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Justice
Court
Town Justice:
Honorable Scott J. Pautz
Honorable R. Craig Banfield
Court Clerk:
Ann Sherwood Tel: (607)
739-2113 Fax: (607) 796-6543 (Service not accepted by fax)
Hours of Operation:
Mon - Fri 8:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.-
3:45 p.m. - No filings accepted after 3:00 p.m.
Mailing Address & Location:
150 Wygant Road
Horseheads, NY 14845
Court Schedule:
Court is held every Tuesday and Thursday (unless otherwise noted)
at 7:00 p.m. in the Town courtroom in the Town Hall at 150
Wygant Road, Horseheads, NY.
Payment of Fines:
FINES MAY BE PAID BY CASH (IF PAYING IN PERSON), MONEY ORDER OR
CERTIFIED CHECK. Checks not certified will be returned.
IF PAYMENT EXCEEDS THE ACTUAL AMOUNT DUE THE ENTIRE PAYMENT WILL
BE RETURNED. DO NOT SEND CASH
THROUGH THE MAIL.
Court Fees:
| Small Claims and Commercial Claims |
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| Small claims (damages of $1,000 or less) |
$10.00 |
| Small Claims (damages over $1,000and less
than $3,000) |
$15.00 |
| Counterclaims in Small Claims Court
(damages up to $3,000) |
$3.00+postage |
| Small Claims Jury Demand |
$50.00 |
| Summary Proceedings |
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| Summary Proceedings/Evictions |
$20.00 |
| Civil Actions |
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| First Papers |
$20.00 |
| Jury Demand Fee |
$10.00 |
| Miscellaneous Civil Court Fees |
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| Transcript of Judgment |
$2.00 |
| Information Subpoena |
$2.00 |
| Civil Case Appeal |
$5.00 |
| Certificate of Disposition/Conviction |
$5.00 |
| Copies per page |
$0.25 |
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Traffic Infractions
If you receive a Traffic Ticket in the Town of Horseheads and
the Offense Type on the front of the ticket is a Misdemeanor, you must appear in
Town Court on the date written on the ticket to be arraigned before a Town
Justice.
If the Offense Type is a Traffic Infraction, you can plead
GUILTY or NOT GUILTY
To Plead GUILTY, fill out PART A of the Uniform Traffic
Ticket (as shown below). Include your current mailing address and sign it.
Return the ticket to the Horseheads Town Court by mail, in person at the Court
Clerk’s Office in Town Hall, or in person before the judge on the date of your
scheduled appearance before the court. If you mal the ticket, send it by
Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested. The Court will contact you when your
plea is received and will notify you by mail of the fines and mandatory
surcharge assessed. If your mailing address changes, YOU MUST NOTIFY THE COURT.
To plead NOT GUILTY, fill out PART B of the Uniform Traffic
Ticket, sign it and mail it to Horseheads Town Court within 48 hours of receipt
of the ticket. Send it by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested.
You can also plead NOT GUILTY by appearing before the Court
on the date specified on your ticket.
You can request a Supporting Deposition by checking the
appropriate box on the back of the ticket. A supporting Deposition will provide
you with additional information regarding the basis for the ticket. A Supporting
Deposition request must be timely: within 30 days of the appearance date listed
on the ticket. The Court will then order the Supporting Deposition from the
Police Officer who issued the ticket. The Police Officer must provide you with
the Supporting Deposition.
After your plea is entered, your case will be scheduled for a
non-jury trial. The Court will advise you by First Class Mail of the trial date.
If your mailing address changes prior to this, YOU MUST NOTIFY THE COURT.
You should advise the Court if you will be represented by an
attorney and the attorney should file a NOTICE OF APPEARANCE with the Court.
At your trial, the Police Officer (prosecutor) must present
evidence to the Court. You will have the opportunity to cross-examine any
witnesses the prosecution presents. You can also present evidence to the Court,
including testimony from yourself or any other individuals. If you need to
subpoena a witness, you can apply for a subpoena at the time that you are
notified of the trial date.
At the conclusion of the trial, the judge will render a
verdict or reserve decision. If the Court reserves decision, a written decision
will be issued by the Judge and you will receive a copy at the address on file
with the Court.
If the Court finds you NOT GUILTY on all infractions, the
case is ended.
If the Court finds you GUILTY on one or more infractions, a
fine and mandatory surcharge will be assessed.
You have the right to appeal a traffic infraction conviction.
Contact the Court Clerk’s office for directions. You are
given an appearance date at the time the ticket is issued and you are required to
enter a plea by that date. If you do not return the ticket and you fail to
appear before the Court, your driver’s license will be suspended.
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Driving Privileges Suspended For Failure To Appear:
If you have received a Notice of Suspension for “failure to
appear”, you must appear with the Suspension Notice on Tuesday or Thursday prior
to the effective suspension date indicated on the Notice.
Out of state drivers may still “plea by mail” by following
the instructions on the Notice of Suspension. If you enter a “guilty” plea you
will receive notice of the fine and mandatory surcharge due by mail. If you
enter a “not guilty” plea the matter will be set down for trial and you will
receive notification by mail of the trial date.
Driving Privileges Suspended For Failure To Pay:
You must submit payment (by money order or certified check) and the entire
Notice of Suspension to the Court either in person during the court Clerk’s
hours or by mail prior to the effective suspension date.
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Question & Answer ???
What if I don’t pay the fines?
When you are assessed a fine or surcharge, the Court will direct you to make
payment in full by a specific date. The Court accepts partial payments only upon
request and approval by the Judge. If you pay by mail, include a self-addressed
stamped envelope for the return of your receipt. If you do not pay your fines,
your driver’s license will be suspended.
What if I cannot make it to Court?
Contact the Court immediately. Only the Court may grant adjournments and
adjournments are not granted within 48 hours of the appearance date. You are
expected to find an alternative method to Court should you encounter any last
minute problems such as your car not starting.
Who can I talk to if the Court Office is closed?
NO ONE. Only the Court Clerk may answer questions or take payments. If the Court
Clerk is unavailable, you MUST attempt to contact the Court Clerk again. The
Operator and other Town Employees CANNOT assist you in person or by telephone.
The Office is normally open but it is occasionally necessary to close or be
closed without advanced notice.
Can I resolve a traffic infraction by phone or e-mail?
No. You must appear in person or notify the Court by mail.
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