Upstate Court Directories

Title
Beacon City Court
County
Dutchess
Address
One Municipal Plaza, Suite 2, Beacon, NY 12508
Phone
(845) 431-1900
Fax
(845) 838-5041
Traffic Calendar
Monday at 9:00 a.m.
Criminal Calendar
Wednesday and Thursday at 9:00 a.m.
Traffic Tickets
Prosecuted by local officers.
Criminal Prosecutions
Dutchess County District Attorney's Office
Judges
Hon. Timothy Pagones and Hon. Rebecca Mensch

Beacon, NY City Court

Traffic Enforcement

The major thoroughfares through the City of Beacon are N.Y. 9D and Interstate 84. Enforcement in town is handled primarily by the Beacon City Police, though the NYS Police are also active in the late night hours, particularly on weekends. The MTA Police also patrol part of town as there is a Metro-North Railroad Station located in the city. Most speeding tickets are written for speeds more than 10 mph over the limit, though the police are stricter in the 30 mph zones. Stationary radar and laser speed detection are widely used on I-84, where enforcement is much more intense due to the high volume of drivers crossing the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. Traffic enforcement along all of the other roads in the city is shared by the City Police, NYS Police, and Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office.

 

Traffic Court

Both justices have “traffic calendars,” which are devoted to adjudicating traffic tickets. The NYS Police are prohibited from negotiating plea bargains on traffic violations. Unfortunately, no special town prosecutor has been appointed to deal with tickets written by the NYS police. As such, Trooper tickets will have to go to trial unless another disposition can be reached with the court.

 

Local police officers generally prosecute their own tickets. Most tickets are resolved through plea bargains.

Most tickets are resolved through plea bargains. Traffic court sessions can easily last 1-2 hours or more. Attorneys are permitted to appear without their clients being present for traffic court.

 

For more information about speeding and other traffic offenses, click here

To read some Frequently Asked Traffic Law questions, click here.

For information about having the Law Office of Glenn Magnell defend your speeding ticket or DWI charge, click here.

 

Criminal Law Enforcement and Prosecutions

All criminal prosecutions are handled by the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office. The Dutchess DA’s office has taken a fairly hard line on DWI prosecutions. In 2009 there were more than 3000 alcohol related driving arrests impaired or intoxicated driving (DWI, DWAI, DWAI-D) in Dutchess County. Both the NYS Police and the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Department made numerous arrests. Most arrests occurred after dark with many taking place after midnight. Police officers assume that many drivers who are out after midnight have consumed alcohol and or drugs. As a result they are looking for any lawful reason to pull drivers over in order to investigate possible DWI incidents. Alcohol checkpoints were established several times by state and local police.

 

In addition to DWI and DWAI, numerous arrests were made for Driving While Impaired by Drugs, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation and Driving With a Suspended Registration. All of these offenses are “criminal” violations of the law and, as a result are prosecuted by the Dutchess County District Attorney’s office. Non-DWI cases are handled by local Assistant District Attorneys, but DWI cases are handled by three “DWI Prosecutors” working out of the DA’s office in Poughkeepsie.

Both judges in Beacon City Court are attorneys.

 

For more information about DWI, click here.

To read some Frequently Asked Questions about DWI, click here.

For information about having the Law Office of Glenn Magnell represent you on your ticket or DWI charge,, click here.