Upstate Court Directories

Title
Town of New Windsor Justice Court
County
Orange
Address
555 Union Avenue-Town Hall Bldg., New Windsor,NY 12550
Phone
(845) 563-4681
Fax
(845) 563-2937
Court Calendar
Tuesday & Thursday
Traffic Tickets
Prosecuted by Special Town Prosecutor (State Police) or local officers.
Criminal Prosecutions
Orange County District Attorney's Office
Judges
Justice Richard W. Thorpe & Justice Noreen Calderin

New Windsor, NY Town Court

Traffic Enforcement

The Town of New Windsor is a large suburban town with through which a small section of I-87 (NYS Thruway) passes, as well as a number of very busy local roads.  The speed limit on I-87 is 65 mph throughout New Windsor.  Speed limits on local roads vary from 55 mph on Route 9W to 30 mph on roads through heavily developed sections of Route 32 and Route 300.  Traffic enforcement on I-87 is handled almost exclusively by NYS Police troopers from “Troop T.”  There is a state police barracks located in New Windsor adjacent to Stewart Airport.  NYS troopers are regularly moving between the barracks and I-84 on the local roads.  Local traffic law enforcement is handled by both NYS troopers and New Windsor police officers.  Traffic enforcement through the main business district along Rt. 32 is intense at times.

 

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 generally reasonable about plea bargains as long as the speed was not more than 25 mph over the limit.

 

Local police officers somtimes prosecute their own tickets, though the special prosecutor may substitute for them. Again, most tickets are resolved through plea bargains.  Traffic court sessions can last 2-3 hours. 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 Orange County District Attorney’s Office.  The DA’s office takes a very hard line on DWI prosecutions. In 2009 there were more than 1800 alcohol related driving arrests for impaired or intoxicated driving (DWI, DWAI, DWAI-D) in Orange County. Both the NYS Police and the New WindsorTown Police made numerous arrests. Most arrests occurred after dark with many taking place after midnight. Police officers assume that many driver’s 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 have been occassionaly been established by the a combined task force of NYS Police and local police.  All of these offenses are “criminal” violations of the law and, as a result are prosecuted by the Orange County District Attorney’s office.  Police have been known to observe and follow patrons leaving local bars and make traffic stops at the first opportunity.

 

Other typical criminal cases heard in New Windsor Town Court are petty larceny, 3rd degree assault, harrassment and drug possession.  Misdemeanors remain the jurisdiction of the town court, while felonies are transferred to the Orange County Court if there is a felony indictment by the Grand Jury.     The criminal court calendar can be very busy and criminal court can last 2 hours or more.

 

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.