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Q&A

Chair Brooks-Powers asks what DAs and defense bar can do now to speed dispositions

New York City Council · Jun 25, 2026 · starts 0:36:41 · 1 min 9 sec

Brooks-Powers asks for specific steps DAs and defense can take. Zayas recommends active participation in discovery conferences, having high-level DA executives available with authority to resolve cases, and notes DAs are doing this.

Selvena N. Brooks-Powers

In terms of the system actors necessary to make your new protocols effective,

Selvena N. Brooks-Powers

are there specific steps that the district attorneys and the defense bar can take right now to improve the speed at which cases reach a disposition?

Judge Joseph A. Zayas

Sure.

Judge Joseph A. Zayas

I mean, being active participants in those discovery conferences, with respect to the old cases, we have an old case conferencing so that any of the old cases,

Judge Joseph A. Zayas

having the district attorney's offices, having a high-level executive available for those conferences.

Judge Joseph A. Zayas

A high-level executive who has the authority to resolve cases, if an offer is made, instead of having to adjourn it to see whether the higher-level district attorneys will approve it.

Judge Joseph A. Zayas

So those are some of the things that will be helpful.

Judge Joseph A. Zayas

And the district attorney's offices are doing that.

Selvena N. Brooks-Powers

Thank you.