With renewed focus on the crucial role of New York’s family justice system, Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson, and Chief Administrative Judge Joseph A. Zayas on Wednesday announced the formation of a panel charged with forging a collaborative study of the panoply of justice issues impacting families, youth, and children across the state.
“The time is now, to effectively, efficiently—and compassionately—address the justice needs of New York’s children and families in distress,” said Chief Judge Wilson. “We have no time to waste in this endeavor.”
The state’s family courts, presiding over some of the most intimate personal issues individuals can face, have been beset by longstanding challenges and heightened scrutiny. The new panel is a centerpiece in the Unified Court System’s reassessment of the best approach to a broad range of complex and persistent issues impacting families who litigate in New York’s courts. It comes at a time when the court system has added Family Court judgeships and implemented new technologies and operational tools to aid a system that remains overburdened and under-resourced. The panel’s aim, simply stated, is to promote equity, access, transparency, and understanding within the family justice system statewide.
“Our family courts and justice system handle urgent matters involving deep-rooted, systemic issues said Chief Administrative Judge Zayas. “We are striving to do better in responding to the essential needs of New York’s children and families in crisis.”
The newly appointed Permanent Commission on Justice for Families will be led by Statewide Coordinating Judge for Family Court Matters Richard Rivera, New York City Family Court Administrative Judge Anne-Marie Jolly, and Dawne A. Mitchell, Chief Attorney of The Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice. Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives Edwina G. Richardson will serve as Chair Emerita of the Commission, and distinguished attorney and children’s advocate Louise Feld as an Executive Director.
The Commission, which represents the full array of family justice system professionals and partners, will conduct a careful study of the family justice system’s many moving parts, seeking new and creative ways to better address existing systemic challenges. To this end, its members will be assigned to working groups based on their experience and expertise, identifying the most pressing issues and responding to emerging needs. The groups will then collaborate, reporting their findings and recommendations to Chief Judge Wilson and the court system’s judicial leadership team.
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