Wallkill Town Court
(Wallkill Justice Court)
Orange County, New York

GENERAL TRAFFIC TICKET AND CRIMINAL COURT INFORMATION

Wallkill is a town in Orange County, New York and is centrally located in the County. Interstate 84 crosses NYS Route 17 in the southern part of the town. Route 6 and NYS routes 17K, 211 and 302 also cross portions of the Town of Wallkill. Due to its location and population, the Wallkill Town Justice Court has one of the highest volumes of cases in New York State, ranging from traffic infractions to misdemeanors under the Penal Law and other statutes. Currently four Court sessions are held each week. Wallkill Town Justice Court has preliminary jurisdiction over all criminal and traffic related cases arising out of incidents occurring in the Town of Wallkill. Such cases are on the Court’s daily calendars as directed by the Court Clerk. The Justice Court has trial jurisdiction over all cases if the jail term that can be imposed does not exceed one year. The office of the Orange County District Attorney prosecutes criminal cases.

Cases charging the commission of a traffic infraction are filed in the Wallkill Town Court if the alleged offense took place in the town’s jurisdiction. A plea of “not guilty” is required to either be timely filed with the court either by the motorist or their attorney if they so elect. There are basically two choices: a plea of “not guilty” which allows a defense to be presented in the case, versus, a plea of “guilty” which locks in a conviction of the offense “as charged” which closes the door on a negotiated resolution or trial.

In New York, an attorney may go to court on a motorist’s behalf without the motorist having to personally appear. The attorney may be able to negotiate a resolution for the motorist or set the matter down for a future trial date where the police officer is required to appear to testify and the defense puts on their case as well.  On traffic infractions, trials are held before a judge or “bench”; not a jury.

In addition to fines and sur-charges imposed by the court, convictions for speeding tickets and other moving violations can create other problems for motorists, such as, increased insurance premiums and a New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Driver’s Responsibility Assessment – additional fines or assessments owed directly to DMV based upon a motorist’s point accumulation.  Additionally, eleven (11) points accumulated with eighteen (18) months will result in a license suspension or revocation depending upon one’s record of conviction. See Point Chart below: