Discovery Reform
Albany Agenda
With little public progress made, Cleare introduces her own discovery bill
As legislative leaders and district attorneys negotiate behind closed doors, state Sen. Cordell Cleare has introduced her own proposed compromise on discovery.
Albany Agenda
Lawmakers propose alternative to Hochul's discovery changes as budget negotiations drag on
Legislators want to codify a court decision that clarified parts of the law while prosecutors are backing the governor’s proposal.
Opinion
Opinion: Dismiss the governor’s discovery proposals
Prosecutors’ concerns about unwarranted case dismissals may be reasonable, but the governor’s proposed changes to the discovery law are not.
Opinion
Opinion: Supporting Hochul's proposed changes to the discovery law
A call for balanced justice
Policy
Survivor groups split over Hochul’s proposed changes to discovery laws
After a number of organizations representing survivors of sexual and domestic violence called on lawmakers to support the governor’s proposal, other survivor groups called on lawmakers to reject it.
Opinion
Opinion: Discovery rollbacks indulge prosecutors at the expense of New Yorkers
An argument against proposed legislation reducing the amount of information that prosecutors are required to disclose.
Policy
Advocates for domestic violence survivors back Hochul’s proposed discovery changes
Groups that support survivors of domestic and sexual violence are asking lawmakers to approve controversial changes to the state’s discovery laws that are favored by prosecutors and opposed by criminal justice reformers.
Albany Agenda
Criminal justice groups, public defenders start campaign to defend discovery law
As Gov. Kathy Hochul and district attorneys push to weaken the 2019 law, advocates have launched a new website highlighting the law’s benefits.
Policy
Albany considers multiple approaches to discovery reform
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assembly Member Micah Lasher introduced a bill to help prosecutors comply with the law, while Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to weaken the law’s requirements.
Policy
Public defenders tell legislators not to compromise on discovery reform
Dozens of public defender offices said that they were excluded from closed-door discussions about possible changes to the law.
Policy
Bronx DA Darcel Clark the main driver of recent proposed changes to discovery reform
Clark has said the 2019 discovery reforms went too far and cost her office prosecutors.
Policy
Hochul and legislative leaders consider changes to discovery reform, worrying public defenders
As state budget negotiations continue, state leaders are rumored to be considering relaxing requirements for prosecutors to turn over evidence quickly.
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Criminal Justice
What to know about New York’s new discovery laws
Bail wasn’t the only major criminal justice reform passed in 2019
New York City
Cuomo’s proposal to divert Cy Vance’s money for discovery reform
New funding to help district attorneys comply with discovery reforms would come at the expense of the Manhattan district attorney.
Criminal Justice
New York needs a new criminal discovery law
New York’s discovery law allow district attorneys to withhold police reports and other key evidence until a trial begins. Prosecutors should instead be required to expeditiously turn over discoverable evidence, write state Sen. Jamaal Bailey and Assemblyman Joseph Lentol.
