NY S05878

Chief Administrator of the Courts may establish a pilot program allowing petitions for temporary orders of protection to be filed electronically and orders issued via audio-visual means to accommodate litigants with undue hardship or risk of harm from appearing in court.

Pilot program plan must identify family justice centers or other sites equipped with compatible audio-visual systems and electronic filing capability, trained domestic violence advocates to assist petitioners, and procedures for filing, administering oaths, transcribing testimony, and transmitting orders.

Electronic appearances by petitioners are strictly voluntary, must include recorded consent on the record, and do not affect existing laws governing service of process or confidentiality of court records.

Chief Administrator must maintain a publicly-available listing of pilot program sites and strive for regional diversity considering public transportation availability, population density, and facility availability.

Executive Law section 648 is amended to require the Chief Administrator to report every five years on court services for crime victims, including those affected by sex trafficking, and implement recommendations for improved procedures and fair treatment standards.