WHERE ARE THE COURT LOCATIONS?
Hearings are held on Fridays in Hauppauge and on alternate Thursdays in Riverhead.
Hauppauge:
Fourth District Court
Building No. 158
North County Complex
Veterans Memorial Highway
Hauppauge, New York 11788
Riverhead:
Arthur M. Cromarty Court Complex
210 Center Drive
Riverhead, NY 11901
Hearings start promptly at 9:30 a.m.
HOW DO I OBTAIN AN ADJOURNMENT?
Requests for adjournments of a hearing are to be made in writing, explaining the reason for the need for the adjournment, and must be received by the County Attorney's office at least two (2) business days prior to the scheduled date of the hearing. Please provide a contact telephone number.
Only one adjournment may be granted, absent exceptional circumstances. Hearings are conducted on Fridays in Hauppauge, and on alternate Thursdays in Riverhead (for vehicles seized on the East End). If you do not appear on your scheduled date, and do not timely request an adjournment, the hearing will be conducted in your absence.
Suffolk County Department of Law
H. Lee Dennison Bldg., 6th Floor
100 Veterans Memorial Highway, P.O. Box 6100
Hauppauge, New York 11788
Facsimile - (631) 853-5306
HOW DO I GET A LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR?
A language translator can be made available to you for your Post-Seizure Hearing. If you require a language translator for your hearing, you must make the request in writing and must be received by the County Attorney's office at least two (2) business days prior to the scheduled date of the hearing. Please provide a contact telephone number.
HOW DO I PICK UP MY VEHICLE FROM THE IMPOUND, ONCE IT'S RELEASED?
You will need to provide proof of ownership to the Impound. This can be either a current and valid registration or a title. If the registration is suspended or expired it is not valid and will not be accepted as proof of ownership.
You will also need photo ID. If you plan to drive the vehicle off the Impound lot, a valid license with photo is required. The Impound also requires to see the license of the person who drives you to the impound yard. A Learner's Permit is not a license. If you only have a permit, you still need two (2) licensed drivers present.
If you have been instructed to install an interlock device on your vehicle, the County Attorney's Office must first be notified by the interlock company before the vehicle will be released. Please see “Interlock Installation” on this site for further information.
You will need to bring payment for any outstanding towing (to impound) and daily storage fees by bank check or money order. For more details look at the Suffolk County Police website.
HOW DO I GET AN INTERLOCK DEVICE INSTALLED?
If you have been ordered by the Judicial Hearing Officer during your Administrative Hearing to install an interlock device you must complete the following steps:
- You must designate either CST at 877-777-5020, LifeSafer at 800 871-5462, ext. 1 or DriveSafe at 516-942-4741 to install the interlock device. You may not make an installation appointment on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or an official state holiday.
- After making the appointment, CST, LifeSafer or DriveSafe will notify the County Attorney’s Office of the appointment date and time. Your vehicle will only be released twenty four (24) hours prior to your appointment date. For example, if you make an appointment for a Monday or any day following an official state holiday, your vehicle will not be released until the morning of that appointment.
- Upon release of the vehicle you must pay for all applicable towing and storage fees, plus a five hundred dollar ($500.00) deposit; the deposit will be returned to you only after proof of the installation is provided by a visual inspection at the Impound facility.
- Failure to bring your vehicle back to the Impound facility within twenty four (24) hours of the release of the vehicle for a visual inspection will result in the loss of the five hundred dollar ($500.00) deposit. Additionally, a forfeiture action will be commenced pursuant to the Stipulation of Settlement and County Statute.
HOW DO I GET AN INTERLOCK DEVICE REMOVED?
In order to have the interlock device removed from your vehicle, the interlock company must receive authorization from this office. To obtain authorization, notify the County Attorney’s Office via mail or fax one (1) week prior to your last scheduled calibration date. The County Attorney’s Office will send authorization directly to the appropriate Interlock company.
I AM FROM A RENTAL COMPANY. HOW DO I GET MY VEHICLE BACK?
If you are a representative from a Rental Agency whose vehicle has been seized, please contact the County Attorney’s Office.
HOW DO I TRANSFER TITLE TO THE COUNTY?
If your vehicle or vessel is not encumbered with a lien (i.e., an outstanding loan), and you wish to turn ownership of the vehicle over to the County in order to avoid the commencement of a forfeiture action against you, you can forward the original, executed title to the County Attorney. For vehicles manufactured prior to 1973, or vessels manufactured prior to 1987, you can forward the executed registration to the above address. No impound fees will be owed by you if you surrender title or registration, as above, to the County, prior to the commencement of the civil action.
MY VEHICLE HAS A LIEN/IS LEASED. HOW DO I SURRENDER IT TO THE LIEN HOLDER OR LESSOR?
If you wish to surrender possession of the seized vehicle to the lien holder or lessor, please forward a copy of the lease or loan agreement, together with your request, to the County Attorney’s Office. A stipulation and release will be provided to you and the lienholder/lessor for execution.
MY VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. HOW DO I GET IT INSPECTED BY AN INSURANCE COMPANY?
If the seized vehicle was involved in an accident at the time of seizure, the County Attorney’s Office must give permission to the Impound, allowing an insurance agent to complete a visual inspection of the vehicle. The insurance company must provide our office with a written request, via mail or fax requesting to perform such inspection. Once the vehicle has been inspected, and if the insurance company has deemed the vehicle to be a total loss, the insurance company can complete a written request, via email or fax, to the County Attorney’s Office for review.
Note that submitting this request does not guarantee the release of the vehicle.
ANSWERING A SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT; DEFAULT JUDGMENT AND OTHER LEGAL DOCUMENTS
The County Attorney’s Office cannot provide you with instructions on how to answer a Summons and Complaint, or any other legal document you may have received from us. Please do not contact this office as we cannot give you legal advice. You can contact a private attorney for assistance.
HOW DO I GET MY PROPERTY FROM A VEHICLE SEIZURE?
The County Attorney’s Office does not place a hold on personal property contained in your vehicle. Note however that the District Attorney’s Office may have a hold on your property. To retrieve your property, you can contact the Police Department which seized your vehicle, or the Suffolk County impound in Westhampton.
HOW DO I GET MY LICENSE PLATES FROM A SEIZED VEHICLE?
If title has not been transferred to Suffolk County, the Impound Facility will require authorization to issue a Plate letter. Plate letters will only be issued for license plates that were valid at the time of the vehicle impound.
WHEN IS THE NEXT VEHICLE AUCTION?
Vehicle auctions are held periodically throughout the year. While we do not have a set schedule, you can find information concerning vehicle auctions on the Suffolk County Police Department website. Please keep in mind dates are posted approximately one month in advance and the vehicles are listed approximately two weeks prior to the auction date.