(AP) - An appeals court has ruled that New York Gov.David Paterson's appointment of a lieutenant governor was unlawful,upholding a constitutional challenge brought by the state Senate'sminority leader.

A Brooklyn-based appellate panel said in an opinion Thursdaythat no state law or constitutional provision allows the lieutenantgovernor's post to be filled by anything but an election.

The Democratic governor tapped longtime government adviser Richard Ravitch for the post on July 8 to break up a Senateleadership logjam and said state law allowed the appointment.Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos said the state constitutiondid not.