As we prepare for the fall, I offer this now-annual update to the Bar and the public on the state of the First Department, which includes data on our productivity for the previous calendar year and what to expect as the Court returns for the September 2022 term.

As I wrote last year, given the unpredictability of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is difficult to forecast what policy changes might be necessary throughout the fall and winter. That is why, although we plan to start the September term in-person, our Court is fully equipped to seamlessly transition from in-person to virtual (or to hybridized virtual/in-person) proceedings as the pandemic or other unforeseen events dictate. In addition, as we are growing accustomed to this “new normal,” beginning in September the Court will permit attorneys and self-represented litigants who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to remove their masks while presenting their oral arguments. I am sure this will come as welcome news to many who find that masks hinder communication, especially during arguments. Of course, this policy remains subject to change at any time, but I am hopeful that we will not see another surge in the infection rate that would hamper our plans. Any changes to our policies will be announced on our website (https://www.nycourts.gov/courts/ad1).