New York Paralegal Blog

(USCOURTS) Dec 15, 2008 — Bankruptcy cases filed in federal courts totaled 1,042,993 for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2008, up more than 30 percent when compared to the 801,269 filings in Fiscal Year 2007, according to statistics released today by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The September 2008 filings are the highest of any 12-month period since the 2006 implementation of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, when there were 1,112,542 filings in the 12-month period ending September 30, 2006. The federal Judiciary’s fiscal year is the 12-month period ending September 30. The bankruptcies reported today are for October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008. More...

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and The Legal Aid Society Attorney-in-Chief Steven Banks today announced an agreement dismissing the McCain, Lamboy, Slade, and Cosentino collection of lawsuits, which together have governed the homeless services system for families with children in New York City for 25 years. The agreement, signed by the parties today, ends litigation and court oversight of the City's family shelter services system. Nearly three years ago, a court-appointed Special Master Panel evaluated the homeless services system and unanimously recommended the end to litigation. The Mayor and Attorney-in-Chief Banks were joined in the Blue Room at City Hall by Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs, Corporation Counsel Michael A. Cardozo, Department of Homeless Services (DHS) Commissioner Robert V. Hess, and State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) Commissioner David A. Hansell. "Today marks the beginning of a new era - an era in which the...

One year ago today two of New York’s bravest were killed in the line of duty, while responding to a fire at Deutsche Bank. The tragic deaths of Joseph Graffagnino and Bobby Beddia were, and are still, a reminder of the dangers faced by our uniformed first responders each and every day. Today, in memory of Mr. Graffagnino and Mr. Beddia, we suspended the work being done by the 400 men and women cleaning the Deutsche Bank building. The greatest tribute to the sacrifices made by these firefighters will be to complete the work on this building safely. My thoughts are with the families and loved ones who still endure the pain of these sudden losses, and my thanks go to their comrades who continue to keep New York safe.