Jury trials soon available for some misdemeanors in NYC

Courts will look a bit different thanks to a pair of bills authored by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

A.4319 removes a 50-year-old section of law that denied those living in New York City the right to a jury trial in cases where a guilty finding could lead to up to six months in prison.

It’s intended to provide more fairness to those facing misdemeanors, bringing New York City in-line with the rest of the state.

A.8040 is intended to make New York’s hearsay rules more consistent with what happens in federal courts, dealing primarily with conversations involving the work place.

“New Yorkers deserve unfettered access to our court system, and these two laws help move us closer to that goal,” Dinowitz said, in a release.

A.8040 takes effect immediately, while A.4319 activates in July.