Surge of New Suits Filed in New York City as E-Filing Reopens to All Cases
While most court proceedings are still taking place virtually, and litigators in the city are not yet sure when they will be able to argue before a jury or even take an in-person deposition, they praised the state court system for its ability to adapt and carry on amid the pandemic.
May 26, 2020 at 06:42 PM
2 minute read
The original version of this story was published on New York Law Journal
A man wearing a protective face mask sits alone outside the New York City court buildings on Centre Street. Photo: Ryland West/ALM
Hundreds of lawsuits were filed in state court in New York City on Monday and Tuesday as e-filing became available for all kinds of cases for the first time since March.
Attorneys reported that the return of e-filing went smoothly overall, though index numbers were assigned slowly compared to a typical day before March 22, when Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks froze nonessential filings as the state braced for the coronavirus.
More than 350 cases were filed Monday in Brooklyn, making it the busiest of the city's five boroughs. Motor vehicle tort cases were the largest single type of filings in Kings County, which was also typical before the crisis.
In Manhattan, more than 250 cases were filed Monday, including 42 commercial contract matters and more than 100 tort cases of various kinds, according to data from the Office of Court Administration.
Statewide, almost 4,000 cases were filed between May 18 and Monday, according to the OCA data. E-filing rolled out upstate a few days before it reached the downstate counties, reflecting the way the courts are set to reopen on a regional basis across the state.
While most court proceedings are still taking place virtually, and litigators in the city are not yet sure when they will be able to argue before a jury or even take an in-person deposition, they praised the state court system for its ability to adapt and carry on amid the pandemic.
Virtual court conferences have been taking place for more than a month, and more than 18,000 cases have been settled or otherwise disposed despite the coronavirus-related restrictions, state court spokesman Lucian Chalfen said Thursday.
Ryan Tarinelli contributed to this report.
READ MORE:
NY Courts to Lift Ban on New 'Nonessential' Lawsuits for Downstate Counties
Ban on New 'Nonessential' Lawsuits Lifted for Regions of Upstate NY
Mid-Hudson Region Cleared to Reopen Parts of Economy
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