New Yorkers deserve diverse, independent, and fair courts.

Removing the obstacles to justice experienced by everyday New Yorkers, particularly those in low-income and communities of color, helps ensure a healthy judicial system and democracy. Common Cause New York is working to educate voters about the importance of an independent judiciary and building political will to reform our court systems.

Common Cause New York supports the following reform goals:

• Increase diversity among New York judges to better reflect the demographics of the communities they serve
• Reduce the amplified number of people in the judicial system based on social and demographic lines
• Strengthen disclosure laws, locally and statewide
• Increase access to justice by introducing “plain language” laws and other reforms that help people representing themselves
• Expanding public financing to more judicial races
• Consolidate and streamline New York’s many levels of courts