New Task Force on the New York State Constitution

New York State Office of Court Administration:

In anticipation of Election Day 2017 − when for the first time in two decades New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote on whether there should be a convention held to amend the New York State Constitution − Chief Judge Janet DiFiore [has] announced her appointment of the Judicial Task Force on the New York State Constitution.

A group of leading judges, attorneys and academics from around the state, the Task Force will conduct a thorough review of Article VI of the New York State Constitution, which establishes the structure, organization and jurisdiction of New York’s Judiciary, and propose for Chief Judge DiFiore’s consideration possible revisions that may advance the work of New York’s state court system, making it more modern, efficient and accessible.

The State Constitution requires that the question of whether to call for its amendment be put on the ballot every 20 years. Should New York’s electorate in 2017 approve the holding of a constitutional convention, the process would then call for delegates to be elected to the convention in the next general election (November 6, 2018), with the convention to commence on the first Tuesday in April following the election of delegates (April 2, 2019.

Calling all superheroes: the CASA fun run for abused children

The 4th Annual CASA SuperHero 5K and 1K Fun Run will be held on Sunday, September 18th at Kinsella Park in Painted Post, NY

The 5K Race starts @ 9AM and the 1K Fun Run starts @ 9:45AM.

Pre-register by September 14 to save $5.00 and reserve CAPES for kids. RACE T-SHIRTS for ages 12 and over for first 100 participants.

For more information, click here.

Ovid Town Board to hold public hearing on emergency signage law

The Ovid Town Board hold a public hearing at the Ovid Firehouse, 2136 Brown St Ovid, NY 14521, at 7:00 p.m. on the 10 day of August, 2016 on Proposed Local Law No. A of the year 2016: “A local law amending Local Law No. 1 of the Year 2015, the Town of Ovid Building, Structure, Property Emergency Numbering Ordinance.

The purpose of this ordinance is to promote public safety through the provision of a uniform system of road signage for residences and other buildings in the Town of Ovid, outside the Village of Ovid, in order to increase the speed in which firefighting, law enforcement, and emergency medical services are able to effectively and efficiently locate properties.

The complete text of the proposed local law can be found here.

New York wins big victory in locking up sex offenders

Syracuse.com:

New York's top court this month delivered a big victory to state prosecutors who want to remove some of the worst sex offenders from society -- possibly forever.

The court allowed the combination of two non-sex-related mental illnesses -- anti-social personality disorder and borderline personality disorder -- to form the basis for locking up sex offenders after their release from prison. The court had ruled previously that anti-social personality disorder (ASPD) could not be used alone to keep a sex offender confined.

The ruling strengthens the legal grounds to remove the worst sex offenders from the streets.

The complete decision can be found here.

The American Bar Association: Engaging Future Lawyers

The ABA Young Lawyers Division has partnered with the Texas Young Lawyers Association to expand the What Do Lawyers Do program into a national resource.

What Do Lawyers Do? is an interactive web-based is designed to educate high school and college students about how to become a lawyer.

The project focuses on preparation for law school, the law school experience, and different career paths for law school graduates.

Among its many goals, the project seeks to encourage a discussion about the different aspects of a legal education and the seemingly endless options open to those interested in pursuing a legal education.

Students will have a newfound understanding of the important roles that lawyers play in society, and that a legal education and a legal career are well within the reach of anyone willing to put in the time and effort to succeed

More information here.

2016 Annual Supreme Court Round Up

The Washington, DC Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society presents its Annual Supreme Court Round Up at the Mayflower Hotel on Friday July 22.

The event features, Miguel A. Estrada, partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Mr. Estrada joined Gibson Dunn in 1997, after serving for five years as Assistant to the Solicitor General of the United States. He previously served as Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Appellate Section, U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York. In those capacities, Mr. Estrada represented the government in numerous jury trials and in many appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Mr. Estrada has represented clients before federal and state courts throughout the country in a broad range of matters. He has argued 22 cases before the United States Supreme Court, and briefed many others. He has also argued dozens of appeals in the lower federal courts.

The cost for this event is $50.00 for members, $75.00 for non-members. Lunch will be served.

Town of Ovid to Host Comprehensive Plan "Kick-off" July 13

Ovid town officials invite residents to attend the next scheduled meeting of the Town Board, July 13, at 7:00 pm at the Town Offices on Brown Street, to learn more about the recently initiated Comprehensive Plan process.

Guided by a team of planning professionals from MRB Group and EDR, a town-appointed Steering Committee will meet monthly and follow a timeline which will be outlined at the Board meeting.

Public participation is the most important element. The Town Board wants input and feedback from as many residents as possible.

Scheduled for the beginning of the 7 pm Board meeting, the presentation will also include a look at a new website created to support the planning project.

New York State's Sparkler Law: What's legal, what's not.

While most fireworks remain illegal in New York State, a recent law has authorized counties and cities outside of New York City to legalize sparklers and certain sparkling devices for those who are over 18 years of age.

A list of legal fireworks, and the counties that allow them, can be found here.

It is a crime to provide a sparkler to a person less than 18 years of age, even in the jurisdictions where sparkling devices have been legalized.

For additional information about this law, including information on sales, please visit the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) web page.

This Fourth of July, be safe, celebrate America and have fun.

New York enacts law to combat the blight of “zombie homes"

New York State officials have enacted legislation to prevent foreclosures and curb the threat posed to communities by “zombie properties.”

The bill was passed as part of the 2016 Legislative Session and signed into law Thursday (June 23).

The new law imposes a pre-foreclosure duty on the banks to maintain vacant and abandoned properties.

Previously, a bank or mortgagee had the responsibility of maintaining a vacant property once a judgment of foreclosure and sale was obtained, creating zombie properties and blight in communities. Reports indicate that these blighted homes have cost millions of dollars in lost property values.

The new legislation places the maintenance obligation on a mortgagee when the mortgagee becomes or should have become aware of the vacancy. Under the law, a bank has a duty to maintain and secure a residential real property where there is a reasonable basis to believe it is vacant and abandoned, and faces civil penalties up to $500 per violation, per property, per day for failing to do so.

The law also requires a foreclosing party to move to auction within 90 days of obtaining a foreclosure judgment. In addition, a foreclosing party would be required to take action to ensure that the property is reoccupied within 180 days of taking title.

Finally, the law will promote communication between local governments and mortgagees responsible for property maintenance.

The legislation takes effect immediately.

For more on the new law click here.

New York's high court approves extended jail for willful failure to pay child support

Syracuse Post Standard:

People who deliberately refuse to pay court-ordered child support can go to jail for consecutive six-month sentences for repeat violations, New York's highest court ruled Tuesday...

The Court of Appeals, with six judges ruling unanimously, said Family Court can revisit jail sentences for willful violations that were previously suspended and order an offender jailed on all of them. Those sentences can run consecutively, extending the time an offender can be locked up....

Federal data show that unpaid child support has risen over the past 30 years from nearly $3 billion to more than $115 billion nationally

The complete decision can be found here.