NY A02176

Protects individuals attending court proceedings (as parties, witnesses, or family members) from civil arrest while traveling to, at, or returning from the courthouse, unless arrested pursuant to a judicial warrant or order.

Establishes contempt of court and false imprisonment penalties for anyone willfully violating the civil arrest privilege or assisting in prohibited arrests.

Allows protected individuals and the Attorney General to bring civil actions for equitable relief if violations occur, with successful plaintiffs recovering costs and reasonable attorney's fees.

Requires law enforcement entering New York courthouses to identify themselves to court personnel, provide warrant copies for review, and obtain court approval before making arrests except in extraordinary circumstances.

Mandates the Unified Court System maintain a central record repository of all judicial warrants and orders authorizing arrests and publish annual statistics aggregated by county to the legislature and governor.