Benjamin Goldman Law Office Wins Appeal in Columbia County Court — Client's Six-Point Speeding Conviction Reduced to a Parking Violation.

Our client had been convicted of speeding under VTL §1180(b) in the Claverack Town Court (Columbia County) after a nonjury trial on a simplified traffic information. We appealed to the Columbia County Court. Our attorney secured the Town Court return on appeal and submitted a thorough brief to the County Court on November 10, 2025. The prosecution filed no brief in response. On May 21, 2026, Judge Michael C. Howard, J.C.C., ordered that the VTL §1180(b) speeding charge be reduced to VTL §1201-a in the interest of justice — eliminating all points and the insurance impact of the speeding conviction.

Columbia County Court Reduces Speeding Conviction to a No-Point Parking Infraction After Prosecution Fails to Oppose the Appeal

After reviewing the Claverack Town Court's return, the transcripts, and the appellant's arguments on appeal, Judge Howard reduced the VTL §1180(b) speeding violation — a conviction carrying up to 6 points and significant insurance consequences — to VTL §1201-a, a parking-type infraction that carries zero points and no surcharge on a driver's record. The prosecution never submitted a brief, leaving the County Court with an uncontested record that supported reduction. The result means our client walks away from the appeal with no points on their license and no insurance premium increase tied to the speeding conviction.

Key Facts (At a Glance)

• Appellate court: County Court of the State of New York, County of Columbia
• Appellate Court Judge: Hon. Michael C. Howard, J.C.C.
• Lower Court Judges: Hon. Michael Brandon & Hon. Michael Cozzolino
• Lower court: Claverack Town Court, Columbia County
• Prosecutor: Columbia County District Attorney's Office
• Original conviction: April 30, 2024 — nonjury trial on simplified traffic information
• Original charge: VTL §1180(b) — speeding in excess of the posted 55 mph speed limit (6 points)
• Case index: Columbia County Court No. SMZ-70168-24; Claverack Case No. 2024-022630
• Brief filed: November 10, 2025
• Prosecution response: None — respondent did not submit a brief
• Result: VTL §1180(b) reduced to VTL §1201-a (parking infraction — 0 points) in the interest of justice
• Decision date: May 21, 2026 — order entered in Hudson, New York

Lesson of the Day

Losing a trial in justice court is not the end of the road. This case is a prime example: our client was convicted after a full nonjury trial, yet the appeal turned that speeding conviction into a zero-point parking infraction. A well-researched and well-written appellate brief — submitted without a single word in opposition from the prosecution — gave the County Court exactly what it needed to act in the interest of justice. In our experience, the odds of a favorable result on appeal are frequently better than the odds at trial in a local justice court. If you lost at trial, do not assume it is over.

Benjamin Goldman Law Office

Securing the town court return, researching the record, and submitting a thorough brief to the county court are steps that require both appellate experience and a detailed knowledge of New York traffic law. Our attorneys handle these appeals routinely. We knew from the trial record that the speeding conviction had weaknesses worth pressing — and we pressed them in writing, in detail, well before the prosecution had a chance to respond. When the respondent filed nothing, Judge Howard had one comprehensive brief and a complete record in front of him. That is not an accident; it is preparation.

A VTL §1180(b) conviction carries up to 6 points and triggers significant insurance consequences. Getting it reduced to a zero-point parking infraction on appeal is the kind of result that changes a client's insurance picture entirely. If you were convicted of speeding in a New York justice court, contact us — we have handled this exact type of appeal and we know what it takes to win it.

Fight your Ticket CALL NOW FIGHT YOUR TICKET NOW