On September 7, NYS Chief Judge Janet DiFiore provided this video update to discuss the Unified Court System’s remarkable transition over the spring and summer to plans for fall. She continues to provide updates on the increasing numbers of jury trials, with over 100 grand juries operating across the state without incident. Chief Judge DiFiore also thanked those who reported for jury service, and stressed the stringent health and safety measures in place to protect all court users.
Chief Judge DiFiore ends this update on a somber note, to honor those lost on September 11, 2001. She notes that there will be a commemoration of the 19th anniversary this Friday.
On August 31st, NYS Chief Judge Janet DiFiore provided this video update to discuss the Unified Court System’s initial success with increasing in-person court operations. She describes the many necessary precautions in place for judges, court staff, and all court users.
Chief Judge DiFiore also discusses the role of technology staff in developing and expanding virtual courts across the state, providing examples of how technology has played a role in continuing the work of the courts during the pandemic. These include online training and education, a Coronavirus Hotline, and even remote internships.
On August 24th, NYS Chief Judge Janet DiFiore provided this video update to discuss the fact that juries are now being summoned to the courthouse in all 62 counties. She notes that trial by jury is a pillar of the justice system, and strict safety measures will be enforced to ensure the safety of all court users as the court system continues to phase in in-person operations.
Chief Judge DiFiore also discusses additional strategies being used to control traffic in the courthouse, including e-filing and streamlining pre-trial litigation processes.
She also discusses updates from the problem solving courts and appellate courts.
On August 17th, NYS Chief Judge Janet DiFiore provided this video update to discuss the return of jury trials to New York City as well as bench trials from before the virtual courts were established are being held in NYC courts in person without incident and with the latest public health guidance.
Chief Judge DiFiore notes that while more in-person operations are being reintroduced, the majority of matters continue to be held virtually. She states that many virtual practices are expanding to different courts and and additional virtual parts are increasing.
She discusses strengthening judicial safety measures and assessing the judicial threat management process.
On August 10th, NYS Chief Judge Janet DiFiore stated in this video update that grand jury operations are resuming in NYC as scheduled and operations outside NYC safely and efficiently resumed a month ago. Plans are already in motion for the summoning and selection of jurors to serve on civil and criminal jury trials outside NYC. In-person bench trials begin today in NYC Housing Court on Staten Island in retrofitted courtrooms at the Richmond County Civil Court building. Preparations are under way for the start of in-person Housing Court bench trials in September in Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx; Brooklyn Housing Court bench trials began last week.
The Commission to Reimagine the Future of NY’s Courts, led by former State Bar President Hank Greenberg, released its first report, which includes step-by-step guidance on creating customized court plans that prioritize public health and safety, including suggestions regarding access to courts; jury reporting and jury selection; among other key areas. The NYC Civil Court today launched a new initiative, employing the use of virtual mediation and trials for small claims matters to expedite the resolution of those cases. As of today, NYSCEF, the Courts’ e-filing program, is available to attorneys and unrepresented litigants in NYC Housing Court in Brooklyn. NYSCEF is already in use in Manhattan Housing Court and will be available in Bronx County’s Housing Court by mid-September, with plans under way for its expansion to both Queens and Staten Island.
On August 3rd, NYS Chief Judge Janet DiFiore stated in this video update that NYC courts have entered Phase 4 of economic reopening, increasing staffing to support in-court proceedings. The first in-person bench trial was conducted in Kings County Housing Court last week. Grand jury operations will resume in NYC next Monday, August 10th as planned, and expect to empanel four grand juries in Manhattan, three each in Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens, and one in Staten Island. Under the direction of Deputy Chief Administrative Judge George Silver, the Virtual Summary Trial program is being launched this week in Bronx, Queens and Richmond counties, in order to tackle large inventory of tort cases. The return of grand jury operations outside NYC has gone smoothly, and new grand jury summonses have already gone out for Term 9, which begins next Monday.
In terms of the ongoing public debate about how quickly the court system should return to scheduling and hearing in-person matters, particularly in NYC, the Chief Judge said that they are committed to restoring in-person operations across the court system in a safe and appropriate pace. The Chief Judge makes clear that the Courts haven’t stopped functioning and provides a summary of the work that has being done since lockdown started in March.
On July 27, NYS Chief Judge Janet DiFiore stated in this video update that courts continue to make steady progress to safely returning to in-person operations while keeping virtual operations to limit community spread of COVID-19. Two previously adjourned jury trials are resuming this week. In courts outside NYC which are entering Phase 4, Grand Juries have been convened in all 57 counties outside NYC. 36 new Court Officers graduated from the Court Officers Academy after training was suspended during lockdown. The special Working Group the Chief Judge appointed to make recommendations on Bar Exam options came back with a report recommending New York participate in the online bar exam being administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners on October 5th and 6th.
On July 20, NYS Chief Judge Janet DiFiore started this video update by reminding everyone that during the pandemic NY courts have never been closed, and the judges and professional staff have never stopped delivering justice. She highlighted the start of in-person bench and jury trials that were suspended in March. Last week, judges in the NYC Criminal Court presided over matters in which in-person appearances by counsel and defendants were calendared, and that effort resulted in a significant number of dispositions and other substantive action to move cases forward. She said that NYC Housing Court is moving ahead with limited resumption of in-person proceedings, and last Monday, NYSCEF e-filing was introduced as a way to limit the number of people coming to that court for in-person filing.
The Chief Judge also says that three of the busiest trial parts from Kings County Housing Court were moved to more spacious courtrooms in the Kings County Supreme Court building at 320 Jay Street. Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases around the country, the bar exam will not be administered on Sept. 9th and 10th as planned. The Court of Appeals, working with the Presiding Justices of the Appellate Division, developed a contingency plan. The first part is a temporary program authorizing eligible law graduates to practice law under the supervision of a NY attorney. Additionally, the Chief Judge convened a Working Group on the Future of the Bar Exam, led by former Court of Appeals Judge, Howard Levine. The first immediate priority of the group is to promptly review and recommend whether New York should participate in the online bar exam being offered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners in October. The group is also considering whether New York should adopt an emergency diploma privilege in lieu of the bar exam or whether we should take any other immediate measures designed to ameliorate the difficulties faced by 2020 law graduates.
On July 13, NYS Chief Judge Janet DiFiore provided this video updating the public and she states that as of this past Friday, July 10th, all courts outside New York City have entered into Phase 4 and it’s progressing well. She acknowledged the efforts of the Administrative Judges and their staff in the 5th, 6th, and 7th Judicial Districts for leading the way in safely opening those courts eight weeks ago. NYC courts entered Phase 3 on July 8th, and a number of in-person operations have resumed, and this week NY County Supreme Court will be resuming a criminal jury trial that was suspended in March due to COVID-19 outbreak.
Also this week, summonses are being mailed to prospective Grand Jurors across New York City in preparation for the commencement of grand jury proceedings in all five boroughs beginning August 10th. Virtual capacity has also been expanding over the last two weeks in NY Family, Civil and Housing Courts, and the Chief Judge highlighted the great job being done at the Criminal Courts. Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases around the country, effective July 15th, judges and nonjudicial staff will also undergo temperature screening upon their arrival at the workplace and conduct a daily COVID self-assessment by answering a series of questions on their computer or on a hard copy form.
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