Cases are moving faster through New York’s courts, reducing the amount of time defendants have to wait on Rikers Island – but a number of entrenched obstacles could make even quicker case processing difficult to achieve, the state’s top administrative judge warned last week.
Read MoreAfter the pandemic significantly slowed the number of trials taking place in New York’s courts, the Unified Court System saw a major increase in the number of trials commenced in 2025, a trend that experts say could lead to even faster case processing in 2026.
Read MoreAs court leaders prepare to seek a budget increase in Albany, Chief Administrative Judge Joseph Zayas said Thursday that a persistent shortage of judges continues to strain New York City’s courts.
Read MoreAs the population on Rikers Island continues to grow past 7,000 detainees – its highest point since 2019 – a collection of criminal justice groups are calling on judges and the court system to do more to keep New Yorkers out of the troubled jail complex.
Read MoreCourt officials said this week that while the court system has seen major strides in its transition into the 21st Century, major gaps in its technological capabilities remain.
Read MoreA pilot program from the state’s court system meant to reduce the ballooning population on Rikers Island has seen early successes, officials claim.
Read MoreQueens’ legal community gathered this week in a courtroom decorated in red to celebrate the 2025 Lunar New Year.
Read MoreA year after getting their first pay raise in decades, attorneys who represent indigent clients and children in the state’s Family Courts say they are still a long way from refilling their ranks, cutting back on their caseloads and being fully equipped to provide the best representation possible to those who need it.
Read MoreRikers Island’s population is growing larger when it should be getting smaller. DOC Commissioner Louis Molina said the blame lies with the state court system during a Board of Correction meeting this week.
Read More“It's a small step and it's good for the people who no longer have to answer the particular parts of the inquiry that they decided to remove, but [OCA] doesn't get brownie points for making a question halfway legal.”
Read MoreActing Chief Judge Anthony Cannataro delivered his State of the Judiciary address this week. It’s unlikely he was expecting to give the speech only a few months ago – it would have been given by Hector LaSalle, had he not been recently rejected by the State Senate. On Tuesday, LaSalle received a long standing ovation and words of praise from Cannataro.
Read MoreWhat do court officials have to say about the governor’s recent budget proposal?
Read MoreThe new model is known as “presumptive ADR” and referring cases routinely to mediation and other forms of ADR earlier in the process.
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