Government is happening remotely (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayor's Office)

The New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, or OATH, has reached the milestone of conducting 100,000 hearings by phone since the coronavirus outbreak forced widespread shutdowns of many in-person activities, according to an announcement from the office.

This makes it the leading court in the nation for hearing summons cases remotely during the pandemic, the announcement states, with “more cases in real-time

Council Member Cabrera (photo: John McCarten)

Amid a preliminary budget hearing where the City Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations heard testimony from several city agencies and other entities under its purview, representatives from the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, or OATH, did not ask for massive new resources, but explained the impact of an increased budget and an increased caseload, while also asking for more personnel.

The committee chair, Council Member Fernando Cabrera, leveled effusive praise