June 7: Message from Chief Judge DiFiore
Video available with Captioning | Transcript of the Chief Judge's Message
Important Eviction/Foreclosure Legislation
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Latest News:
New Family Court Opens in New Rochelle
Thursday, June 10, 2021
26 Garden Street, New Rochelle
Photo: Ribbon cutting-center L to R, Judge Kathie E. Davidson and Westchester County Executive George Latimer
On Thursday, June 10, 2021, in a ribbon cutting ceremony, Ninth Judicial District Administrative Judge the Hon. Kathie E. Davidson and Westchester County Executive George Latimer unveiled a state-of-the-art Family Court facility at 26 Garden Street in New Rochelle, adjacent to the city’s transportation hub.
The new, New Rochelle Family Court occupies the third and fourth floors of a six floor building and has two courtrooms, three hearing rooms, judge’s chambers, offices for non-judicial staff as well as for staff from the Office for Women, Department of Probation and other County agencies. The 35,000 square foot space features the latest technology and equipment, from assisted-listening capabilities to HVAC systems that provide for a good fresh-air ratio.
Photo: Courtroom inside the New Rochelle Family Court
New Rochelle Family Court is one of three family courts in Westchester County, along with courts in White Plains and Yonkers. These courts hear cases involving children and families, including child neglect, child custody and support, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, adoption and guardianship, among other matters.
Monday, May 24, 2021
Full Staffing In All Court Facilities Resumes Statewide
Courts in New York State
Photo: New York Criminal and Supreme Court
On Monday, May 24, 2021, all 16,000 members of New York State’s Judiciary returned to full staffing in all courthouses and other court facilities throughout New York State. This comes fifteen months after the Covid-19 pandemic forced the court system to shift to video-linked virtual courtrooms for most proceedings and drastically reduced courthouse activity.
The return to court, however, does not mean a return to the way the system operated before the pandemic. All health and safety protocols will continue including COVID-19 screenings, mandatory masking and social distancing, acrylic barriers, and strict cleaning and sanitizing procedures.
Photo: Kings County Supreme Court
Chief Judge Janet DiFiore has said that the decision to return to full staffing is being done to support the fuller resumption of court operations, including jury trials and other proceedings in the courts. However, it does not mean a return to the densely crowded courthouses of pre-COVID days. The plan is to limit the number of people physically present in the courthouses by relying on remote technology and virtual appearances to hear those matters not requiring the physical presence of lawyers and litigants.
Photo: Nassau County Supreme Court
In the continuing effort to provide vaccinations, the court system has partnered with New York City to provide pop-up vaccination sites on Monday, May 24th and Tuesday, May 25th. The sites are near our courthouses in three boroughs, Queens (Borough Hall Plaza), Staten Island (26 Central Avenue) and the Bronx (Lou Gehrig Plaza) and will operate from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on both days.
Photo: Ontario County Court
As with vaccination appointments scheduled elsewhere, employees are entitled to excused leave of up to 3.5 hours for this purpose. There will be a person at the pop-up site who can answer any employee’s questions about the vaccines.
Photo: Pop Up Vaccination Site, Staten Island Criminal Court.
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
New Court Officer Recruit Class
New York State Captain William H. Thompson, Sergeant Thomas Jurgens, Sergeant Mitchel Wallace Court Officers Academy Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Photo: Court Officer Academy candidate receiving temperature check prior to sitting down to take the psychological exam.
On Wednesday, May 19, 2021, it was announced that a new Court Officer Academy class will commence training on September 7, 2021. The class of up to seventy recruits will train at the academy’s facility at Castleton-On-Hudson. All will be required to be fully vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus prior to the start of training.
Several Court Officer candidates came to the New York State Captain William H. Thompson, Sergeant Thomas Jurgens, Sergeant Mitchel Wallace Court Officers Academy in Brooklyn to take the required psychological examination, part of the selection process before being chosen for the new academy class.
The rigorous, four-month basic training regimen for Court Officer-Trainees includes classroom instruction on criminal law, civil law, family law, constitutional law and arrest procedures, along with training in such areas as intermediary weapons including baton, pepper spray and firearms; proper use of force; first aid, CPR and basic life support; crowd control; tactical communications; domestic violence awareness and mandatory reporting obligations.
Graduating officers will be assigned to the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th Judicial Districts outside of New York City.
Photo: Court Officer Academy candidates taking exams.
May 18, 2021 - Press Release
Elder Justice Resource Guide Now Available Online
May 17, 2021 - Press Release
NY Courts Proceed with Implementation of Proposals from Special Adviser on Equal Justice in the Courts
May 7, 2021 - Press Release
New Access-to-Justice Initiative Launched in Albany
May 3, 2021
ARCHIVE OF COVID19 CONTENT:
Mar. 2020 to Apr. 2021
"The New York State Court System provides essential justice services to the people of the State of New York. As we resume in-person operations Statewide to include non-essential matters, all essential functions of the courts remain available to ensure that New Yorkers may access the justice system during this extremely challenging time."
- Chief Judge DiFiore
NEW: Credit Card Service Fee, Eff. April 1, 2021
If you have specific questions about your juror service, a case already in court, or you need to start a court case, call: the Coronavirus Telephone Hotline: 833-503-0447.
JUROR SERVICE:
If you have been summoned for juror service see your County's Commissioner of Jurors website for reporting instructions.
TEMPORARY ORDERS OF PROTECTION issued in any court of the New York State Unified Court System which were due to expire on or after March 19, 2020 have been extended and are considered still in effect until parties are otherwise notified. If you have had an Order of Protection issued against you and it expired on or after March 19, it is still in effect until you are otherwise notified and you must continue to obey all conditions of that Order .
RESCHEDULING CASES:
Parties will be advised of rescheduled Court dates when normal court business resumes.
Questions about the status of a particular case should be made to the court, at telephone numbers listed at the Court Locator. However, please be advised that, during this health emergency, communications may sometimes be difficult.
