BxD v OCA

The Bronx Defenders, The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, New York County Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem and Queens Defenders filed a lawsuit today in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the New York State Office of Court Administration (OCA) to prevent the rushed, dangerous, and unilateral decision to reconvene in-person, non-emergency court matters scheduled for Wednesday of this week. 

The lawsuit argues that OCA’s proposal violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by depriving thousands of people who have medical vulnerabilities or other disabilities the opportunity to seek and help develop necessary accommodations from the Court. This forces people to choose between their health and their liberty, because if they do not attend court they can have a warrant issued and potentially be incarcerated.

Complaint: Case 1:20-cv-05420