Fund For Modern Courts Inc

THE FUND FOR MODERN COURTS IS A NONPARTISAN, NONPROFIT, STATEWIDE COURT REFORM ORGANIZATION WHICH HELPS ENSURE A FAIR, EFFICIENT AND ACCESSIBLE COURT SYSTEM FOR ALL NEW YORKERS BY OPERATING PROGRAMS TO INCREASE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE WORK OF THE COURTS AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN JUDICIAL REFORM EFFORTS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ABOUT THE COURTS AND SPONSORSHIP OF PUBLIC FORUMS AND EVENTS THAT FOCUS ON THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

FAMILY COURT: SEE SCHEDULE ODURING 2023, MODERN COURTS' DIRECTORS AND STAFF, REVIEWED THE OPERATIONS OF THE WESTCHESTER COURT TO SHED LIGHT ON THE CRISIS IN THE FAMILY COURT, DOCUMENT AND ANALYZE STEPS TO ENSURE ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MEANINGFUL REFORM. IN CONDUCTING ITS REVIEW, MODERN COURTS INTERVIEWED INSTITUTIONAL PROVIDERS AND LEGAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS WORKING IN THE FAMILY COURT AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE ASSIGNED COUNSEL ("18-B") PANEL, AND PRIORITIZED HEARING DIRECTLY FROMTHE LITIGANTS THEMSELVES WHO HAD BEEN IMPACTED.

OTHER PROGRAMS:LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING ON MATTERS OF THE FAIR ADMINISTRATION OFJUSTICE AND THE OPERATION OF THE COURTS IN NEW YORK STATE.

CAMERAS: SEE SCHEDULE OMODERN COURTS INITIATED THE CAMERAS IN THE COURTS PROJECT IN 2023 WHICHIS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF PERMITTING BOTH MEDIACOVERAGE AND LIVE STREAMING OF COURT PROCEEDINGS WHICH IS CURRENTLYPROHIBITED BY NYS LAW. THE PROJECT ENTAILS CONDUCTING A 50-STATE SURVEYOF THE USE OF CAMERAS IN THE COURTS OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND A REVIEWOF THE PRIOR NYS 10-YEAR EXPERIMENT ALLOWING CAMERAS IN THE COURTS ANDCONDUCTING INTERVIEWS WITH THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH CAMERAS INTHE COURTS. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO CREATE AN EDUCATIONAL "WHITEPAPER" THAT WOULD ANALYZE THE MERITS OF ALLOWING CAMERAS IN THE NYSCOURTS AND MAKE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT HOW NYS SHOULD MOVEFORWARD FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING THE COURT PROCESSES MORE TRANSPARENTAND ACCOUNTABLE.

IMMIGRATION: SEE SCHEDULE O MODERN COURTS DEVELOPED AND UPDATED A SERIES OF ON-LINE TRAINING MODULES TO DEMONSTRATE THE INTERSECTION OF FAMILY LAW AND IMMIGRATION AND THE OFTEN-ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES FOR IMMIGRANTS IN FAMILY COURT IN NYS. THIS WAS DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SPECILIZING IN IMMIGRATION AND PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICE TO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. A SERIES OF TRAININGS ARE ONGOING THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF LAWYERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND JUDGES.