November, 2004

County officials set to oppose plan that would close New Rochelle Family Court

Citing what they called “the clear and unmistakable best interests of the people of southeastern Westchester,” County Legislator Jim Maisano (R-New Rochelle) and Legislator Vito Pinto (D-Tuckahoe), have announced a bipartisan effort to block the planned closing of the New Rochelle Family Court.

The legislators, who conducted a series of public hearings and community meetings on the issue, said they would submit a resolution to the full legislature in the coming week that would clearly oppose a plan by the New York State Office of Court Administration to close the court in January.

Concern at the public meetings centered on the accessibility of the court to those who need it most, namely children on probation and women seeking protection from abusers, most of whom do not have cars and rely on public transportation.

“Closing the New Rochelle Family Court would, without question, pose a serious risk to children and families in southern Westchester,” said Maisano, Chairman of the legislature’s Committee on Intergovernmental Relations which has been looking into the issue since August. “In particular, victims of domestic violence who require immediate and personal attention from a judge may be placed in harms way if the court is closed, forcing them to travel to White Plains to seek protection.”

Pinto who represents a large portion of New Rochelle, said “There was an outpouring of concern from the community and from organizations with close ties to the court, including case workers and attorneys who practice there every day. We really had no choice but to get involved on their behalf.” “The public meetings we held in October presented us with convincing evidence that closing the court would be the wrong thing to do.”

By law, the family court in New Rochelle has jurisdiction over cases of child neglect or abuse, juvenile delinquency, status offenses, parental custody and visitation, persons in need of supervision, domestic violence, and adoption in three of the county’s southern municipalities: Mount Vernon, New Rochelle and Pelham.