The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a profound effect on the operation of the New York court system. While the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL) has not itself been amended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, certain Court and DMV procedures have been altered. For example, DMV expiration dates have been tolled extended for certain vehicle registrations, vehicle inspection, and license renewal. It would be wise to review these changes via the DMV Website (dmv.ny.gov) for further information.
As it pertains to the criminal and traffic Courts, in-person court operations are operating on a very limited basis in both New York City and Long Island. For persons with pending cases in the New York City Traffic Violation Bureaus (TVBs), cases have been adjourned or postponed until further notice. Again, the TVB index at the New York DMV website would provide further information in this regard.
As to traffic cases pending in the District Court, local city, town, and village Courts, a limited number of cases where counsel have been retained are being conducted via remote conference with the Court and the prosecutor or DA’s office. If you do have a pending case, you should consult with your attorney for any updates.
As to both the Nassau TPVA and Suffolk TPVA, as of the date of this blog, both agencies are currently not conducting any in-person operations and only a limited number of remote conferences. You can review both the Nassau TPVA or Suffolk TPVA for further information and protocol. If you have a pending case in these agencies you should receive a notice stating that your current case is administratively adjourned until further notice, and in some instances, you may receive a date certain.
If you need an experienced New York traffic attorney, please contact us at the Law Offices of Michael W. Alpert at (516) 280-7288 or e-mail: malpert@alpertlegal.com