Wow, my trial date is a long time from now!
In the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) courts of New York City, it’s common for the first hearing date to be a year, or more, after the ticket was issued.
The hearing date depends on a variety of factors. The two most relevant are:
- The police officer’s schedule. Some officers do not write many tickets and come to court very rarely. If you have an officer like this, you’re going to be scheduled for the day when he is scheduled, whether it’s next month or in 13 months. Other officers write tickets as part of their daily duties and are in court every week. If you have an officer like this, it’s possible that her calendars are stuffed with cases and for the next 12 months, and she might not have an available time slot for quite some time.
- The court. Some courts are known for issuing longer court dates, for a variety of reasons. Brooklyn South TVB in Coney Island is the most prominent example. Conversely, Richmond TVB in Staten Island is known for issuing very short dates.
All of which is to say, don’t take too much from how soon your hearing date is, or isn’t. That date is due to factors beyond your control.
Contact our firm at (212) 729-0472 to schedule your consultation.
