Carmel Town Court
(Carmel Justice Court)
Putnam County, New York
Hours of Operation:
6:00 pm every two weeks
6:00 pm every two weeks
Address:
60 McAlpin Avenue
Mahopac, New York 10541
United States
Phone:
845-628-1500
Fax:
845-628-4550
GENERAL TRAFFIC TICKET AND CRIMINAL COURT INFORMATION
Carmel Justice Court has preliminary jurisdiction over all criminal and traffic related cases arising out of incidents occurring in the town. The Carmel Justice Court handles all misdemeanor cases when the crime has been committed in the Town of Carmel. Criminal Court is typically held on Monday or Tuesday nights starting at 6:00 PM every other week. Such cases are on the Court’s Monday and Tuesday evening calendars every other week. 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 Putnam County District Attorney prosecutes criminal cases.
Cases charging the commission of a traffic infraction are filed in the Carmel 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.
Traffic Infractions that go unanswered for sixty (60) days after the last adjournment date will result in the notification to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles which will result in the suspension of your privilege to operate a motor vehicle in the State of New York. Many States are members of a “compact agreement” wherein your license may be also suspended in your home state for failure to respond to your ticket in New York.
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:
NUMBER OF POINTS ASSIGNED BY DMV FOR COMMON TRAFFIC OFFENSES
License Violation Points
| VIOLATION |
POINTS |
| Speeding (MPH over posted limit) | |
|
1 to 10 |
3 |
|
11 to 20 |
4 |
|
21 to 30 |
6 |
|
31 to 40 |
8 |
|
Over 40 |
11 |
| Reckless driving |
5 |
| Failed to stop for school bus |
5 |
| Followed too closely (tailgating) |
4 |
| Inadequate brakes (private car) |
4 |
| Inadequate Brakes (employer’s vehicle) |
2 |
| Failed to yield right-of-way |
3 |
| Disobeying traffic control signal, STOP sign or YIELD sign |
3 |
| Railroad crossing violation |
5 |
| Improper passing, changing lane unsafely |
3 |
| Driving left of center, in wrong direction |
3 |
| Leaving scene of property damage incident |
3 |
| Child safety restraint violation |
3 |
| Improper cell phone use |
5 |
| Use of portable electronic device (“texting”) |
5 |
| Any other moving violation |
2 |