Public defender groups: Court opening plan endangers clients, staff
A coalition of New York City public defender organizations has called on the state court system to continue remote appearances in criminal cases, even as New York’s top judges move to resume in-person proceedings next week.
In a letter to Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks Thursday, six defender groups, including Legal Aid and Queens Defenders, say in-person proceedings set to resume Monday will threaten the health and safety of visitors, parties and personnel.
“It is well established that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on low-income Black and Brown people, the same community that is also disproportionately arrested and represented in court cases in NYC and will bear the brunt of this new policy,” they wrote.