Everything You Need to Know About Olive Town Justice Court
If you or someone you know has a traffic ticket, summons, or minor criminal/ civil matter in Olive, you will likely end up at Olive Town Justice Court in the town of Olive, New York. Based on my decade of experience dealing with the Olive Town Court, I wrote this detailed guide to help you understand how that court works, where it’s located, relevant rules, and how a traffic or moving violation case proceeds there.
Jurisdiction, Types of Cases & What the Court Handles
The Olive Town Justice Court deals with a variety of lower level matters. Common case types include:
Traffic & moving violations
Small claims and civil disputes
Local code violations, town ordinance violations
Criminal misdemeanors and violations
In practice, traffic and speeding penalties are a major part of the docket.
Because of the rural, less dense nature of Olive (much of the town is within and around the Ashokan Reservoir region), many traffic citations come from the main highways passing through, such as New York State Route 28 (NYS‑28) and Route 28A.
An important point: tickets issued by state troopers (for example, on highways) often involve a prosecutor assigned at the county level and may have different negotiation dynamics than citations from local Olive police.
Tips & Procedures
Do not ignore your ticket. Failing to respond can lead to a suspension of driving privileges and possibly additional penalties.
The date printed on a ticket is often your “respond by” or court date. If pleading guilty by mail, the court may respond with the amount due and a deadline to pay.
If you intend to plead guilty by mail, you typically pay the fine when submitting your plea (or follow the court’s instructions).
If no response is received from the court after mailing a plea, the ticketed person should contact the court to verify receipt.
Some traffic citations (especially minor ones) may allow for an affidavit appearance, meaning your attorney can appear for you so you don’t have to attend in person. This is used by local firms in practice.
Be aware of points, insurance premiums, and DMV consequences tied to convictions under the Vehicle & Traffic Law.
Always show proof if you resolved the issue (for example, registration renewed after the citation) so you can argue mitigation or dismissal.
FAQ
Q: Where is Olive Town Justice Court located? The court is located at 50 Bostock Road, Shokan, NY 12481 (with mailing address P.O. Box 201, Shokan 12481).
Q: How do I pay my Olive Town Court ticket? First, before paying, you must plead Guilty or Not Guilty. If your ticket has points, it is almost always better to plead Not Guilty. If you plead Guilty, the Judge will set a fine and mail it to you. If you plead Not Guilty, you will need to resolve the ticket with the prosecutor, which you can hire my office to do on your behalf.
Q: What are the court’s hours?
A: Typically, Court is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, excluding holidays. Always try to call a court before driving to it.
Q: Who are the judges of Olive Town Court?
A: Local sources currently list Hon. Timothy E. Cox and Hon. Margaret Haug as justices.
Q: How do I contact Olive Town Court by phone?
A: (845) 657‑2912
Q: What kinds of traffic violations are handled there?
A: Olive Town Court handles all local moving violations under the New York Vehicle & Traffic Law, including speeding, reckless driving, failure to obey signs, and other common traffic offenses. Tickets issued by state troopers or on highways like NYS‑28 often are adjudicated here.
Q: What happens if I don’t respond to my Olive Town Court ticket?
A: Ignoring a moving violation can result in a suspension of your driver’s license, additional penalties, and possible arrest for driving while suspended if caught later.
Q: Can I get help from an attorney?
A: Yes. Attorneys familiar with Olive Town Court, Ulster County traffic law, and DMV procedures often represent clients. They may negotiate with the prosecutor, seek reductions or dismissals, and in many cases appear on your behalf so you needn’t attend.
Why Choose selby Legal to represent you at Olive Town Court?
Local expertise and familiarity: A Speeding and Traffic lawyer who regularly appears in Olive Town Court will know the local judges, clerks, court culture, and common negotiation patterns.
Time & convenience: If eligible, your traffic attorney may appear by affidavit, sparing you from taking time off work or travelling to court.
Potential to reduce penalties: An experienced lawyer might negotiate a reduction in fines, points, or even dismissal, depending on the facts.
Avoid DMV consequences: Because traffic convictions can lead to points or license suspension, legal counsel can sometimes help mitigate those downstream effects.