Budget cuts have brought longer waits to see a judge for some New York defendants, particularly in Brooklyn where some people arrested for minor offenses are spending up to three nights in jail.
The New York Times offers the experience of construction worker Andre Parker as an example. He was arrested and jailed on Friday for throwing a lottery ticket on the ground and refusing a police officer’s order to pick it up or show identification. He wasn’t arraigned until Sunday afternoon, when a judge said his case would be dismissed if he stayed out of trouble for six months.
Criminal courts in New York City cut weekend hours as a result of state budget cuts. Court officials told the Times on Tuesday that they would increase weekend hours so additional arraignments could be scheduled.
State law requires defendants to see judges “without unnecessary delay,” which has been interpreted to mean within 24 hours when conditions are normal, the story says.
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