A poster in chief Family Court Judge Edwina Richardson-Mendelson's office diagrams the web of services the
In chapter 5 of our investigation of New York City Family Court, we look at past reform efforts and survey judges, lawyers, advocates and parents on how they think the system could be improved.
New York recently began trying to get more children who were removed from their homes placed in guardianship relationships with other relatives. While there are potential pitfalls, the approach can save time and money.
A lower threshold for judgment, different standards of evidence, a shift in the burden of proof and no Fifth Amendment protection—these and other features of Family Court set it apart from the rest of the legal system.
Chapter two of our Family Court investigation focuses on the courtrooms that handle custody and child support, where many people try to navigate complex legal lingo without a lawyer, and where running out the clock can be a weapon in warfare between parents.
City Limits spent months observing Family Court and found an overburdened system where delays were endemic, legal help was scarce and the approach to solving family problems was divided. This is the first chapter in our report.
New York school officials claim city students are making consistent gains, even in the face of national scores that suggest little progress over the past two years.
Schools on the new DOE closure list serve more low-income, special ed and English-learning students than the system as a whole. Is the city simply fighting for poor kids to get the best, or applying unfair expectations in a way that disrupts students’ lives?
The DOE’s report cards are out for high schools. Amid higher standards, fewer schools notched the highest grades. With graduation criteria about to tighten, what do the numbers bode for the class of 2012 and beyond?
The elementary school and the middle school shared a building without strife. But when one school felt compelled to grow, tensions arose around race, class and space.
The IBO depicts a profound change at the Administration for Children’s Services, with preventive offerings replacing foster care as the agency’s go-to policy. But questionable budget decisions undercut the impact of the shift.
City Limits uses investigative journalism through the prism of New York City to identify urban problems, examine their causes, explore solutions, and equip communities to take action.
Founded in 1976 in the midst of New York’s fiscal crisis, City Limits exists to inform democracy and equip citizens to create a more just city. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by foundation support, ad sponsorship and donations from readers.
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Support local, investigative journalism that has informed and empowered New Yorkers for 45 years.
