Poughkeepsie judge back in court after NY vaccine mandate lifted
Poughkeepsie City Court Judge Frank Mora is set to return to the bench after New York's court system ended its COVID-19 vaccinate mandate.
Mora had refused to get vaccinated, citing religious reasons. His request for an exemption was denied by the court system. The courts, at the time, had required that all judges and non-judicial staff be vaccinated. Those who did not were prohibited from entering any New York state courthouse.
Mora filed a lawsuit in federal court in December suing the Unified Court System over its decision to deny him a religious exemption.
The courts discontinued the mandate after the Biden administration stated it would end the COVID-19 national emergency in May. About 95% of all judges and staff are vaccinated, according to a court document.
"With the vast majority of judges and employees vaccinated and the tools readily available to protect from serious illness, the UCS can now adjust our response," stated Chief of Operations Nancy Barry and Chief Administration Justin Barry in a memorandum to the judges and non-judicial staff.
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Vaccinations will now be optional and the courts will continue offering three and half hours of compensatory time to employees for each COVID booster vaccination as an incentive.
In a letter to Judge Vincent Briccetti on Thursday, Mora's attorney stated that he had received confirmation yesterday that the "orders restricting Judge Mora have been vacated and recalled welcoming him back to in court proceedings (Friday)."
Religious exemption
Mora had explained in his lawsuit that he has "sincerely held religious beliefs which prohibit him from subjecting a healthy body to vaccinations and views such a practice as contrary to God's commandments as reflect in scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church."
Due to his refusal to be vaccinated, a mandate that was rolled out in August 2021, Mora could not go to work and his duties were sharply curtailed, limited to overseeing civil cases remotely and issuing opinions in certain criminal matters.
The mandate did allow for individuals to request a legitimate medical or religious exemption. Mora said his request was denied without explanation.
Later on, according to the lawsuit, a lawyer for the court system told Mora that he did not provide "the necessary information to determine if his request was based on a sincerely held religious belief" and said "his answer in response to question 1 conflicts with his alleged beliefs."
Mora's lawsuit criticized the process for obtaining an exemption as devoid of any meaningful opportunity to review or appeal an adverse decision.
Mora is now in the process of withdrawing the lawsuit, according to a letter to the judge from attorney Michael Sussman.
Saba Ali: Sali1@poughkeepsiejournal.com: 845-451-4518: @MsSabaAli.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Poughkeepsie judge back in court after NYS vaccine mandate lifted
