JuriSee is Bringing Transparency to the Courts

Welcome to JuriSee, a newly founded data and investigative reporting outlet of the civil courts and legal field. We are currently working to bring transparency and accountability for the civil courts in New York State. You can expect clear, engaging content that brings clarity to the byzantine, exposure to abuses of power, and celebration for when our elected (and non-elected) officials and officers of the court get it right.

Why We Formed

We bring independent investigative reporting of the third branch of government, at a time when transparency and accountability are in great need. The U.S. is seeing court decisions that some view as politicized or as diverging from the intended purpose of the law created by elected officials. We have chosen to focus on civil state courts because they are addressing some of the most important issues of our time, many of which are directly relevant to the lives of citizens. These include issues such as voter rights, LGBTQ+ rights, labor, discrimination, housing, reproductive rights, parenting, and gun control. JuriSee champions a fair and open press and supports the need for local news to report freely on these important matters.

Such press is needed to ensure trust in decisions made by the judiciary and to provide citizens with the information they need to make informed decisions about those elected or appointed to judicial roles of great power. New York courts have faced criticism for a general lack of access and transparency, with failures to respond to valid FOIL and other data requests, despite their legal obligations to comply. Additionally, funding for local news has been declining for nearly two decades, largely due to the loss of advertising revenue to big tech companies like Facebook and Google. Traditional independent means of accountability are simply not operating at the necessary scale. With over 75% of court cases in New York heard in civil courts, it is important to maintain an independent spotlight on this branch of government.

Who We Are

JuriSee was founded by Barbra Masters, with a founding team of Enrique Piracés, Antoine Rodegherio and NaBeela Washington. Barbra and senior partner Enrique bring many decades experience working at the intersection of technology and human rights, using data, and other technologies to support work that challenges state level abuses. Antoine leads our product development and visuals as we develop out complex data-related products that bring clarity to the intricate. NaBeela is our investigative editor, ensuring we provide professional vetted reporting.

We are a proud member of the Tiny News Collective.

What You Can Expect

Our team will pursue stories that hold persons in power accountable. We maintain full editorial control over the content we choose to publish, and we do not allow financial considerations – including support from individuals, businesses, foundations, or other sources – to influence our work. In addition to a bi-monthly newsletter and related investigative reporting, we expect to use aggregated court data, open-source intelligence (OSINT) and public data, such as election donations, government contracts, etc. to provide annual corruption indices reports, relevant statistics on judges and legal professionals, and more.

Contribute

Subscribe now to our bi-monthly newsletter, and read our first article, 44 Lawyers and Law Firms Threatening Fair Press, which we feel provides a peek into type of work you can begin to expect us publish, and begins to highlight just some of the many accountability issues that exist in New York’s civil courts.

We also welcome tips, story pitches, and potential partnerships with mission-aligned public interest organizations. Contact us!