Orange County DWI & Criminal Defense Lawyer — Orange County Court

Orange County Court is located at 285 Main Street in Goshen, New York — within the Orange County Supreme and County Court complex that also houses Orange County Supreme Court, Family Court, and the Grand Jury facilities. The complex phone number is (845) 476-3500; the County Court and Supreme Court direct line is (845) 476-3650; Family Court is (845) 476-3520. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Orange County District Attorney's Office is located in the adjacent Government Center at 255-275 Main Street. The courthouse is fully ADA accessible. Public transit to Goshen is extremely limited — Shortline Bus service drops off in the Village of Goshen approximately one mile from the courthouse. Most defendants and attorneys arrive by car. Parking is available in the municipal lot off Scotchtown Avenue (turn left off Main Street past the Government Center, then left into the lot; the courthouse entrance is on the left).

Every felony case in Orange County — from DWI felonies to violent crimes, drug trafficking, and serious property offenses — begins in the local town, village, or city court where the defendant is first arraigned. After initial arraignment and preliminary proceedings at the local court, the case moves to the Grand Jury. If the Grand Jury votes to indict, or if the defendant agrees to a Superior Court Information (SCI) waiving the Grand Jury, the case is transferred to Orange County Court for arraignment on the indictment, pre-trial proceedings, and ultimately plea or trial. This court is where the most serious consequences of a criminal charge are decided.

Orange County Court has jurisdiction over all felony criminal matters arising anywhere in Orange County — including the communities of Goshen, Monroe, Tuxedo, Middletown, Newburgh, Port Jervis, Warwick, Chester, and every other town and village in the county. Felonies include drug offenses at the possession and distribution level, violent crimes, weapons charges, burglary and robbery, sex offenses, DWI as a felony (second DWI within 10 years, or a DWI with a prior felony conviction), and many others. The court also handles major civil matters and post-conviction proceedings.

The Orange County District Attorney's Office is in the Government Center at 255-275 Main Street — directly adjacent to the courthouse complex. Prosecutors from the DA's Office handle all felony cases in Orange County Court. They are experienced, well-resourced, and determined. Effective defense in this court requires an attorney who understands how Orange County prosecutors think, what evidence they prioritize, what plea offers are realistic for specific charge profiles, and when to fight a case aggressively rather than negotiate. Yvonne Garbett's experience as a former ADA — while in Rockland County — gives her deep institutional knowledge of how county-level prosecution offices operate and what it takes to achieve favorable outcomes for defendants facing felony charges.

Pre-trial litigation is often where felony cases are won or lost before they ever reach a jury. A successful motion to suppress a search — arguing a constitutional violation in how evidence was obtained — can remove the foundation of the prosecution's case. Motions challenging the legality of a stop, an arrest, or a confession can result in dismissed charges or significantly reduced plea offers. Bail applications after indictment give the defense an opportunity to revisit and improve release conditions that were set at the initial local court arraignment. Yvonne Garbett is experienced in felony pre-trial practice and approaches every case with a thorough review of constitutional and procedural challenges.

Orange County maintains a Drug Court program for non-violent defendants whose criminal conduct is linked to substance dependency. Participants who are accepted into the program are supervised in intensive treatment rather than incarcerated, with regular check-ins before the Drug Court judge. Successful completion can result in reduced charges or dismissal. Eligibility depends on the specific charges, criminal history, and evaluation by the DA's Office. The court also has discretion to consider other alternative sentencing arrangements for qualifying defendants. Yvonne Garbett can evaluate whether a client may be eligible and advocate for their participation in these programs.

The courthouse is at 285 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924. Parking is in the municipal lot off Scotchtown Avenue — turn left off Main Street after passing the Government Center building, then left into the parking lot; the main courthouse entrance is on the left. From New York City and Westchester: NYS Thruway (I-87) north to Exit 16 (Harriman), Route 17 West to Exit 124B (Goshen), left at the traffic light, right onto Route 207 which becomes Main Street. Continue through downtown Goshen; the Government Center is at 255-275 Main Street on the left; the courthouse addition is just past it with parking off Scotchtown Avenue on the left.