Residents Protest NYPD Practice, Call for City Council Passage of Community Safety Act Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito, advocates and New Yorkers call for end to abuse and harassment at “East Harlem Stand Up!” event New York – Hundreds of New Yorkers joined Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito, community organizations and advocates in East Harlem to protest…
BRONX SUPREME COURT — Ten judges from outside the city will be temporarily assigned to The Bronx as part of an unprecedented plan to shrink an “intolerable” backlog of felony cases, the state’s top judge said Tuesday. The move came as the borough’s top criminal judge, Efrain Alvarado, will be replaced by Justice Douglas McKeon,…
A federal judge has ruled that New York City police are not allowed to routinely stop pedestrians outside of private residential buildings in the Bronx. The stops are part of the so-called Clean Halls program, which has prompted allegations of police harassment by some residents who say they are being accosted outside of the buildings…
Free!!! Know Your Rights! Stand Up & Defend Yourself! The Bronx Defenders are looking to do Know Your Rights trainings at High Bridge Branch Public Library. They are happy to advise folks on their rights related to Police, Stop and Frisk, and what to do if ACS (Administration for Children’s Services) knocks on your door…
Watch Bronx Defenders Staff Attorney Molly Kovel discuss the recent court ruling. MELROSE – The attorneys who sponsored a lawsuit against the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy are supporting their claims today after a federal judge ruled the program must come to an end in certain buildings. The attorneys are representing 13 Bronx residents involved in the…
The Bronx Defenders is pleased to announce that Judge Shira A. Scheindlin of the Southern District Court of New York has granted a preliminary injunction against the New York Police Department (NYPD) in The Bronx Defenders’ class-action lawsuit, Ligon v. City of New York. The case successfully challenged the NYPD practice of illegally stopping, frisking,…
A federal judge has dealt a significant blow to the New York police department’s controversial stop-and-frisk policy, declaring that officers had “systematically” engaged in unconstitutional activity by searching residents outside thousands of private apartments in the city. Manhattan federal court judge Shira Scheindlin said the NYPD must immediately halt the practice of conducting trespass stops…
Jairo (he/his/his) graduated from Devry College with a Bachelor’s in Information Systems. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, he held consultant roles in web development, overseeing the production of numerous successful websites. He has previous experience working in non-profits and helping organizations achieve their stated goals. In addition to his degree, Jairo holds various technical…
Perla Baez (she/her/hers) graduated from SUNY Albany with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Spanish Literature. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, she worked as a Legal Interpreter for a criminal defense attorney; interned at the office of the Bronx Borough President; and was part of a legal support group working with the Finance…
In addition to radically transforming the way that people are represented in the justice system, The Bronx Defenders works to transform the system itself. Our proximity to the justice system and what our clients experience on a daily basis places us on the front lines in the fight for fairness, justice, and equality. This provides…
The Bronx Defenders works through interdisciplinary teams comprised of criminal defense attorneys, family defense attorneys, civil attorneys, social workers, advocates, and investigators in order to address not just the immediate legal case, but the host of issues that drive our clients into the justice systems and destabilize their lives. The Bronx Defenders’ staff of over 250…
The Bronx Defenders is a public defender nonprofit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the justice system and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. Read About Our Mission Four pillars are at the core of holistic defense: Seamless access to services that meet legal and social support needs…
The Bronx Defenders serves individuals and families across the borough of the Bronx. Over the past 20 years, we have developed relationships with thousands of Bronx residents and their families. The people we serve are diverse and resilient, but they face tremendous intersecting challenges: the Bronx consistently ranks at the bottom of the state in…
Jay Cohen, Esq.Partner, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP As a partner, co-chair of the Litigation Department, and a member of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP’s Management Committee, Mr. Cohen is a nationally recognized trial lawyer and corporate counselor, particularly with regard to his comprehensive expertise in media, antitrust, securities, intellectual property and…
Explore Holistic Defenses. Every client who comes to The Bronx Defenders is connected to an interdisciplinary team of advocates, including criminal defense attorneys, family defense attorneys, civil attorneys, immigration attorneys, social workers, civil legal advocates, parent advocates, benefits specialists, investigators, and community organizers. Each of these teams fosters interdisciplinary skill sets, ensures compassionate and comprehensive…
Social work is a critical component of holistic defense. Whether a client is facing criminal charges, in danger of losing her children, or threatened with eviction, our social workers are there for them. They advocate for clients in criminal, family, and civil court. They represent clients in meetings with drug program counselors and child welfare…
The Issue A sweeping array of civil punishments are triggered the moment someone faces arrest, deportation, or the removal of their children. Our clients risk losing their jobs, homes, income, property, and basic civil rights — hardships that can be more devastating and long-lasting than the charges themselves. This civil fallout, sometimes referred to as…
The Issue The most accurate predictor of foster care and child welfare involvement is not the maltreatment of children — it is poverty. We see this reality in the Bronx, where parents are particularly vulnerable to being targeted for investigations by child welfare agencies or losing custody of their children. A startling 30% of children…
An interdisciplinary project providing specialized representation to our youngest clients (14, 15 and 16 year olds) in need of intensive assistance and intervention.
