Covid 19 and what it means here.
The courts are not quick to change and like most other aspects of society, the court system has suddenly found itself in a teleconference world. Until Social Distancing is no longer required, the general consensus is that civil jury trials will not be taking place. What that means to anyone involved in litigation is that discovery practice (developing the facts of the case) will continue by use of video conferencing. Courts are also expected to increase pressure on litigants to use private mediation and arbitration services.
The Department of Homeland Security has been anything but a model of clarity in its policies on COVID 19. Visa processing is continuing, but delays should be expected. Moreover, the Trump Administration's anti-immigrant bias is resulting in the denial of applications for trivial reasons. All of this is to be anticipated and patience in the processing of immigrantion visas and statuses is required. For individuals in removal proceedings (deportation) , the Immigration Courts are deeply backlogged. This will result in long delays. In some cases this may be advantageous, while in others it may require litigation.
Continuing our tradition of being a profession and not a business, we are working with our clients on legal fee payment options. While we do not have a one-size-fits-all policy, we work with our clients based upon their specific circumstances and the individual particularities of their case. Currently, many of our existing clients have worked out monthly payment plans.
During this time of national crisis, whether it be the COVID 19 pandemic, a global financial downturn, or the turmoil of beneficial social change, we intend to lean-in and help.