Judge Refuses To Get Vaxxed, Gets Barred From Courthouse, Chambers

Yeah, this is a problem.

While 85% of New York state’s 15,615 court staffers have been vaccinated against COVID-19, Associate Court of Appeals Judge Jenny Rivera is not one of them. Indeed, she’s the only NY judge — out of ~1,300 — who refused the vaccine and didn’t even apply for a medical or religious waiver.

As a result, Rivera has reportedly been blocked from all court facilities — including her chambers — as of September 27th at 5:00 p.m. when the court system’s mandate took effect. Unified Court System spokesman Lucian Chalfen confirmed, “Currently, there is only one state-paid judge statewide out of compliance with our vaccine mandate policies.”

Even before the mandate took hold, Rivera’s decision to refuse the game-changing COVID vaccine was already felt in the courthouse, with a redesign to accommodate her obstinance:

The courtroom’s configuration was changed for the most recent session in August due to Rivera’s decision not to get the inoculation, a source told The Post.

She was placed alone at the end of a long wooden table separated from the six vaxxed judges who were perched on a raised bench behind her. Traditionally, four judges are seated on the raised bench and three at the wooden table.

But now she’s forced to participate remotely.

“If it works for her and she can participate remotely, I don’t see the problem,” said state Court of Appeals spokesman Gary Spencer, who declined to comment on her vaccination status. “We do not discuss the personal health information of anyone — judges or staff.”

I mean the problem is the cumulative societal harm of every individual who is able to be vaccinated, but refuses to do so. I’m sure the immunocompromised, for whom the vaccine is not particularly effective, or those under 12 who get serious cases of COVID, understand what “the problem” is.

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Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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