Justice Court Reopens Tuesdays

Need to pay a parking ticket or fight a summons? You now can on Tuesdays in East Hampton.

After nearly two years of being closed to the general public every Tuesday, the East Hampton Justice Court re-opened on Tuesday.

Thanks to a seasonal employee that the court hired this summer, Justice Catherine A. Cahill said there was now a staffing level that allowed for re-opening.

On the first day of the new summer schedule, a steady flow of people came and went from the courthouse.

"We always said we would do it," Cahill said, but, "We literally don't have the people," to be open year-round five days a week.

On days that the court's doors were locked, the court staff was still working, but using that time to catch up on paperwork that is often interrupted when people go to the clerk's window to pay tickets and fines, or ask adjournments on their cases, or request records. Justices Cahill and Lisa R. Rana still were on the bench those days to oversee arraignments.

East Hampton Justice Court is one of the busiest in the state, Cahill said. "We are way more busy than we have been in recent history," she said, though figures were not immediately available.

Supervisor Bill Wilkinson said he was pleased to hear the court had re-opened to the public. "The town budgeted for such in the 2014 budget and I'm glad it is finally being implemented."

Though the seasonal employee was budgeted for, Cahill said she will only work through the summer.

Are you happy to see the court re-open on Tuesdays this summer? Does it make a difference to you? Leave a comment below.