State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman expressed support last week for City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito’s plan to remove criminal penalties for some quality-of-life summonses, though he disagreed with her on some of the details.
Ms. Mark-Viverito’s proposal is grounded in the fact that 40 percent of the people who receive summonses do not appear in court as ordered. If someone doesn’t appear, the court issues an arrest warrant. The Speaker is concerned that a conviction on an arrest warrant—unlike a simple summons—goes on a person’s record permanently, circumscribing future student-loan, employment and public-housing opportunities.
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you have an active digital subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password, if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print-only subscriber, and want access to our website,click here to view your options for changing you subscription level.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |