Why New York Judges Are Fighting a Major Plan to Fix Court Backlogs

Why New York Judges Are Fighting a Major Plan to Fix Court Backlogs

New York’s justice system has a major problem with backlogs. People languish at Rikers Island and other jails, waiting for their trials. Civil cases drag on for years. Yet a proposed fix is facing fierce opposition from a surprising source — state Supreme Court justices, who routinely witness the consequences borne by the backlogs. In the final days of the Albany legislative session, a constitutional amendment to create an uncapped number of new…