A new report reveals that most criminal court judges in New York remain reluctant to publish their case decisions, hampering public visibility into judicial operations. Despite some efforts to increase transparency, only about 6% of decisions are shared annually. This lack of accessible judgments prevents voters and judicial committees from accurately assessing judges. In 2024, 130 judges published just 394 decisions, with stark differences across counties, prompting lawmakers to push for reforms to enhance judicial accountability and transparency.
The recent report by Scrutinize and Reinvent Albany highlights that New York judges are largely not publishing their decisions, leaving the public in the dark.
Only an estimated 6 percent of court decisions are published annually in New York, raising concerns about the lack of transparency in the judicial system.
Lawmakers are advocating for reform, as the absence of published opinions hinders proper evaluation of judges by voters and reappointment committees.
In 2024, 130 judges published only 394 decisions, with significant disparities in publication rates across counties, revealing ongoing issues with judicial transparency.
Collection
[
|
...
]