HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnnual Report of the Village Justice 19751 9 7 5
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE VILLAGE JUSTICE
• VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS
•
Total convictions for motor vehicle violations continued to increase in 1975 and
reached the all -time high of 782 cases. The enforcement of the 55 mile per hour
• limit has resulted in fewer convictions for the lethal high speeds that were more
common In the past. If the Pyramid Mall is constructed, it may be expected to
engender heavy additional traffic for a time through the Village; but over the
years this may be expected to fall away as gasoline rises In price and becomes
less readily available.
Criminal matters aside from vehicle and traffic continued at around a score; but .
these, especially bad checks cases, took a disproportionate amount of enforcement
time. The casual basis on which checks are cashed at stores in the Village is a
marvel to behold. One person cashed a bad check at a given store; and after It
had bounced, blithely cashed another at the same place.
All police agencies Joined in bringing defendants before the Court, including an
increasing number of traffic tickets from the Cornell University Safety Division.
Chief Harlin R. McEwen and his well - trained force were responsible for most of
the work. However, all cases in which the people of the State of New York were
represented by Counsel were handled by Mr. Charles T. Currey, Assistant District
Attorney. Whenever required by law, assigned counsel for Indigent defendants
were supplied by Mr. Robert W. Stolp, Administrator of Assigned Counsel. Plea -
bargalning continues to be the exception to the rule In the Village Court. The
Assistant District Attorney has been most diligent in bringing matters to trial,
and the Court stands ready to try as many cases as may be necessary.
The practice of reliance on pre - sentencing Investigatelons by the Probation Depart-
ment in almost all misdemeanor convictions made it possible to fit the penalty to
• the circumstances of each defendant with a view toward preventing new encounters
with the law. Ms. Ann Otis Horn, a law student, served ably as Clerk of the Court,
doing voluminous paper work and occasional legal research.
•
Although only one case charging drunken driving was concluded during 1975, a
number were at various stages of disposition at year's end. There were five cases
of public intoxication. The latter ceased to be a violation in January, but the
problem will not go away. Tompkins County is attempting to set up treatment
facilities for persons who would formerly have been charged with public Intoxica-
tion, but treatment for alcoholism remains very difficult unless the patient is
motivated to cooperate in his rehabilitation.
The Village Justice attended a day -long seminar on evidence for Justices in Utica,
conducted by the State Administrator for the Courts.
The cases disposed by The Honorable Warren A. Blye, Acting Village Justice, are not
included In this report but are very few in number.
The time devoted by the Village Justice to Court duties rose again to 236 hours
over the year plus many, many telephone cases.
In 1975 the Village Justice was reelected Treasurer of the Tompkins County Magis-
trates' Association.
February 17, 1976
Respectfully submitted,
William Tucker Dean
Village Justice
•
VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC MATTERS
Comparative Table of Convictions and Fines
Collected in 1975 and the Preceding 5 Years In
Offense 1970 1971 1972
the
1973
Village
1974
1975
Speeding
372
338
396..
395
430
456
Stop sign
33
35
51
20
53
52
Passing stopped school bus
2
0
6
1
0
0
Driving while intoxicated
1
1
2
3
2
0
Driving while ability impaired
3
4
2
0
5
1
Failure to keep right
16
6
10
5
6
5
No passing zone 1
13
10
6
14
18
Unlicensed operator
55
6
42
14
21
20
Driving with license suspended or
revoked 1
2
5
2
0
I
Unregistered vehicle
77
29
51
13
20
32
Unlnspected vehicle
59
77
59
59
80
101
No Insurance 2
10
1
14
3
1
0
Improper plates
9
30
12
2
7
4
Equipment violations
83
34
80
10
22
50
Soliciting a ride z
II
5
4
0
0
0
Miscellaneous violations
25
12
21
42
48
42
TOTALS
756
593
765
575
709
782
Total fines collected, including
parking fines $14,407
$12,401 $12,653
$13,974
$15,497
$16,067
1 Not reported separately until
1971
2 Not reported separately until
1970
The above total for the past year, 1975,
does not
include 227
dismissals or
verdicts of not guilty.
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•
•
OTHER MATTERS
During the past year the Court disposed of 20 criminal matters not Involving the
Vehicle and Traffic Law.
(1)
Issuing a bad check 4
(2)
Possession of a dangerous weapon 1
(3)
Possession of stolen property 2
(4)
Disorderly conduct 1
(5)
Petit larceny 6
(6)
Public intoxication 5
(7)
Fraudulent accosting I
The above totals Include those cases dismissed.
The court also disposed of one civil case during 1975.
DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED
Driving while intoxicated and driving with more than .10 percent blood alcohol.
Cocket 2A- 178,179
Defendant was issued a ticket on September 27, 1975, charging a violation of
91192(2) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, driving with more than 10 percent blood
alcohol. At the same time he was charged with a violation of 91192(3) of the
Vehicle and Traffic Law, driving while intoxicated. Arraignment followed before the
Village Court at 3:35 a.m. On October 14, 1975, defendant pleaded guilty to both
charges and requested a delay in sentencing until November 18, 1975. On that date
the Court discharged the defendant on the condition that he complete the Alcohol
Safety Action Program at the Alcoholism Information Center.
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