Upstate Court Directories

Title
Town of Thompson Justice Court
County
Sullivan
Address
4052 Route 42 Monticello, NY 12701
Phone
845-794-7130
Traffic Calendar
Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m.
Criminal Calendar
Mondays at 5:00 p.m. and Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m.
Traffic Tickets
Prosecuted by Special Prosecutor or the officer who issued the ticket
Criminal Prosecutions
Sullivan County District Attorney's Office
Judges
Hon. Perry Meltzer & Hon. Martin Miller

Thompson, NY Town Court

Traffic Enforcement & Prosecution

The Town of Thompson Justice Court has a busy traffic calendar due to NY-17 running through the length of the town. Enforcement on the major highways is handled by the NYS Police from “Troop F.” On the major highways, stationary radar and laser speed detection are widely used. On local roads most speeding tickets are written for speeds less than 10 mph over the limit. In addition, the police regularly look for miscellaneous vehicle and traffic violations to initiate traffic stops.

 

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. As a result, a Special Prosecutor handles tickets written by the NYS police. 95% of state police tickets are adjudicated through plea bargains with the prosecutor. The Prosecutor and both judges are reasonable about plea bargains as long as the speed is not too high.

 

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

 

Expect a line of people waiting to talk to the prosecutor about a plea bargain. A 1-2 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 Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office. The Sullivan DA’s office has taken a fairly hard line on DWI prosecutions. There are typically hundreds of alcohol-related driving arrests for impaired or intoxicated driving (DWI, DWAI, DWAI-D) in Sullivan County every year. Both the NYS Police and the Sullivan 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 Sullivan County District Attorney’s office.

 

Both judges in Thompson Town 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 yourticket or DWI charge,, click here.