NY public defenders demand more input in Hochul-Legislature talks over discovery reform laws

By Adam Daly Posted on April 17, 2025

The Legal Aid Society on Thursday urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to include public defenders and other members of the defense bar in negotiations over changes to New York’s discovery reform laws before it is finalized, warning that excluding critical voices could lead to flawed and unjust policy.

Legal Aid criticized the governor’s office for relying “almost exclusively” on the input of district attorneys and law enforcement officials while leaving defense attorneys out of the process, despite the sweeping impact the proposed changes could have on their clients.