Justice Court

Robert J. McGoey - January 1, 1974 to date         
Elyse Lazansky - January 1, 2004 to date
Justices

Claudia Pulise
Court Clerk

Norma Minicus
Nancy Hall
Assistant Court Clerks

15 Bedford Road
Armonk, NY 10504
Telephone:  914-273-8627
Fax: 914-273-5109
Office Hours: Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Court Sessions: Tuesday evening 6:00 p.m.

The North Castle Justice Court has jurisdiction over all civil actions, criminal cases, and vehicle and traffic offenses occurring in the Town of North Castle.

Civil Cases

The Justice Court has jurisdiction over actions and proceedings for the recovery of money or chattels. The following requirements must be met:

• the plaintiff lives or works in North Castle and the defendant lives or works in Westchester County, or
• the defendant lives or works in North Castle, regardless of plaintiff's residence, and
• the amount sought to be recovered or the value of the property does not exceed $3,000, with the exception of landlord/tenant matters (an action may be brought to remove a resident residing in property within in the town and to recover back rent).

Small Claims

The following requirements must be met:

• Filing of action must be done in the jurisdiction where defendant lives, works or has a place of business.
• The amount sought to be recovered or the value of the property does not exceed $3,000

Criminal Cases, including Vehicle and Traffic

The North Castle Justice Court has preliminary jurisdiction over all criminal cases arising out of incidents occurring in our town. Such cases are on the Court's Tuesday evening calendar. 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 the Westchester County District Attorney prosecutes criminal cases.

Cases charging the commission of a traffic infraction are filed in the North Castle Justice Court if the alleged offense took place in our 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. After the Court receives notification that a defendant is pleading not guilty, the office of the Court Clerk will schedule a trial. At trial, the officer who issued the summons will prosecute the case. A plea of guilty will result in a fine letter which will instruct the defendent on procedure and amount of payment.

The Work of the Court Clerk and the Assistant Court Clerks

The office of the Court Clerk performs administrative and clerical work in maintaining court records; it ensures that money received is properly accounted for and files monthly reports required by New York State.

The work also involves public contacts with attorneys and the general public for whom local court procedures are explained and interpreted. Persons working in the Court Clerk's office cannot give legal advice and have no authority to reduce or dismiss a charge or alter fines set by the justices.

A Defendant's Right to See a Judge

Anyone charged with a crime must appear before a judge. Although an individual charged with a traffic infraction or in receipt of a parking ticket has the right to a trial, such persons may choose to plead guilty by mail. Thus, an individual who believes he or she is guilty of the offense charged but wishes to explain his or her conduct may come to Court to appear before a judge for that purpose. Often however, the judge's discretion is limited because law mandates the minimum fine.