Local Courts Get State Grants

Local justice courts are in line for state grants to help purchase equipment and fund other court expenses, State Senator James L. Seward said today. The funds come from the state's Justice Court Assistance Program, created by the legislature in 1999 and funded in the 2006-07 state budget.

"Many of our rural town and village courts don't have the funds to get helpful equipment like computers and fax machines," Seward said. "In creating the grant program, the state legislature recognized that local courts need updated equipment, software and facilities, and that property taxes can only help so much in our rural towns."

Local grants are attached.

Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman said, "The importance of the Justice Court Assistance Program cannot be overstated. Modern, well-equipped town and village court operations are essential if justice is to be administered fairly in our state’s smaller communities, if crime victims are to be protected, if traffic laws are to be enforced, and if citizens are to continue to enjoy access to an inexpensive forum for the resolution of small claims matters. This program will ensure that the justice court, which dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries, continues as a viable and valuable institution into the 21st century."

Funded by the towns and villages they serve, New York’s nearly 1,500 justice courts preside over non-felony criminal and motor vehicle prosecutions, small civil claims and landlord-tenant disputes.

They provide a significant source of local and state revenue, and their ability to process cases and information promptly is essential to maintaining a statewide comprehensive criminal history database, as well as the operation of programs that protect domestic violence victims and keep drunk drivers off the road.

The state legislature in 1999 established the Justice Court Assistance Program to provide supplementary state assistance in the form of small monetary grants in the town and village justice courts. The grants make it possible for justice courts to acquire computers and other essential electronic equipment, maintain a dignified appearance, and enhance the training and legal materials available to judges and clerks.

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Chenango County
Town of Bainbridge $268.66
Town of Greene $4,032.53
Town of North Norwich $4,698.28
Town of Norwich $11,360.78
Town of Preston $644.99
Town of Sherburne $737.67
Village of Earlville $1,006.33
Village of Oxford $654.99

Cortland County
Town of Cincinnatus $1,429.99
Town of Cortlandville $16,195.00
Town of Homer $1,822.99
Town of Preble $2,995.00

Greene County
Town of Ashland $1,026.33
Town of Athens $1,208.63
Town of Cairo $6,800.00
Town of Catskill $1,334.90
Town of Durham $5,600.00
Town of New Baltimore $1,386.33
Town of Windham $7,150.00

Herkimer County
Town of Frankfort $1,737.67
Town of Newport $5,309.27
Town of Ohio $912.65
Town of Russia $2,114.33
Town of Winfield $852.99

Otsego County
Town of Decatur $804.99
Town of Edmeston $350.00
Town of Milford $3,275.34
Town of Oneonta $34.99
Town of Pittsfield $4,132.66
Town of Worcester $737.67

Schoharie County
Town of Blenheim $6,461.32
Town of Broome $8,913.04
Town of Fulton $5,490.46
Town of Jefferson $3,450.00
Town of Sharon $1,156.33