The courts never closed: Historical Society of the NY Courts launches digital archive
Interviews document efforts to keep the court open during pandemic
The Historical Society of the New York Courts has launched “Dispensing Justice from a Distance,” its digital archive of nearly 40 interviews with judges and court staff (including public safety and tech support), documenting their real-time experiences to keep the courts open, both virtually and in person, during the months of lockdown in New York.
A timeline tracks the court system’s major milestones during the pandemic with images and documents to complete the record.
In early March 2020, New York became the epicenter of the national COVID-19 pandemic, with lockdowns that dramatically affected court operations and the delivery of justice. Despite the widespread disruption, the New York State courts continued to function and provide access to justice throughout the pandemic. How they did so comes alive in this one-of-a-kind archive.
Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, who is interviewed, said: “The transformation of our court system from a massive, complex, in-person operating model into a functioning virtual model capable of safely providing access to justice in the midst of an unprecedented public health crisis was a remarkable achievement.