New York Courts are Striving to Open their “Doors”

In dealing with these unprecedented circumstances, the Courts throughout New York State have been struggling to keep the Courts open and accessible to the public, while also complying with the Governor’s mandate by restricting access to the Court in order to keep the public, Judges, attorneys and Court staff and employees safe from this pandemic.

It started with a near shutdown of the entire Court system with very few exceptions for criminal cases and other “emergency” or “essential” matters. Gradually, the Courts have been trying to reopen their doors, even if only virtually, to restore access to the Courts and resume conducting business. The Courts in Nassau County are now beginning to accept filings of new matters deemed to be “priority” matters, as determined on a case-by-case basis, and to set up video conferences with counsel as needed. We expect Suffolk County and the five boroughs of New York City to soon follow suit. While there are still certain functions of the Courts which remain shut down and at a standstill, this is temporary, and progress is being made towards getting the Courts back to a fully operational status as soon as possible.

While the landscape is changing on a daily, if not hourly basis, the attorneys of Wisselman, Harounian & Associates have remained ready and available throughout this crisis, and continue to be available to process matters for existing and new clients. Anyone with the need to consult with counsel regarding any new matrimonial or family law matters or anyone with questions regarding estate planning, should contact us immediately. We can set up a telephone or video consultation with you, free of charge, and take all steps possible to get your matter addressed and into Court as soon as possible. Additionally, we can explain which matters can be handled outside of court, and assist you with those as well.