Judges in Queens dismissed more than 11,000 criminal cases last year because prosecutors missed deadlines for turning over evidence, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said last week, arguing new laws around sharing evidence are hampering prosecutions.

The number represents 27% of all cases her office processed last year, and Katz said it includes low-level misdemeanors that her office didn’t prioritize. The dismissals come as she and others lobby state lawmakers to roll back criminal justice reforms enacted in 2020.

Bur defense lawyers say the problems cited by Katz are unique to New York City and the onus is on prosecutors to improve their practices for sharing evidence.