Upstate Court Directories

Title
Town of Fishkill Justice Court
County
Dutchess
Address
807 Route 52, Fishkill, NY 12524
Phone
845-831-7860
Fax
845-831-1569
Court Calendar
Varies depending on the Judge’s schedules. It is generally held on Tuesday or Wednesday 9:00 a.m. or 4:00 p.m.
Criminal Calendar
First and Second Tuesday of the Month; First and Third Wednesday of the Month
Traffic Tickets
Prosecuted by Special Town Prosecutor (State Police) or local officers.
Criminal Prosecutions
Dutchess County District Attorney's Office
Judges
Hon. Harold Epstein & Hon. Robert Rahemba

Fishkill Town Court

Traffic Enforcement & Prosecution

Both Interstate 84 and U.S. 9 run through extensive sections of the Town of Fishkill. Enforcement on I-84 is almost exclusively handled by officers from “Troop K” of the NYS Police. Enforcement on U.S. 9 and throughout town is generally handled by local police. The speed limit along I-84 is mostly 65 mph and almost all speeding tickets are written for speeds more than 10 mph over the limit. Stationary radar and laser speed detection are widely used on both highways. Speed enforcement is much more intense on I-84 due to the high volume of drivers crossing the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. Traffic law enforcement along all of the other roads in the town of Fishkill is split between local town police officers, NYS Police and the Dutchess County Sheriff’s office.

 

Traffic Court

Both town justices have “traffic calendars,” which are devoted to adjudicating traffic tickets. The NYS Police are prohibited from negotiating plea bargains on traffic violations. As a result, a special town prosecutor has been appointed to deal with tickets written by the NYS police. 95% of state police tickets are adjudicated through plea bargains with the special prosecutor. The Town Prosecutor and both judges are reasonable about plea bargains as long as the speed was not more than 20 mph over the limit or over 80 mph.

 

Local police officers generally prosecute their own tickets, though the special prosecutor may substitute for them. Again, most tickets are resolved through plea bargains.

Expect a long line of people waiting to talk to the special prosecutor about a plea bargain. A 1 hour wait is typical. 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 & Prosecution

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 inFishkill Town Court is an attorney.

 

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, click here.