Hiscock Legal Aid Society to provide misdemeanor defense services in Syracuse City Court

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Hiscock Legal Aid Society (HLA) on Thursday said it’s been awarded a multi-year contract to provide legal representation for misdemeanor and violation cases in Syracuse City Court. HLA sees the contract award as “significantly expanding the organization’s capacity to serve individuals in Syracuse,” per its announcement. The contract will enable HLA to establish the misdemeanor-defense program and represent defendants in misdemeanor and violation proceedings in Syracuse City Court, from arraignment through final disposition. To implement the new program, HLA will add 17 total staff members, including 11 attorneys. The organization expects to begin handling cases with initial staff this spring, with operations scaling throughout the fall to reach full capacity, HLA said. This expansion brings HLA’s total annual operating budget to just over $15 million and increases the organization’s total staff to 117 people, 76 of whom are attorneys — making HLA “one of the largest legal aid providers in Central New York.” “This contract represents a transformational moment for justice in our community,” Gregory Dewan, executive director of Hiscock Legal Aid Society, said in the announcement. “By adding this critical misdemeanor defense capacity, we’re strengthening the constitutional promise of equal justice under the law for thousands of people who face criminal charges each year.”