ACCESS TO JUSTICE has become the new catchword for the courts of New York. Our Chief Judge, Judith S. Kaye, has been spreading the message throughout the state of the importance of making the courts more accessible to all who seek our services. In addition, Governor George E. Pataki’s many diverse appointments of presiding and associate justices to the appellate divisions have provided unique opportunities for jurists sensitive to access to justice for all to bring new ideas, programs and initiatives to the communities that they serve.
In Chief Judge Kaye’s State of the Judiciary address this year, she once again emphasized her concern and her commitment to providing easier and more meaningful court access to all – to non-lawyers as well as lawyers; to the poor as well as the rich; to the represented as well as the self-represented.
