Do I have to appear in person at Warwick Town Justice Court?

Criminal defendants generally must appear in person. For traffic infractions, an attorney can usually appear in your place with a written authorization — particularly useful given the Tuesday-evening session schedule.

What happens at arraignment in Warwick Town Justice Court?

The justice will read the charges, you will enter a plea, and the court will address release conditions. In felony cases the court will conduct a CPL §180.80 preliminary hearing or accept a waiver before the matter moves to Orange County Court.

Can a DWI case be dismissed at Warwick Town Justice Court?

Yes — depending on the facts of the stop, the administration of field sobriety tests, and the chemical testing protocol. We assess each step for constitutional and procedural defects that may justify suppression or dismissal.

Who prosecutes criminal cases in Warwick Town?

The Orange County District Attorney's Office prosecutes criminal matters in this court.

What is the fastest way to resolve a traffic ticket at Warwick Town Justice Court?

Engage counsel before the deadline on the ticket so we can request the supporting deposition, contact the prosecutor, and negotiate a reduction without requiring your evening appearance.

Orange County · Justice / Town Court

Town of Warwick DWI & Criminal Defense Lawyer — Warwick Town Justice Court

A broad-jurisdiction rural town court serving one of Orange County's most scenic and most-traveled communities.

(845) 290-2492 Confidential consultation

The Town of Warwick and the Village of Warwick operate two separate courts. If your summons reads 'Village of Warwick,' your case is at 77 Main Street — not at this court.

Cases handled at Warwick Town Justice Court

Misdemeanor criminal offenses (trial jurisdiction up to one year)
Felony arraignments and CPL §180.80 preliminary hearings
DWI and traffic-related criminal charges
Domestic violence charges and orders of protection
Town Code and Environmental Conservation Law violations
Animal cruelty cases
Landlord-Tenant (Summary Proceedings)
Civil matters and Small Claims (up to $3,000)

Common charges we handle at Warwick Town Justice Court

Each guide sets out the statute, what the prosecutor must prove, the maximum penalties, and how this charge is handled in this courtroom.

Driving While Intoxicated (VTL 1192.3)VTL 1192.3 · Misdemeanor Driving While Ability Impaired by Alcohol (VTL 1192.1)VTL 1192.1 · Traffic Infraction Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test (VTL 1194)VTL 1194 · DMV administrative hearing Speeding (VTL 1180)VTL 1180 · Traffic infraction Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the Third Degree (VTL 511)VTL 511.3.a · Violation Assault in the Third DegreePL 120.00 · Class A Misdemeanor Petit LarcenyPL 155.25 · Class A Misdemeanor Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth DegreePL 265.01 · Class A Misdemeanor Disorderly ConductPL 240.20 · Violation Harassment in the Second DegreePL 240.26 · Violation Criminal Contempt in the Second DegreePL 215.50 · Class A Misdemeanor Bail Jumping in the Third DegreePL 215.55 · Class A Misdemeanor

What defendants should know about this court

Warwick is in southwestern Orange County near the New Jersey and New York borders — about 45 minutes from the Rockland County line.
Routes 17A, 94, and 1A run through the town and supply most of the traffic docket.
Town and Village of Warwick are separate courts; review your paperwork carefully or call our office to confirm.
Tuesday-evening sessions mean an attorney appearance is often more practical than a personal trip across the county.
Felony matters move to Orange County Court in Goshen once indicted.
The Orange County DA prosecutes all criminal matters here.

How your case moves through Warwick Town Justice Court

Warwick Town Justice Court runs on a short, heavily attended calendar Sessions are held criminal & traffic: tuesday evenings. Misdemeanor and traffic cases are resolved before the town or village justice; felony charges are arraigned here and then move to the county court. The county District Attorney's Office brings the criminal cases, while the town attorney or the arresting officer usually prosecutes traffic tickets.

01
Arraignment — the first court appearance
Arraignment is usually within 24 hours of arrest. The charges are read, the court confirms your identity and counsel, and the judge sets bail or releases you on your own recognizance. In a justice, town or village court this is where a misdemeanor case is decided in practice: the plea offered on day one is often the best one you will see. Nothing is argued or proven at arraignment — but what you say and do not say can shape everything that follows, which is why an attorney should be there before it, not after.
02
Bail and release conditions
New York's bail statute starts with release on recognizance or unconditional release for most misdemeanor and non-violent felony charges. Cash bail, if it is set at all, must be the least restrictive condition that reasonably assures you come back. A court can also impose supervision, travel restrictions, or no-contact terms — and those terms bind you immediately, including the ones that keep you away from your own home. Getting the conditions right at the outset protects your job, your housing and your family.
03
Discovery and motions
The district attorney must turn over the evidence in the government's possession — police reports, body-worn camera and dash footage, 911 recordings, laboratory results, witness statements and identification records. Where that material was withheld or is misleading, the defense moves to dismiss or to suppress. In most misdemeanor cases this is the phase that decides the outcome: a successful suppression motion ends the case long before any jury is picked.
04
Pre-trial conferences
In a justice, town or village court, misdemeanor cases resolve through a series of short conference dates. Each one is a chance to push the case toward dismissal or a better plea, and each one is also a date you can miss, waive or get ahead of. Your presence is usually excused once counsel appears, so the case advances without you losing another day of work — but decisions about what to accept are always yours.
05
Plea or trial
At trial the prosecution must prove every element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. You do not have to prove anything and you cannot be made to testify. Because a jury trial in a justice court is usually a jury of six, and because a bench trial before the town or village justice is an option, the strategy is decided case by case. A misdemeanor trial in this courtroom is a real contest — and it is winnable when the papers and the witnesses do not line up.
06
Sentencing and after
A conviction can bring jail, a fine, probation, mandatory programs, and a permanent criminal record. Collateral consequences often outweigh the sentence itself — immigration status, professional and occupational licenses, security clearances, housing, and student financial aid. Before you accept anything, you should know exactly what the plea costs you later, not just what it costs you today.

If the charge is a felony, this court handles only the opening stage — arraignment, bail and the preliminary hearing. The case then goes to the grand jury, and if it is indicted it is prosecuted in county or supreme court, where different rules and much longer exposure apply.

About the Warwick Town Justice Court

The Town of Warwick Justice Court is located at the Warwick Town Hall at 132 Kings Highway, in a scenic community in the southwestern corner of Orange County. Although Warwick is best known for its apple orchards, wineries, and tourism, its town court carries the same full criminal and civil jurisdiction as any New York justice court — including arraignments and preliminary hearings on felonies, Penal Law misdemeanors, Vehicle and Traffic violations, orders of protection, civil and landlord-tenant matters, Town Code and Environmental Conservation Law cases, and animal cruelty matters. Criminal sessions are held on Tuesday evenings.

Why local representation matters

Yvonne Garbett is a former Rockland County Assistant District Attorney from 2002–2006, admitted in 2002 with 24 years as an attorney and private defense practice since 2006. She regularly appears in Warwick Town Justice Court and knows how this courtroom actually works — the calendar rhythm, the prosecutors, the judges' tendencies, and the practical steps that move a case forward. That familiarity is, in our experience, one of the most underrated advantages a defendant can have.

Parking & directions

Located at the Warwick Town Hall, 132 Kings Highway. From Rockland, take Route 17A west through Tuxedo and Florida into Warwick. Free parking on site.