Court Hours and Schedules:

Town of Ossining Court Justices: Edwin Shapiro and Francesca Connolly
Court Clerks:  Lourdes Valdes, Maria Velardo, and Ann Carroll Malone
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm

Glossary of Common Legal Terms:
http://courts.state.ny.us/courthelp/TermsGlossary.html

The Town of Ossining Justice Court has limited jurisdiction over Civil Actions and unlimited jurisdiction over Summary Proceedings (i.e. Eviction of Tenants and Claims for Rent incidental thereto) occurring within the Town, including its Unincorporated Area, the Village of Ossining, and that part of the Village of Briarcliff Manor (approximately 85% thereof). The Ossining and Briarcliff Manor Village Courts have concurrent jurisdiction over Civil Actions and Summary Proceedings occurring within Village limits.

This Court also has full jurisdiction of Criminal and Vehicle and Traffic Misdemeanors, Violations, and Infractions occurring within the Unincorporated Area of the Town of Ossining (i.e. outside of the two Villages located within the town).

Civil Jurisdiction:

Civil Cases:
The Town Court has jurisdiction over actions and proceedings for the recovery of money or property, provided that:

• the plaintiff lives or works in Ossining, and the defendant lives or works in Westchester County, or
• the defendant lives or works in Ossining, regardless of plaintiff's residence, and
• the amount sought to be recovered does not exceed $3,000, with the exception of landlord/tenant matters where the monetary jurisdiction is unlimited.

Frequently Asked Questions for Civil Cases:
http://courts.state.ny.us/courthelp/faqs/casesover3000.html

Small Claims:
Small Claims are informal Court proceedings to recover money only for an amount not to exceed $3,000.00, provided that:

• the action is filed in the jurisdiction where the defendant lives, works or, has a place of business, and
• the plaintiff is an individual or sole proprietor over the age of 18 years.

For more detailed information on commencing a Small Claims proceeding, please consult the Small Claims Guide prepared by the New York State Unified Court System.
http://www.nycourts.gov/ea/ResourceCenter/small-claims/small-claims-guide_2005.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions for Small Claims Actions:
http://courts.state.ny.us/courthelp/faqs/smallclaims.html

Landlord/Tenant Proceedings:
The Town Court has jurisdiction over landlord/tenant proceedings for non-payment of rent, evictions, holdovers, and to compel repairs.  The monetary jurisdiction is unlimited.

Frequently Asked Questions for Landlord/Tenant Proceedings:
http://courts.state.ny.us/courthelp/faqs/housing.html

Criminal Jurisdiction:

Criminal Cases:
The Town Court has arraignment and preliminary jurisdiction over all felony criminal cases and full jurisdiction over all cases involving misdemeanors, violations and infractions. The Office of the Westchester County District Attorney prosecutes all criminal cases.

Frequently Asked Questions for Criminal Cases:
http://courts.state.ny.us/courthelp/faqs/criminal.html

Criminal Justice System Handbook:
http://www.nycourts.gov/litigants/crimjusticesyshandbk.shtml

Family Offense Proceedings:
The Town Court has concurrent jurisdiction with Family Court over certain offenses committed between members of the same family or household (related by blood or marriage, former spouses or a common child) such as disorderly conduct, harassment, menacing, reckless endangerment and assault. The Office of the Westchester County District Attorney prosecutes family offenses.

Code Violations:
The Town Court has jurisdiction over various environmental/conservation violations, parking violations and violations of the Town General Code. The Deputy Town Attorney prosecutes these cases.

The Town of Ossining General Code may be found as follows:
http://www.e-codes.generalcode.com/codebook_frameset.asp?t=ws&cb=0797_A

Vehicle and Traffic Cases:
The Town Court has jurisdiction over vehicle and traffic cases charging the commission of a traffic infraction occurring in the unincorporated portion of the Town. Information regarding how to proceed with a traffic ticket may be found on the back of the ticket issued to the motorist. It is the obligation of the motorist to respond to the ticket. A guilty plea will result in a fine letter which will instruct the defendant on the procedure and amount of payment. A plea of not guilty will result in the scheduling of a trial. You will be notified of the trial date by mail. You must appear in Court on the date scheduled. Vehicle and traffic cases are prosecuted by the Deputy Town Attorney.

While traffic infractions are not considered criminal matters, a conviction may involve a fine, points on your driving record, and loss of driving privileges.  In addition, the State of New York imposes a mandatory surcharge on moving and equipment violations of $55 and $35, respectively

Frequently Asked Questions for Vehicle and Traffic Cases:
http://courts.state.ny.us/courthelp/faqs/traffic.html

Wedding Ceremonies:

Town Justices are authorized to perform wedding ceremonies throughout New York State. While a standard civil ceremony can be performed, the couple may make changes to the ceremony to fit their wishes. If you are interested in having a Town Justice perform a wedding, please contact the Justice Court to obtain further information.

Court Hours and Schedules:

The Court is open for business Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Court sessions for civil, small claims, landlord/tenant, and traffic cases are generally held on Monday and Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Criminal cases are heard twice each month on Mondays at 2:00 p.m.

Filing Fees:

[Filing fees are set forth in Uniform Justice Court Act §1911]

Civil Cases:
Filing of first paper         $20
Demand for Jury Trial     $10
Notice of Appeal            $5

Small Claims:
[Uniform Justice Court Act §1803(a)]
Claims of $1,000 or less           $10
Claims of more than $1,000      $15

Fines:
The amount of the fine is generally left to the discretion of the Judge with certain parameters set by statute or ordinance.

Payments:
The Town Court does not accept personal checks. Payments for filing fees and fines are to be made by cash, money order, certified or bank check, or attorney's check. All payments are made payable to: "Town of Ossining Justice Court."

Glossary of Common Legal Terms:
http://courts.state.ny.us/courthelp/TermsGlossary.html