New York State Courts Closing For All Non-Essential Functions

Because of the new coronavirus, New York State courts have made the decision to close for all non-essential functions. Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks state in a memo on March 15, “Effective 5 p.m. on Monday, March 16, we will be postponing all non-essential functions of the courts until further notice.” Please continue reading and speak with our experienced Rockland County criminal defense attorney to learn more about how this may affect your case going forward.

What are “essential” court cases?

To determine which cases are deemed “essential” New York State judges “will exercise judicial discretion in a manner designed to minimize court appearance and traffic in the courts.” That being said, if you are already undergoing a criminal trial, your case will continue as of now, however, most pending cases will be suspended. Additionally, all eviction proceedings and pending eviction orders in the city’s housing court will be suspended indefinitely.

Outside of New York City, there will be special court parts in individual jurisdictions where essential legal matters will be conducted. Inside New York City, courthouses will still stay open to handle the following legal matters:

• Criminal Superior Court Matters: For felony matters where the defendant is not in custody, all proceedings will be administratively adjourned. What’s more, felonies wherein defendants are in custody will either be administratively adjourned or conducted remotely by video in New York City, as well as in jurisdictions outside of the city that have the technology needed to conduct these legal matters.
• Criminal Lower Court Matters: The court may allow certain arraignments and essential applications, such as applications for orders of protection. Arraignments will, however, be conducted through video remote appearances in New York City, and as much as possible throughout the rest of the state.

If you would like to speak more with an experienced criminal defense attorney, do not hesitate to reach out to Attorney Conway today.

Contact our experienced Rockland County firm

Kevin T. Conway has over 30 years of experience as a Spring Valley criminal attorney handling DUI, DWI, traffic violations, violent crimes, sex crimes, illegal gun possession, shoplifting, and juvenile crimes. Attorney Conway is also experienced in commercial law matters, zoning law, and estate planning. If you need a Rockland County criminal lawyer, contact our Spring Valley office for a free consultation.