Fighting a Traffic Ticket at Head of the Harbor Village Court

Head of the Harbor Village Justice Court is located at 500 N. Country Road in St. James, New York.

The village has their own police department that issues traffic citations and other violations of the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law.

The telephone number for the court is 631-584-2034  and the fax number is 631-862-1417.

The Village Justice Court is a part of the Unified Court System of New York State and has criminal adjudication powers in cases of original jurisdiction. Jury and non-jury cases can be held in the Village Courtroom. Village justices are elected in 4- year terms. In criminal proceedings they arraign defendants, set bail, issue orders of protection, hold felony and other preliminary hearings and sentence defendants. The Court Clerk is responsible for maintaining all Court related records. Fines can be paid online, by mail, or by appointment in the Village Hall. Contested violations are only disposed of during Court sessions.

The Village court has jurisdiction over the following matters:
Criminal offenses committed within the Village

Traffic and parking offenses committed within the Village

Violation of Village Ordinances/State codes

As many people who regularly drive through this village knows, the speed limits in and around the village are mainly set at 25 mph. Based on our experience, it is not uncommon to see a police officer write a ticket against a motorist for doing 40 mph in a 25 mph or 35 mph in a 25 mph zone.

As of January 2023, the court meets on Thursday nights, and the Village Justice is Judge Toomey. The village police write a lot of tickets in this jurisdiction, and it is not uncommon for there not to be enough seats in the courtroom and for there to be motorists, and even attorneys left standing in the courtroom waiting for a seat.

If you do not want to spend 2-3 hours on a Thursday night at this court, you can hire our law firm to appear on your behalf. By signing a written authorization, we can appear on your behalf to negotiate with the prosecutor and enter a plea to a lesser charge. This court is also generous and will give you time to pay any fine or surcharge levied by the court as a sentence. Conveniently fines at this court can be paid online.