The Districts - Stories of American Justice from the Federal Courts

The United States has 94 federal districts, but New York City’s two districts—the Southern and Eastern District of New York—are local courts of national and international significance, operating just one mile apart on either side of the East River in Manhattan and Brooklyn. This jurisdiction sits at the nexus of issues of national security, political corruption, organized crime, and white-collar crime. Those who have faced justice here are equally significant: the Rosenbergs, mafia boss John Gotti, Bernard Madoff, Al Qaeda leader Abu Ghaith and Michael Cohen, the former attorney for President Donald Trump. In his new book The Districts: Stories of American Justice From the Federal Courts, Johnny Dwyer explores the nature of justice in these district courts and their very different and often independent cultures.

Johnny Dwyer is a reporter and adjunct professor at Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University. In addition to The Districts, he is the author of American Warlord. He has written for The New York Times, Esquire, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, The Intercept, and other publications.

On October 7, 2019, New America's International Security Program welcomed Johnny Dwyer for a discussion of his book and the story of justice in federal court.

Featuring Johnny Dwyer, Author, The Districts: Stories of American Justice from the Federal Courts and Adjunct Professor, Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University. Moderated by David Sterman, Senior Policy Analyst, New America International Security Program.