At The Legal Aid Society our Civil, Criminal Defense, Juvenile Rights, and Pro Bono practices work tirelessly in and out of thecourtroom to defend our clients and dismantle the hidden, systemic barriers that can prevent them from thriving in New York City. We seek to be a beacon of hope for those who feel neglected —regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they identify. Our experienced teams provide comprehensive services, support, and advocacy that protect rights, keep families and communities together, and in many cases, saves lives. We have an intrinsic connection to the daily lives of New Yorkers. Here are a few of the places we made a difference, provided context or added valuable perspective this week.

LAS secures overhaul of NYPD’s illegal warrant search practices

Gothamist: NYPD agrees to update warrant check policy after legal settlement
NYLJ: New York City Settles Lawsuit Alleging Illegal Searches, Will Reform Policy
AP: NYPD ends tactic of prolonging stops to check for warrants
CNN: NYPD will no longer detain individuals at length while running background checks
Fox News: NYPD ends prolonged street stops to check for warrants after lawsuit
Queens Chronicle: Warrant Searches Curtailed

LAS files second contempt motion against Department of Correction

NYDN: NYC should pay Rikers inmates $3M for failing to take them to medical appointments
The City: Lawsuit Asserts If Rikers Can’t Provide Medical Care, It Should Cap Population
NYLJ: Bronx Judge Should Find DOC in Contempt, Order $3 Million in Fines: Legal Aid
News12: Groups file motion to hold Department of Correction in contempt over medical care
AMNY: Legal groups file second motion against DOC for failure to provide medical access
Jurist: Legal Aid Society: NYC DOC should be held in contempt for inhumane jail conditions

LAS calls for answers following fire that destroyed NYPD evidence center

CBS2: New concerns over evidence lost in NYPD warehouse fire
1010WINS: Advocates call on NYPD to provide accounting of what was lost in warehouse fire
News12: LAS urges mayor to be transparent about evidence lost in NYPD warehouse fire
Brooklyn Paper: LAS demands clarity after decades of police evidence destroyed in Red Hook fire
FOX5: Legal Aid: NYPD must account for evidence destroyed in fire

More LAS in the news

NYT: A Secret Society Tied to the Underground Railroad Fights to Save Its Home
News12: New initiative for younger Bronx residents helps them to learn their rights
NYT: Hochul Grants Clemency to 13, Including a Domestic Violence Victim
Patch: UWS Police Precinct Finds Itself At Center Of ShotSpotter Controversy
The City: City Hall Asks Houses of Worship to Shelter Migrants
USA Today: When a prison is known as the ‘rape club,’ our justice system has a credibility problem
The City: SNAP Back: Stolen Benefits Would Be Repaid to Victims Under Federal Bill
FOX5: Scammers stealing benefits from SNAP recipients
AMNY: Invasion of privacy? Legal Aid Society, NYPD in row over ShotSpotter sensor usage
Spectrum News: Hochul urged to approve Medicaid debt relief measure
City Limits: Over Half of NYC’s Food Stamp Applicants Left Waiting as Staffing Shortage Deepens
El Diario: Urgen a Albany aprobar leyes que minimicen la cárcel y aumenten inversiones
Queens Daily Eagle: City’s failure to get detainees to doctors continues, attys say
The Real Deal: When ERAP ends, purgatory may continue for landlords
The City: Apartments Vanish From New York’s Rent Regulation System
The City: Is Your Apartment Rent-Stabilized? How to Get Your Rent History in NYC