Title: Town of Pine Plains Justice Court

County: Dutchess

Address: 3284 Route 199, Pine Plains, NY 12567

Phone: 518-398-7194   Fax:  518-398-0227

Traffic Calendar: Every Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. 

Criminal Calendar: First Wednesday of the Month 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.

Traffic Tickets: Prosecuted by the officer who issued the ticket (Note: no prosecutor for state police tickets)

Criminal Prosecutions: Dutchess County District Attorney's Office

Judges: Hon. Christi Acker & Hon. Louis Imperato

Traffic Enforcement & Prosecution

The major thoroughfares through the Town of Pine Plains are NY Route 82 and NY Route 199. Enforcement in town is handled primarily by the local police and the NYS Police from “Troop K,” who have a barracks located in town. Most speeding tickets are written for speeds more than 10 mph over the limit. Traffic law enforcement along all of the other roads in the Town of Pine Plains is shared by the NYS Police and the Dutchess County Sheriff's office.

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.  Unfortunately, no special town prosecutor has been appointed to deal with tickets written by the NYS police.  As such, Trooper tickets will likely have to go to trial, since they are prohibited from plea bargaining by the state police superintendant.

Local police officers generally prosecute their own tickets. Most tickets are resolved through plea bargains.

The wait to speak to speak to the officers is typically not very long. Less than a 1 hour wait is usual. 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 Dutchess County District Attorney's Office.  The Dutchess DA's office has taken a fairly hard line on DWI prosecutions. In 2009 there were more than 3000 alcohol related driving arrests impaired or intoxicated driving (DWI, DWAI, DWAI-D) in Dutchess County.  Both the NYS Police and the Dutchess 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 Dutchess County District Attorney's office.  Non-DWI cases are handled by local Assistant District Attorneys, but DWI cases are handled by three "DWI Prosecutors" working out of the DA's office in Poughkeepsie.

One judge inPine Plains Town Court is an attorney.

Both judges in Pawling 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, click here.