The county belongs to New York's Fourth Judicial District, and no city court sits inside its borders. Seriousness decides where a case lands:

• Town and village justice courts take misdemeanors, violations and traffic tickets. They also hear the opening rounds of a felony, such as arraignment.
• County Court receives a felony once a grand jury indicts. The same building houses Supreme Court.
• Family Court and the Youth Part are where most cases against young people go.

Three words worth knowing. Felony means a grave crime, the kind punished with years in state prison. New York sorts felonies into five letter grades, A being the gravest. Misdemeanor means a smaller crime, class A or B, with local jail capped at 364 days. A violation, the lowest level, is not a crime; the most jail for one is 15 days (Penal Law § 70.15).

Every county-level court shares one campus: Municipal Center Building C, 383 Broadway, Fort Edward, NY 12828. The jail and Sheriff's Office stand next door at 399 Broadway. Offices keep normal business hours on weekdays, so call before you make the trip.

• Supreme and County Courts, Chief Clerk's Office: 518-480-6920. Felony files and calendars run through here.
• Family Court: 518-480-6950.
• Drug Court (court-supervised treatment): 518-480-6974.
• Surrogate's Court: 518-480-6970.
• Commissioner of Jurors: 518-480-6980.
• Disability access help for these courts: 518-285-5099.

Every one of the 17 towns runs a justice court, and six villages add their own. Most sit once a week, often at night. Session times come from the county's court list and can shift, so call first.

• Argyle Town Court: Argyle Town Hall, 41 Main Street, Argyle, NY 12809, 518-638-8681, ext. 13. Tuesdays, 5:00 p.m.
• Cambridge Town Court: Cambridge Town Hall, 846 County Route 59, Cambridge, NY 12816, 518-677-5896. First and third Tuesdays, 6:00 p.m.
• Cambridge Village Court: 56 North Park Street, Cambridge, NY 12816, 518-677-8297. Mondays, 7:00 p.m.
• Dresden Town Court: 102 Clemons Center Road, Clemons, NY 12819, 518-499-1382. Thursdays, 7:00 p.m.
• Easton Town Court: 1071 State Route 40, Greenwich, NY 12834, 518-692-0027. Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m.
• Fort Ann Town Court: 80 George Street, Fort Ann, NY 12827, 518-639-4088. Wednesdays, 3:00 p.m.
• Fort Edward Town Court and Village Court (one office): 118 Broadway, Fort Edward, NY 12828, 518-747-2252, ext. 1. The town court sits Tuesdays and the village court Thursdays, both at 1:30 p.m.
• Granville Town Court: 42 Main Street, Granville, NY 12832, 518-642-1500, ext. 3. First and third Mondays at 3:30 p.m.; second and fourth Mondays at 5:00 p.m.
• Granville Village Court: 51 Quaker Street, Granville, NY 12832, 518-642-9386. Tuesdays, 5:00 p.m. (Thursdays in January and February).
• Greenwich Town Court: Town Office Building, 2 Academy Street, Greenwich, NY 12834, 518-692-7611, ext. 105. First and fourth Mondays, 6:00 p.m.
• Greenwich Village Court: Village Office Building, 6 Academy Street, Greenwich, NY 12834, 518-531-4097. Tuesdays, 2:00 p.m., skipping the fourth Tuesday.
• Hampton Town Court: Hampton Town Hall, 2629 State Route 22A, Hampton, NY 12837, 518-282-9830. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.
• Hartford Town Court: 165 County Route 23, Hartford, NY 12838, 518-632-9274. Thursdays, 6:00 p.m.
• Hebron Town Court: West Hebron Firehouse, 3165 County Route 30, Salem, NY 12865, 518-854-9300. Mondays, 1:00 p.m.
• Hudson Falls Village Court: 218 Main Street, Hudson Falls, NY 12839, 518-747-3292. First appearances Thursdays at 9:00 and 10:00 a.m.
• Jackson Town Court: 2355 State Route 22, Cambridge, NY 12816, 518-677-8896. Thursdays, 7:00 p.m.
• Kingsbury Town Court: Kingsbury Town Hall, 210 Main Street, Hudson Falls, NY 12839, 518-747-2188, ext. 3010. Second and fourth Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
• Putnam Town Court: Putnam Town Hall, mailing address P.O. Box 104, Putnam, NY 12861, 518-547-8303. First and third Tuesdays, 6:00 p.m.
• Salem's joint town-village court: 181 Main Street, Salem, NY 12865, 518-854-3433. Mondays, 5:00 p.m.
• White Creek Town Court: 28 Mountain View Drive, Cambridge, NY 12816, 518-677-3182. Thursdays, 7:00 p.m.
• Whitehall Town Court and Village Court: mailing address P.O. Box 272, Whitehall, NY 12887, 518-499-0772. The town court meets Mondays at 6:00 p.m. and Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m.; the village court meets Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m.

Most people locked up here meet their first judge without leaving the building. The county's centralized arraignment part holds court in the jail lobby, with town and village justices taking turns on the bench. A public defender and an assistant DA show up for each session. A 2018 state report put the sessions at two a day, one early in the morning and one in the evening.

During those few minutes:

• The person hears the charges and receives a written copy.
• A defense lawyer is right there. The state requires counsel at arraignment for anyone who can't afford one (Executive Law § 832(4)).
• The judge chooses among release, conditions, bail and, in some felonies, remand.
• Later dates go back to the town or village court where the case belongs.

Someone handed an appearance ticket skips the jail and simply shows up at the local court on the date printed on it. In a felony complaint case, the defense may serve written notice that the person wants a turn as a witness before the grand jury (CPL 190.50(5)).

Lower-level charges never leave the local justice court. The town or village where the incident happened decides which one. A typical route:

1. Arraignment. The person answers "guilty" or "not guilty."
2. Evidence sharing. If the defendant is jailed, prosecutors must turn over discovery inside 20 days. If the defendant is home, they get 35 (CPL 245.10).
3. Bargaining and motions. Lots of these cases settle with a lesser charge.
4. Trial readiness. The DA's deadline is 30 days for a violation, 60 for a class B misdemeanor and 90 for a class A (CPL 30.30).

The most a judge can impose (Penal Law §§ 70.15, 80.05):

• Class A misdemeanor: a $1,000 fine and as long as 364 days in jail, or probation for 2 or 3 years.
• Class B misdemeanor: $500 and three months at most, or one year of probation.
• Violation: $250 and 15 days at most.

Some cases end in a conditional discharge instead: no jail, no probation officer, just court rules to obey for a year (Penal Law § 65.05). Violation and traffic infraction convictions are normally sealed (CPL 160.55).

A felony starts small and climbs. The stops along the way:

1. Felony complaint and arraignment in a local justice court or the jail-lobby part.
2. Preliminary hearing or grand jury. The 120-hour clock (144 with a weekend or holiday) means a jailed person generally goes free if neither has happened in time (CPL 180.80).
3. Indictment. Grand jurors vote formal charges.
4. Arraignment in County Court on the indictment, followed by discovery and motions.
5. Plea or trial. Prosecutors must be ready inside six months (CPL 30.30).
6. Sentencing by the County Court judge.

Maximum terms climb with the class (Penal Law § 70.00). The heaviest class, A, can bring life. B can mean 25 years, and C can mean 15. For D the cap is 7 years; for E it is 4. Felony fines run as high as $5,000, or twice what the person gained (Penal Law § 80.00). Probation on most felonies is set at three, four or five years. For a nonviolent felony rooted in addiction, Judicial Diversion may offer treatment (CPL Article 216). Ask the defense lawyer, or call the county's Drug Court at 518-480-6974.

State law names a list of "violent felony offenses" (Penal Law § 70.02). First-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, second-degree gun possession and second-degree assault are on it. What follows from that label:

• Money bail and remand become possible, which most lesser charges do not allow.
• Set sentence ranges. A violent class E brings at least a year and a half and up to 4 years; class D, from 2 to 7; class C, from three and a half to 15; class B, from 5 to 25.
• Supervision after prison, called post-release supervision, is added to the term.
• Protection orders. Is the alleged victim a relative? Then a temporary order of protection may keep the accused away while the case is open (CPL 530.12).
• Youthful offender treatment, which swaps a conviction for a sealed finding for some teens, is off the table for most armed felonies (CPL 720.10).

The Clean Slate Act's automatic sealing also skips sex crimes and most class A felonies (CPL 160.57).

The elected District Attorney's office files every criminal charge here. Free defense comes from two county offices.

• District Attorney: 383 Broadway, Building C, Fort Edward, NY 12828, 518-746-2525. Its Crime Victim Assistance Program uses the same line.
• Public Defender: 383 Broadway, Fort Edward, NY 12828, 518-746-2200. Criminal, family and parole matters.
• Assigned Counsel Office (covers conflict cases): courthouse basement, 383 Broadway, Building C, Fort Edward, NY 12828. It accepts applications weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., online, by email, by fax or in person. The county switchboard, 518-746-2100, can connect you.
• Probation (presentence reports and supervision): 383 Broadway, Building C, Fort Edward, NY 12828, 518-746-2260, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Under state guidelines, being in jail on its own makes a person presumed eligible. The judge still makes the final decision.

The state's criminal case search, WebCrims, reaches New York City, Long Island, several downstate County Courts, Erie County Court and about 60 city courts. It lists open cases only, and only while a future appearance is on the calendar. For a case here, pick up the phone:

• Indicted felonies: Chief Clerk's Office, 383 Broadway, Building C, Fort Edward, NY 12828, 518-480-6920.
• Town or village matters: ring that court while it is in session. Not sure which court? The jail at 518-746-2476 can tell you.
• Defense lawyers keep every upcoming date as well.

Clerks search faster when you can spell the name and give a birthday. For closed or sealed matters, only the clerk of the court that heard them can help.

Most warrants here are served by Sheriff's deputies, along with village police in Cambridge, Granville, Hudson Falls and Whitehall. The Sheriff keeps a warrants page, and the State Police post their Wanted and Missing list. For a firm answer, call Sheriff's dispatch at 518-747-4623, or phone the court you think issued it. To clear a warrant, a lawyer can walk the person into the court that issued it, or the family can call that court to request a new date. Felony warrants are handled by the Chief Clerk's Office, 383 Broadway, Building C, Fort Edward, NY 12828, 518-480-6920.

Federal cases from this corner of the state belong to the Albany Division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, with its courthouse at 445 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207, 518-257-1789.

• Detention hearing. The first federal appearance includes a ruling: home or a cell until trial. That ruling turns on the charge, the proof, ties to work and family, and any danger to others (18 U.S.C. 3142).
• Custody. Deputy marshals hold federal defendants before trial: U.S. Marshals Service, 445 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Albany, NY 12207, 518-472-5401.
• Defense. Federal Public Defender, 54 State Street, Suite 310, Albany, NY 12207, 518-436-1850.
• Records. Federal dockets appear on PACER.
• After sentencing. The Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator shows the prison.

Nothing about the detainer pauses the state prosecution. Its effect comes on the day of release:

1. Paperwork from ICE, Form I-247A, reaches the jail.
2. That detainer seeks a hold of up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released, under 8 CFR 287.7(d).
3. Agents may then take the person, one option being the Buffalo (Batavia) Service Processing Center, 4250 Federal Drive, Batavia, NY 14020, 585-344-6500.
4. Track them on the ICE Online Detainee Locator.

New York sets firm limits. An appeals court in People ex rel. Wells v DeMarco (2018) ruled that civil immigration arrests fall outside the powers New York law gives local officers. Executive Law § 170-k then voided every local 287(g) deal with ICE, effective August 25, 2026. Courthouses get special protection too: under Civil Rights Law § 28, a party or witness traveling to, at, or returning from court can't be civilly arrested; the only exception is a judge's own warrant or order. Ask the lawyer how a guilty plea might affect immigration status before agreeing to one.

Terms of more than a year are served with the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). After sentencing in County Court, the person waits in the jail until the county lists them as ready for state custody. DOCCS then picks them up and runs them through reception and classification before assigning a prison.

• Search the DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup by DIN or last name.
• For anyone already released on parole, use the DOCCS Parolee Lookup.
• DOCCS answers family calls on weekdays at 518-457-5000.
• Our New York state prisons page covers rules at each prison.

Which court hears it depends on age and charge:

• Age 16 or 17 with a felony: it starts in the Youth Part. A nonviolent felony moves on to Family Court. The DA can stop that transfer by filing a motion within 30 days and proving "extraordinary circumstances" (CPL 722.23).
• Age 16 or 17 with a misdemeanor: probation intake handles it instead of adult court.
• Age 13, 14 or 15: a youth faces adult-style "juvenile offender" charges only for grave crimes, like murder, robbery or rape (CPL 1.20(42)).
• Age 12 through 17, all other acts: juvenile delinquency cases in Family Court (Family Court Act § 301.2).

The Fort Edward jail never houses anyone under 18. Family Court is at 383 Broadway, Fort Edward, NY 12828, 518-480-6950. County Probation, 518-746-2260, handles intake and can say where a detained youth is. Its Juvenile Community Restoration program can be reached at 518-746-2285.

The District Attorney's Crime Victim Assistance Program walks victims through the case. Call 518-746-2525 or visit 383 Broadway, Building C, Fort Edward, NY 12828.

• Costs. The state Office of Victim Services can pay for medical bills, counseling, funerals and other losses: 800-247-8035.
• Release alerts. Register with VINE at 888-846-3469 or on VINELink.
• Protection orders. When the crime is a family offense, a criminal judge may grant a temporary order of protection (CPL 530.12). Family Court petitions are another route.