational Corporation. The Association adopted it's first set of corporate by-laws on October 20, 1986.

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