Category: Press Statements

The Bronx Defenders Secures Settlement Ending the NYPD’s Unconstitutional Practice of Keeping Money and Property Seized During Arrests

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** Reforms will remove often insurmountable barriers for New Yorkers seeking return of their property BRONX, N.Y. – As the result of a settlement approved today, New York City will implement a series of reforms to ensure that the NYPD ceases its unconstitutional practice of indefinitely holding personal property from the hundreds of thousands of […]

The Bronx Defenders and Legal Aid Issue a Joint Statement on Bronx ICE Courthouse Arrest

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** BRONX DEFENDERS, LEGAL AID JOINT STATEMENT ON BRONX ICE COURTHOUSE ARREST BRONX, NY –The Bronx Defenders and The Legal Aid Society issued the following joint statement this afternoon after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a Legal Aid Society client outside of Bronx Criminal Court which prompted the subsequent walkout and protest […]

Police Brutality Community Forum

On May 16, 2018, The Bronx Defenders is hosting a community forum about commonplace forms of police brutality, including physical violence, harassment, and abuse. We want to hear directly from New Yorkers who have experienced or witnessed these problems in their communities. WHEN: 5:30PM – 8:00PM, Wednesday, May 16, 2018 WHERE: 360 161st St, Bronx, New York The event […]

The Bronx Defenders Responds to White House Immigration Proposal

On January 25, the White House released its Framework on Immigration Reform & Border Security. The Bronx Defenders’ Managing Director of Immigration, Sarah Deri Oshiro, responded with the following statement: “The immigration proposal put forth by the Administration offers questionable relief for Dreamers in return for draconian policies that will harm immigrant communities. Problematic aspects of […]

The Bronx Defenders responds to Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State address

New York, NY — On January 3, 2017, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo delivered the annual State of the State address in Albany and unveiled a package of criminal justice reform proposals. Justine Olderman, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders, responded: “The Governor’s package of criminal justice proposals represents an important acknowledgement that we cannot have […]

The Bronx Defenders Names Justine Olderman Executive Director

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Bronx Defenders announced today that Justine Olderman, an experienced attorney with 17 years at the organization, was selected to take the helm from Robin Steinberg as Executive Director. Olderman is leader in the field of public defense who has held various positions at The Bronx Defenders, including her most recent […]

Defenders’ Academy: Spring Training 2018

Defenders’ Academy: Spring Training is a six-day intensive trial skills program for all defenders (criminal, civil and family) hosted at CUNY Law School. Students participate in small group sessions where they receive expert coaching and individual video review. Impeachment, foundation and objection skills are reinforced with drills. Our program challenges litigators to conceptualize classic trial […]

BxD Testifies Before City Council at Hearing on Progress in Closing Rikers Island

On December 4, 2017, Alice Fontier, Managing Director of The Bronx Defenders’ Criminal Defense Practice presented written and oral testimony before the New York City Council Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services at the Hearing on Progress in Closing Rikers Island. In her testimony, Alice highlighted the Administration’s misguided focus on technocratic fixes to […]