Public defenders sue state to stop in-person criminal proceedings during COVID crisis
Six public defender organizations sued the state Tuesday to stop in-person criminal court proceedings amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
The complaint, filed in Manhattan Federal Court, claims the state Office of Court Administration has violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by forcing defendants and attorneys with pre-existing medical conditions to visit courthouses for arraignments and case conferences.
It also says New York’s court system “rushed” the courthouse reopening plan after providing contradictory information to public defenders earlier this month.