BxD v. OCA
New York City’s Public Defenders, including BDS, joined forces in July 2020 to challenge New York State Office of Court Administration (“OCA”)’s dangerous policy that mandated in-person court appearances without ensuring adequate protections, putting attorneys and litigants – mostly low-income New Yorkers of color – at enormous risk for no compelling reason. The policy was particularly dangerous for people with disabilities, including those who a disability in the form of high risk from COVID-19. On July 28, 2021, the federal District Court for the Southern District of New York determined that it did not have authority to order the court system to half the return to in-person proceedings.
See below for important case documents:
Motion for Temporary Restraining Order
