Traffic Court

Traffic Court is held two days a month. If your ticket lists a date that falls on a Monday, you are scheduled to appear before Judge Peter F. Gugino. If it falls on a Friday, you are scheduled to appear before Judge Debra A. Ritz. The court dates listed below are contingent on weather conditions, etc. Please check here regularly for updates.

Instructions if you get a ticket in Brant:

PLEADING GUILTY: If you plan to plead guilty, complete the "Plea" portion of your ticket, sign it and mail it to the address listed on the ticket. BE SURE to check that your address is current so that we may send your fine assessment.

PLEADING "NOT GUILTY": If you are issued a ticket in the Town of Brant, we suggest you mail in the plea portion of your ticket to Brant Court, PO Box 232, Brant, New York 14027 PRIOR to your scheduled court date listed on the ticket. Mailing your plea in prior to your court date is not mandatory, but will save time in court.

"What happens if you don't mail in the plea portion of your ticket and you were planning on pleading "Not Guilty."

If your appearance is before Justice Peter Gugino (Monday court date), then you must appear on the date you are scheduled, wait in line to be called, which may take hours. Upon being called to the bench, you will be asked to submit your plea to the judge. Upon submitting a “Not Guilty” plea, you will then be re-scheduled to appear in court the following month to see the Town Prosecutor. Therefore, mailing your plea of “Not Guilty” spares you your first trip to court."

If you're scheduled to appear before Justice Debra Ritz (Friday Court Date) you will appear before the judge, enter your plea verbally, then proceed to speak with the Town Prosecutor. Upon speaking with Prosecutor, you will then be required to appear before Judge Ritz again that same evening for the disposition of your case."

What happens if you don’t appear to answer to a ticket you received in Brant? Your license will be suspended until you appear. If you fail to pay a fine, your license will be suspended until the fine is paid in full. Penalties for suspension for failure to pay OR appear are substantial. To list suspension once it occurs is an extra $35.00 per EACH ticket you received, plus the fines that were or will be imposed. Until paid in full, your license will remain suspended. Being caught driving on a suspended license will result in substantial fines and a charge of 511-1a which is a Misdemeanor and could carry jail time.

6:30 PM is the standard time for court sessions