Traffic & DUI Charges in the Town of Chatham, New York
The Town of Chatham, New York (ZIP code 12037), sees a steady flow of traffic and drunk driving enforcement because of its location along two major highways. Interstate 90 (New York State Thruway) crosses through the town and connects motorists traveling between Massachusetts and the Albany area. The Taconic State Parkway runs north-south through the Hudson Valley region and its northern terminus is at the I-90 in Chatham. The posted speed limit on the I-90 is 65 mph and the speed limit on the Taconic is 55 mph. As a result, many traffic stops are conducted on both highways for speeding and other moving violations.
In addition to speeding tickets, motorists in and around Chatham are often charged with more serious offenses, such as Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI), and related violations under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192. These cases can involve allegations of high blood alcohol content, refusal to submit to a chemical test, or accidents that trigger enhanced penalties. Even a first-time DWI can result in license suspension, significant fines, a permanent criminal record, and higher insurance premiums.
Traffic cases and drunk driving cases arising from the Village of Chatham are heard in either the Chatham Town Court or Ghent Town Court, depending on the exact location of the alleged violation. The village previously had its own court, but that court was disbanded in 2021. If you received a speeding ticket, DWI, or other traffic-related charge returnable to the Chatham Town Court, you may want to contact the Benjamin Goldman Law Office.
Traffic Ticket & DUI Defense Lawyer for Chatham, New York
The Benjamin Goldman Law Office is a New York State traffic ticket and drunk driving defense firm. We focus almost entirely on traffic law and related criminal offenses, including speeding tickets, suspended license cases, and DWI / DWAI charges. Our firm has been available to assist motorists in Columbia County since 2011.
Our goal is to obtain the best possible outcome under the circumstances of your case. For traffic infractions, this typically means getting the violation dismissed or modified to something that does not carry points or a significant impact on your driving record. For DWI and DWAI charges, we explore every legal avenue to challenge the stop, the field sobriety tests, and the chemical test results, and we work to avoid a permanent criminal conviction where possible.
Our team welcomes new cases in Chatham, New York, for any traffic-related charge, including speeding, reckless driving, suspended license, and all drunk or impaired driving offenses under VTL § 1192. You can contact us at your convenience to discuss your ticket or DWI case in confidence.
About the Town of Chatham, New York
Chatham is a town in Columbia County, New York. It is located around ten miles west of the Massachusetts State line and around thirty miles southeast of Albany. There is a Village of Chatham located in the northern part of the town. The village is partially in the Town of Chatham and partially in the Town of Ghent. The town also encompasses the hamlets of Chatham Center, East Chatham, Malden Bridge, New Concord, North Chatham, Old Chatham, Rayville, Riders, Riders Mills, and Rock City. As of , the total town population was estimated at 4,200 residents.
The ZIP code most commonly associated with the Town of Chatham and the Chatham Town Court is 12037. Many of the tickets handled by the local court are issued on the state highways that run through this relatively small rural community.