Clinton County Traffic Court Records Search
Traffic court records in Clinton County are processed through the courts based at the Clinton County Office Building in Plattsburgh and the various town and village courts across the county. The Fourth Judicial District oversees all court operations here. Clinton County sits in the northeastern corner of New York, right along the Canadian border. Interstate 87, the Northway, runs through the county and generates a steady flow of traffic tickets from State Police patrols. Plattsburgh, the county seat, is the largest city. This page covers the court structure, how to search records, contact information for each court, and what to do when you get a ticket.
Clinton County Traffic Court Records
Clinton Traffic Court Records
The Clinton County courts are centered at the Clinton County Office Building, 137 Margaret Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. The Supreme and County Court is run by Chief Clerk Denise Durkin and Deputy Chief Clerk Danielle Marquis. Phone: 518-536-3840. Email: ClintonSupremeCo@nycourts.gov. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The County Court Judge is Hon. Keith M. Bruno (518-536-3805, kbruno@nycourts.gov). Supreme Court Judges include Hon. John T. Ellis (518-873-3424, jellis@nycourts.gov) and Hon. Christopher J. Obstarczyk (518-706-3348, cobstarczyk@nycourts.gov). Family Court Judge is Hon. Amy Asadourian (518-536-3815). Surrogate's Court Judge is Hon. William A. Favreau (518-536-3835).
E-filing is mandatory for select case types in Supreme and County Courts. It is also mandatory for Surrogate's Court matters. If you are filing court papers for a traffic-related appeal or other action, check whether your case type requires electronic filing.
Clinton Traffic Court Records
Family Court is run by Chief Clerk Cathy Williams and Deputy Chief Clerk Kelly Loughran. Phone: 518-536-3820. Email: ClintonFamily@nycourts.gov. Surrogate's Court is led by Chief Clerk Madeline Weidner and Deputy Chief Clerk Jashara Wood. Phone: 518-536-3830. Email: ClintonSurrogate@nycourts.gov. Both are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Commissioner of Jurors is Mary Coffey Pfeiffer (518-536-3810, ClintonJury@nycourts.gov).
While these courts do not handle traffic cases directly, they are part of the county court system and share the building. If you have questions about which court handles your matter, the main phone line at 518-536-3840 can direct you. Traffic cases from within Plattsburgh go to the city court. Cases from town roads go to the local town court where the ticket was issued.
Handling a Traffic Court Records Ticket
When you get a traffic ticket in Clinton County, you have 15 days to respond. You can plead guilty and pay the fine, or plead not guilty and get a hearing date. The back of the ticket tells you which court has your case. For tickets on the Northway (I-87), the case goes to the town court for the area where the stop took place.
Plea bargaining is available in Clinton County through the District Attorney's office. This is one of the biggest advantages of getting a ticket outside of New York City. In the five boroughs, the TVB system does not allow plea deals. But in Clinton County, the DA may offer to reduce your charge to a lesser violation -- one that carries fewer points or no points at all. This depends on your driving record, the severity of the offense, and other factors. Many drivers hire a traffic lawyer to handle the negotiations. You do not need to be present for most plea bargain discussions, and your lawyer can appear on your behalf at court.
The Clinton County Clerk's Office handles records management and DMV services. The office is working to digitize all records to make them more accessible. Online searches are possible through the NYS court system portals. The NYS DMV traffic tickets page has details on how the statewide system works, including points, fines, and suspension rules.
Points and Suspension
New York's point system applies to all tickets in Clinton County. Points range from 3 to 11 per violation. Here is how some common offenses break down:
- Speeding 1-10 mph over the limit: 3 points
- Speeding 11-20 mph over: 4 points
- Speeding 21-30 mph over: 6 points
- Speeding 31-40 mph over: 8 points
- Speeding more than 40 mph over: 11 points
If you rack up 11 or more points in 18 months, your license gets suspended. Three speeding convictions in the same period also triggers a suspension. Failing to answer a ticket is another common reason people lose their license. The NYS Driver Point System page has the complete chart. A defensive driving course can remove up to 4 points and also gives you a 10% insurance discount for three years.
Searching Records Online
You can search Clinton County court records through several online portals. The WebCivil Supreme portal covers civil cases in Supreme Court. The WebCrims system handles criminal case searches. For newer cases filed after 2022, NYSCEF is the place to look. The NYS Courts records page explains the whole process. Since Clinton County has no specific images in our database, here is the statewide traffic violations resource for reference.
The NYS DMV Traffic Violations Bureau page covers rules and procedures that apply to all traffic cases in New York, including Clinton County.
Nearby Counties
Clinton County is in the far north of New York State, near Lake Champlain and the Canadian border. These neighboring counties each handle traffic cases through their own court systems.