Justice Court
Parking Citation Disputes Traffic Court FAQs Small Claims Court Application
General Information
Staff Directory
Assistant Court Clerk
Mr.
Ryan Bates
845-358-4464
rabates@nycourts.gov
Jury Information Line
845-358-0548 ext 563
Village Attorney
Dennis Michaels
Email
justicecourt@nyack-ny.gov
Phone Numbers
845-358-4464
Fax: 845-358-0544
Emergencies: Dial 911
Location
9 N Broadway
Nyack,
NY
10960
Get Directions

Hours
Justice Court: Regular Schedule is by Appointment Only
Office Hours 9:00am - 4:00pm

Justice Court

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Justice Court

The Village of Nyack Justice Court

The Village of Nyack Justice Court handles both criminal and civil matters.

The Court’s duties include:

  • Criminal arraignments of all crimes and violations occurring within the Village of Nyack.
  • Trials for misdemeanors and violations occurring within the Village of Nyack.
  • Parking violations and violations of the Nyack Village Code including building code violations.
  • Small Claim jurisdiction: Max: $3,000.00
  • Counter Claim: Max: $3,000.00
  • Landlord Tenant matters: Location of subject property MUST be within the Village of Nyack. There is no monetary limitation when filing Landlord Tenannt petitions. Proper filing or legal information will not be provided to either party involved in a Landlord Tenant Matter, please review below for general assistance.

Office hours: 9:00 am. to 4:30 pm.

The Court staff does not check telephone voicemail messages. The best contact is by email at: justicecourt@nyack-ny.gov

Criminal Court

Court sessions are by scheduled appointment only. Individuals with a pending case matter for a court appearance, will receive a written notification for their appearance date.

Small Claims
If your claim is for $3,000.00 or less and the defendant resides or has a place of business in the Village of Nyack, you may avail yourself of the Village of Nyack Justice Court. The cost of filing a Small Claim is as follows:
$10.00: filing fee to the court for claims up to and including $ 1,000.00
$15.00: filing fee to the court for claims up to and including $ 3,000.00

Small Claim filing fees are payable at the time of filing. The Court accepts certified checks, money orders, and cash (exact change) only for filing purposes. 
Small Claims Applications can be obtained and processed only in person any time Monday through Friday 9:00am – 4:30pm. 
Small Claims Court Schedule: Small Claims and other civil actions are heard approximately every other Thursday. Check with the Court Clerk for your precise court scheduled date.

*Claims filed with improper jurisdiction or have been filed improperly will not be entitled to a filing fee refund if the Justice determines a lack of Judicial jurisdiction.

If your claim is settled prior to the hearing date, BOTH parties must notify the Court in writing. If your claim proceeds, you MUST be prepared at the time of the hearing to PROVE your claim. This means that you should have your evidence with you when you appear in court. When you come to court you should bring two (2) extra copies of your documents for both the Court and your adversary.
If you plan on using paid receipts as evidence: BRING THEM TO COURT with copies for the court AND your adversary.
If you plan on using estimates as evidence: bring at least two (2) written estimates with copies for the court AND your adversary.

The court will send out a summons and complaint on your behalf via the United States Post Office. If service by mail is unsuccessful, it will be the responsibility of the plaintiff to have the papers served via a third party with proof of the original affidavit of service.

Summary Proceedings

Recovery of real property located in whole or in part within the Village of Nyack include but not limited to: Landlord/Tenant disputes, Non-Payment Summary Proceedings, Past Due Rent. A Landlords Guide to Nonpayment Summary Proceedings may be viewed online at: www.nycourthelp.gov .

If you feel you need legal advice at any time during your case, talk with a lawyer.  If you cannot afford a lawyer, or are unsure how to find one, these resources can help you:

Vehicle and Traffic

Traffic Court Schedule: Vehicle and traffic matters are heard on scheduled Thursday mornings various times throughout the year.
Traffic infractions pleas (non-criminal) should be answered by mail or dropped off at the Court in Village Hall. You should enter your pleas in the appropriate box on the summons and send it into the court by the date indicated on the summons. This applies only to traffic violations. If you are charged with a misdemeanor, you MUST call the court at (845)358-4464 to be informed of your scheduled court matter.

Not Guilty Pleas: If you submit a plea of Not Guilty on a traffic infraction you will receive a scheduled pre-trial conference date in the mail within a couple of weeks from your date of submission. If you have not received a letter indicating your court session, please call us at (845) 358-4464 to request the specific date over the phone.

Guilty Pleas: If you submit a plea of Guilty you will receive a fine and surcharge letter in the mail. Fines may be paid by cash, online payment (PayCourtOnline.com), money order, or certified bank check ONLY (certified bank checks and money orders can be made payable to the "Village of Nyack Justice Court"). If you are pleading guilty by mail, you may plead guilty with an explanation which will be taken into consideration by the Court Justice when assessing the fine and surcharge.

Adjournment Requests: Adjournment Requests are discouraged, however, if you must request an adjournment, they must be submitted in writing and RECEIVED by the court one week prior to the conference date. Letters must be received either through the mail (Postal not email) or in person. Be sure to place your name, date of birth, and contact information on any correspondence or adjournment requests submitted to the Justice Court.

The Justice Court will notify you via mail whether your adjournment request was approved or denied.  
If you fail to appear on your scheduled conference date, your driver’s license will be suspended.
Uniformed Traffic Infractions issued by police, require that the motorist must first submit the ticket(s) to the court with a plea by the assigned deadline stated on the ticket (Indicated as: "Must Appear in Person or By Mail") with a date and time assigned by the issuing officer. 
Please fill out Section A or Section B on each ticket infraction received, before submitting a plea, read the ticket in its entirety and be aware of which boxes are checked off on your traffic summons. 

NOT everything on a traffic summons may pertain to the motorist.  Uniformed Traffic Ticket (UTT) is meant to encompass Violations, Misdemeanors, and Felonies.  Once a plea has been received, the motorist will receive instructions on the next steps to be taken (ex:  Pre-Trial Conferences/Fine Due Dates). If you have any questions, please contact the Court Office at 845-358-4464

Parking Tickets

The Nyack Parking Authority issues Parking Tickets that help regulate safety and enforce the rules on the local roads of the Village. Enforcement tickets issued may include meter violations, expired vehicle inspections, double parking, loading zones, alternate side rules, no parking anytime, etc. Temporary Signs may be posted for street fairs, festivals, parades, construction, and road closures that may change parking rules. 

For rules and guidelines on parking in the Village of Nyack, or to inquire on the status of a parking ticket, please contact the  Nyack Parking Authority or directly at the Village Clerk’s office.   

Guilty Pleas: If you’d like to plead Guilty and pay for your parking violation, payment can be made online through the "I Want To" tab or in-person at the Village Clerk's Office. The Justice Court does not accept payments for parking tickets or fines.

Not Guilty Pleas: If you’d like to enter a plea of Not Guilty, please call the Justice Court at (845)358-4464 to be informed of the dates available for walk-in court sessions. Once appearing in a walk-in court session, you will be asked to Print your name legibly and then hand your ticket to the nearest Court Officer. The Judge will then be in receipt of you disputed parking violation and will call your name.
Submissions of Not Guilty pleas through email or mail will not be accepted by the Justice Court. 

The only method of formal dispute is through in-person scheduled court session; virtual court sessions are no longer allowed as per regulations imposed by Rockland County. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Court at (845)358-4464.

For additional information on Not Guilty Pleas, please click here.

You do not need to wait for the date on your Parking Ticket Citation to dispute or pay.  You may pay the ticket after the first 24 hours of receiving it.  Just as you may attend an Informal Hearing in court as soon as the next available court date. 

Tickets that are delinquent may result in a vehicle in boot, being towed or impounded.  Debt collections and credit issues may also result in delinquent tickets.  Please be prompt in resolving tickets.  Some costs resulting in delinquencies cannot be waived.

Adjournment Requests:  Adjournment Requests are discouraged and may result in disputing additional late charges, however, if you must request an adjournment, contact the Court at (845)358-4464 for future available walk-in court sessions.

Acceptable Forms of Payment

The Court accepts Cash, Certified Bank Checks, Money Orders, and Online Payments (PayCourtOnline.com) as formal methods of payment. Fees for online transactions will be applied. The Justice Court does not accept credit or debit card payments in person. 

On March 23, 2023, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Nyack approved the following policy regarding loose change in order to maintain efficiency of staff time and better serve customers:

Penny – maximum of 20 Loose pennies – .20 Cents
Nickel – maximum of 20 nickels:                    $1.00
Dime – maximum of 10 dimes:                        $1.00
Quarter – maximum of 25 quarters:                 $6.25
Half Dollar – maximum of 10 half dollars:      $5.00

Coins rolled in paper sleaves are acceptable in any amount.