Gaining insight about Lawrence village ordinances

The inner workings of the Village of Lawrence’s court system was brought to life by Lawrence Justice Court Village Justice Donald Buchalter, Acting Village Justice Simon Gluck, Deputy Village Prosecutor Gary Mandel, Esq. and Chief Court Clerk Patricia Coco at the Lawrence Association’s Dec. 14 meeting.

“How the court operates, your role, your rights,” was presented at the Lawrence Yacht and Country Club on that Wednesday.

Buchalter, a 48-year Lawrence resident, said the Lawrence Justice Court was established in 1965 and is a major convenience for residents. “If you didn’t have a village court and you wanted to fight a ticket, you would have to go to Hempstead and the judges and prosecutors there have no idea about the Village of Lawrence,” he said. “We live in the Village of Lawrence so if a defendant makes a claim, we know what they’re talking about, we know the intersections, streets and stop signs.”

The village ordinance regarding snow removal states that residents who did not shovel the snow directly in front of their home within in two hours of a snowstorm ending or by 11 a.m. the next day, if it is still snowing at 7 p.m., will be issued a ticket. Buchalter said last winter the village received 40 complaints from residents who said they were wrongly ticketed as village employees plowed snow back onto their properties.

Guilty, not guilty and guilty with an explanation are defendant pleas in court, Buchalter explained. “Guilty with an explanation means you are still pleading guilty to the charge but your explanation may affect the fine you were issued,” he said. “So if you were fined $150 and had a good reason, Simon or I may reduce it to say $50, depending on the situation.”

Defective meters have also lead to many wrongful tickets issued in Lawrence and Buchalter’s solution had audience members clapping. “You have 24 hours to call if you’re issued a ticket because of a defective meter,” he said. “Our meters are lousy, they’re antiques. I’ve implored the village to get rid of our meters.”

Village regulations regarding two-hour parking limits on residential streets and no parking in the village between the hours of 3 and 5 a.m. has many residents concerned. Jacqueline Handel, who serves as a Lawrence Association vice president, asked Buchalter what residents should do if they have friends over for longer than two hours. “You should call Village Administrator Dave Smollett and tell him you will be having guests over for more than two hours so he can notify police not to issue tickets,” he said.

Audrey Landau said while the presentation from the Lawrence Justice Court served as a reminder about laws she was familiar with, it’s essential residents understand the different aspects of where they live. “It’s important for people to be involved in their village and know what’s happening,” she said.

The Lawrence Association’s next meeting is Jan. 18 at the Lawrence Yacht and Country Club, 101 Causeway, Lawrence.