Bill > A06755

This bill establishes an Elder Court Pilot Program to study the effectiveness of senior-specific judicial programming across up to six counties in New York State. The program aims to create specialized court environments that simultaneously handle elder abuse, domestic violence, and related criminal cases, allowing for more comprehensive and coordinated legal approaches. The chief administrator of the courts will have the authority to establish these pilot courts, assign judges, and create procedures for identifying and transferring eligible cases. The program will involve partnerships with local organizations like TRIAD teams (senior citizen crime prevention groups), multi-disciplinary teams, and advocacy organizations to track information and assess service needs. After two years, the chief administrator must submit a detailed report to state leadership, which will include recommendations on judicial training, characteristics of elderly litigants' needs, best practices for elder courts, and potential policy changes to improve elder abuse case prosecution. The bill allows for flexibility in implementation, permitting the use of existing court programs and enabling applications for federal or private funding to support the pilot program. The ultimate goal is to develop a more effective, sensitive, and supportive judicial approach for handling legal matters involving seniors.

Justice

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A6755