With the Covid-19 pandemic affecting so much of our lives, your support system needs to be reliable.
Since the rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus, so much of our lives have been thrown into upheaval with an eye toward 'Flattening the Curve.' Much of what has been altered has been done out of an abundance of caution, with our systems of justice being significantly affected. The results of new policies, all aimed at keeping people sheltering at home and avoiding gathering of people for legal proceedings, has caused a lot of confusion and concern for those seeking legal remedies in their lives.
Since the beginning of March, various branches of the New York government, from Governor Cuomo down to the County Executives of Nassau and Suffolk, have been issuing orders and making policy decisions to address the need for caution. For anyone who has not studied the law, interpreting all of this can be arduous, and the wrong interpretation could lead to legal headaches down the road.
For example, since the announcement on March 7th of Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency regarding Covid-19, we have had the following….
- 16 modifications of the original executive order in just over one month
- The ‘New York State on Pause’ policy with a 10-point plan that includes a mechanism for citizens to file complaints against their employer or others but no definition of how complaints will be investigated or how a determination of the outlined fines will be levied or a process for disputing a complaint
- Numerous directives from the New York State Courts regarding the ongoing operation of courts and the use of video conferencing to address essential business and emergency matters. Additionally, each county is issuing directives about their courts based on the state directives.
As with any branch of government, the various directives, orders, and particular policies put in place and what they affect are, in times of calm, create a mystery-laden maze that requires proper legal counsel to navigate. However, in the current crisis with such a fluid situation, it is imperative that if you have legal matters that will impact your life, you need proper legal counsel.
In the cases of matters of family law, such as orders of custody or protection, or issues of elder law such as those covered by Mental Hygiene or Estate laws, having legal counsel that can help you to safely and competently navigate the justice system is vital. The Virdone Law Firm, P.C. is ready and available to help you now, and when this crisis has passed.