If you’ve ever been arrested for a misdemeanor offense, like jumping a turnstile, smoking a joint, or protesting a cause in a way the authorities would rather you didn’t, then you’ll know that your best chance of avoiding jail has less to do with what you’ve done than if you can make bail. It’s no…
On Tuesday, January 8th, Judge Shira Scheindlin in the Southern District Court of New York granted a preliminary injunction against the NYPD in our federal class action lawsuit, Ligon v. City of New York. The injunction has since been temporarily stayed pending appeal, but it was nevertheless a huge victory for our litigation team, clients,…
Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman (See Profile) last week praised as a way “to take the profit motive out of bond making” the program of a Bronx legal assistance organization that used charitable contributions to keep its indigent clients out of jail as they awaited trial. Lippman’s endorsement came as The Bronx Defenders prepared to resume…
Whether your organization operates as a public defender office, a statewide system, assigned counsel program, or individual practitioner or advocate, The Center for Holistic Defense is available to assist you in examining the current state of your practice and how you can more fully and skillfully incorporate the principles of Holistic Defense at either the…
The Bronx Defenders is dedicated to advancing the field of public defense by expanding the model of Holistic Defense beyond the Bronx. The Center for Holistic Defense provides in-depth technical assistance to public defender offices across the country, hosts site visits, provides training opportunities for practitioners, and participates in conferences and symposia. Since 2010, The…
On February 4, 2013, Justine Olderman spoke at the 8th Annual Harry Frank Guggenheim Symposium on Crime in America at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Her remarks on bail reform and Holistic Defense were part of the panel entitled “Rethinking Pre-Trial Detention” and are captured in part here.
On January 25th, 2013, Ashley Kaper gave testimony at the New City Council in support of proposed legislation limiting New York City’s collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “Secure Communities” Program. Written Comments of The Bronx Defenders New York City Council Committee on Immigration January 25, 2013 Hearing on: Int. No. 982, A Local Law to amend…
On January 24th, 2013, Emma Ketteringham spoke at the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law Annual Conference. She spoke in a session entitled the “Prejudice and Punishment: Judging Mothers who Use Drugs.” More information here
On January 18th, 2013, Kate Rubin presented about The Bronx Defenders at a conference entitled “Civic Restoration: A Road to Workforce Development for Formerly Incarcerated People” at Bronx Christian Fellowship Church. More event information here
Residents Protest NYPD Practice, Call for City Council Passage of Community Safety Act Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito, advocates and New Yorkers call for end to abuse and harassment at “East Harlem Stand Up!” event New York – Hundreds of New Yorkers joined Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito, community organizations and advocates in East Harlem to protest…
BRONX SUPREME COURT — Ten judges from outside the city will be temporarily assigned to The Bronx as part of an unprecedented plan to shrink an “intolerable” backlog of felony cases, the state’s top judge said Tuesday. The move came as the borough’s top criminal judge, Efrain Alvarado, will be replaced by Justice Douglas McKeon,…
A federal judge has ruled that New York City police are not allowed to routinely stop pedestrians outside of private residential buildings in the Bronx. The stops are part of the so-called Clean Halls program, which has prompted allegations of police harassment by some residents who say they are being accosted outside of the buildings…
Free!!! Know Your Rights! Stand Up & Defend Yourself! The Bronx Defenders are looking to do Know Your Rights trainings at High Bridge Branch Public Library. They are happy to advise folks on their rights related to Police, Stop and Frisk, and what to do if ACS (Administration for Children’s Services) knocks on your door…
Watch Bronx Defenders Staff Attorney Molly Kovel discuss the recent court ruling. MELROSE – The attorneys who sponsored a lawsuit against the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy are supporting their claims today after a federal judge ruled the program must come to an end in certain buildings. The attorneys are representing 13 Bronx residents involved in the…
The Bronx Defenders is pleased to announce that Judge Shira A. Scheindlin of the Southern District Court of New York has granted a preliminary injunction against the New York Police Department (NYPD) in The Bronx Defenders’ class-action lawsuit, Ligon v. City of New York. The case successfully challenged the NYPD practice of illegally stopping, frisking,…
A federal judge has dealt a significant blow to the New York police department’s controversial stop-and-frisk policy, declaring that officers had “systematically” engaged in unconstitutional activity by searching residents outside thousands of private apartments in the city. Manhattan federal court judge Shira Scheindlin said the NYPD must immediately halt the practice of conducting trespass stops…
Jairo (he/his/his) graduated from Devry College with a Bachelor’s in Information Systems. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, he held consultant roles in web development, overseeing the production of numerous successful websites. He has previous experience working in non-profits and helping organizations achieve their stated goals. In addition to his degree, Jairo holds various technical…
Perla Baez (she/her/hers) graduated from SUNY Albany with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Spanish Literature. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, she worked as a Legal Interpreter for a criminal defense attorney; interned at the office of the Bronx Borough President; and was part of a legal support group working with the Finance…
In addition to radically transforming the way that people are represented in the justice system, The Bronx Defenders works to transform the system itself. Our proximity to the justice system and what our clients experience on a daily basis places us on the front lines in the fight for fairness, justice, and equality. This provides…
The Bronx Defenders works through interdisciplinary teams comprised of criminal defense attorneys, family defense attorneys, civil attorneys, social workers, advocates, and investigators in order to address not just the immediate legal case, but the host of issues that drive our clients into the justice systems and destabilize their lives. The Bronx Defenders’ staff of over 250…
