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COVID-19 has prompted Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign the PAUSE act, which stands for “Policies Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone.” It has essentially shut the state down, including businesses here in Sullivan and Orange Counties. According to the order, businesses that haven’t been deemed essential must keep 100% of their workforce at home. If a…

Covid-19 is disrupting everything, and that includes both traffic and criminal court. In fact, inmates, police officers, attorneys and others have tested positive for the disease across the state and nation because courts are always so crowded. Closures and delays have been the result. Many city offices aren’t operating at all, and those that are…

The line between a legal stop and an illegal stop is a fine one. Police must have either witnessed a violation of the law or have probable cause to stop a vehicle in order to do so. Sometimes police officers aren’t really that interested in the traffic violation. They may suspect a drug violation, for…

New York’s bail reform laws have been a hot topic in the news. It’s been a highly divisive, hotly contested subject.  The law eliminates bail for most misdemeanor crimes and for some non-violent felony crimes.  The law was enacted because many defendants were sitting in jail for months awaiting trial, despite their right to a…

Many of us take drugs every day without thinking twice about them, both prescription drugs and over-the-counter-drugs. We take them for pain, to help us sleep, and to alleviate the symptoms of various illnesses. It’s common to forget many of these drugs can make you drowsy. Unfortunately, their legality won’t be an issue if you…

If you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor crime in Orange County, you’re not alone. Many normal people make mistakes which can disrupt their life. For some, these will be the first charges they ever face. While many defendants imagine their case will go all the way to trial, this is rarely the case. Many also…

No, and ignoring traffic tickets can get you into a lot of trouble. Attempting to “wait out” your ticket can also really hurt you, because it limits your options. When you get a ticket, you get a court date. If you choose to pay the ticket, you don’t have to go to court, but you…

While most of the cases Scott Russell Law handles here in the Monticello area are traffic cases, this office tackles quite a few criminal cases as well. We handle everything from bad checks to the types of felony crimes that receive constant attention on crime shows across the nation. Those same crime shows may have…