Court of Appeals revives charges against man accused of throwing urine at prison guard

Court of Appeals revives charges against man accused of throwing urine at prison guard

A New York man accused of throwing urine at a prison guard will face criminal charges after the Court of Appeals said that several lower courts improperly dismissed the charges against him.

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New York’s top judge calls sentencing practices ‘stupid,’ urges reform

New York’s top judge calls sentencing practices ‘stupid,’ urges reform

New York’s top judge last week bashed the state’s sentencing laws, claiming “everything we are doing here is stupid,” while continuing his public plea for lawmakers to pass sentencing reforms.

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Chief judge spotlights struggles in Family Court in State of the Judiciary speech

Chief judge spotlights struggles in Family Court in State of the Judiciary speech

New York’s top judge shined a light on the state’s Family Courts, which he described as “simultaneously the most important of our courts, the most difficult court for judges, lawyers and parties, and the most under-resourced of our courts,” during his annual State of the Judiciary speech on Monday.

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As AI enters courtrooms, courts leaders lay out potential risks and rewards

As AI enters courtrooms, courts leaders lay out potential risks and rewards

The New York Unified Court System on Thursday released its first annual report on the use of artificial intelligence in state courtrooms, outlining both the technology’s potential benefits and the risks it poses to the legal system.

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Calls grow for expansion of state’s treatment courts

Calls grow for expansion of state’s treatment courts

The leaders of New York’s courts, a number of elected officials, lawyers and advocates together on Friday called on the state to reform its court system in a way that they say will prevent the cycle of incarceration hundreds of mentally ill New Yorkers experience every year.

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Advocates slam gov for failing to commute sentences of incarcerated women

Advocates slam gov for failing to commute sentences of incarcerated women

Tami Eldridge is one of over 1,800 people with a clemency application pending with Governor Kathy Hochul, who has yet to commute the sentence of a single woman who applied for clemency since she took office four years ago.

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Civil legal services in dire need of funding in face of budget cuts, officials say

Civil legal services in dire need of funding in face of budget cuts, officials say

New York’s court leaders have called for expanded civil legal services for years. But in the face of massive federal funding cuts for social services enacted earlier this year, they said last week that the funding has never been more desperately needed.

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Bill to grow New York’s courts unlikely to pass in Albany

Bill to grow New York’s courts unlikely to pass in Albany

A popular bill that would remove the population limit on new judicial seats appears unlikely to make it through the state legislature this year, but lawmakers say their plan to make a drastic change to the state’s constitution is very much alive.

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