Department Of Justice in New York

Department of Justice Offices Across New York State

New York has one of the most layered justice systems in the country, and the listings on this page reflect that. Our directory holds 16 entries, from the New York New York Department of Justice at 1 Saint Andrews Plaza in Manhattan to the Rosendale New York Department of Justice at 520 Lefever Falls Road in Ulster County. Some sit in dense city blocks. Others are on village main streets, a long drive from the nearest city.

Before you travel anywhere, work out which level of government handles your problem. A federal prosecution question, a consumer complaint against a business, and a ticket issued in a village all go to different bodies, even though people loosely call all of them "justice." Sending your question to the wrong office is the most common reason people lose a week on a simple matter.

The listings run across the whole state. They include the Batavia New York Department of Justice on Federal Drive in Genesee County, the Elmira New York Department of Justice on West Water Street, the Endicott New York Department of Justice on East Main Street, and the Syracuse New York Department of Justice on South Clinton Street. Each has its own phone number, and a short call before you go usually saves a wasted trip.

Who Handles What: Federal, State and Local Justice in New York

The federal layer: four districts

The United States Department of Justice is a federal cabinet department. Its public face in New York is mostly the U.S. Attorney's Offices, which prosecute federal crimes and represent the federal government in civil cases. New York is divided into four federal judicial districts, and each has its own U.S. Attorney:

• Southern District: Manhattan and the Bronx, plus Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess and Sullivan counties.
• Eastern District: Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island.
• Northern District: a large area stretching from the Albany region and Syracuse to the Canadian border, including Broome, Oneida and Ulster counties.
• Western District: Buffalo, Rochester and the counties around them, including Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Monroe and Chemung.

The Saint Andrews Plaza address in Lower Manhattan has long been tied to federal prosecutors in the Southern District. A listing in Syracuse falls in the Northern District, while the Rochester, Batavia, Lancaster, Lewiston and Niagara Falls listings fall in the Western District. Federal offices do not give legal advice to the public and do not take most private disputes. They handle federal matters, such as fraud against federal programs, interstate crime and civil rights enforcement.

The state layer: Attorney General, DCJS and victim services

Most day-to-day legal protection for New Yorkers comes from the state. The Office of the Attorney General is led by a statewide elected official. It runs consumer fraud and charity oversight, tenant and civil rights complaints, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. It also reviews certain deaths involving police officers. It has offices in Albany and New York City, plus regional offices around the state.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), based in Albany, maintains the statewide criminal history repository and the public sex offender registry. The Office of Victim Services handles crime victim compensation claims. Neither of these is a walk-in counter in every county, so most contact happens online, by mail or by phone.

The county and local layer

New York has 62 counties, and each elects a district attorney who prosecutes state crimes. New York City has five, one for each borough. Below that sit town and village justice courts, which handle traffic tickets, small claims, local ordinance cases and the first appearance in many criminal matters. The state has well over a thousand of these courts, and many of their judges are part-time. That is why some entries in a statewide list sit in very small places such as Remsen or Highland Falls.

Manhattan and Downstate Versus Upstate and Western New York

The way you reach justice services depends heavily on where you live. New York County has three listings, the most of any county in our database. In Manhattan you can reach federal and state offices by subway or bus, and most are within a few blocks of one another. Expect airport-style security at federal buildings, long lobby lines at peak hours, and strict rules on what you can carry in.

Western New York looks different. Niagara County has two listings, the Lewiston New York Department of Justice at 1375 Ridge Road and the Niagara Falls New York Department of Justice at 615 Main Street. Neighbouring Erie County has the Lancaster New York Department of Justice at 5423 Broadway, and Monroe County has the Rochester New York Department of Justice at 1200 Brooks Avenue. Most visitors there arrive by car, parking is usually simple, and a village or town office may close for lunch or keep limited days.

Central New York and the Southern Tier add a third pattern. In Onondaga County, Syracuse is the regional hub. Endicott in Broome County and Elmira in Chemung County serve wide rural areas, and the Remsen office in Oneida County sits in a small community far from any large city. In the Hudson Valley, the Highland Falls office in Orange County and the Rosendale office in Ulster County serve towns where a trip to the county seat may take much longer than a local call.

Finding and Using a Listed Office in New York

Start with the phone number in the listing. Ask what the office actually handles, whether you need an appointment, and what hours it keeps. Names in a directory can be broad, and the person who answers can tell you in a minute whether you are in the right place.

When you do visit, bring the following:

• A current government-issued photo ID, since most federal and court buildings require one at the door.
• Any notice, summons, ticket or letter you received, with the date and docket or case number visible.
• Copies of supporting papers, such as contracts, receipts, photos or emails, so you can leave one set behind.
• The full names and addresses of every person or business involved.

Allow extra time for security screening, and leave phones, bags and anything sharp at home if you can. If you only need a form, a record or a status update, ask whether it can be handled by phone, online or by mail. In a state this large, that often saves a half-day of travel, especially upstate.

If your matter is a dispute with a landlord, an employer or a business, a state agency or a local court is usually the right first stop, not a federal office. If you believe a federal crime has occurred, a call to the U.S. Attorney's Office for your district is appropriate. Always keep copies of everything you send, and write down the name and date of every person you speak to.

Department of Justice resources in New York include U.S. Attorney's Office district operations, FBI field offices, and the New York Attorney General's Office, which enforces state law and consumer protection statutes at the state level while coordinating with federal DOJ components on major investigations.

Department Of Justice locations are available in 14 cities across New York. They are spread across 13 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include New York, Highland Falls, Rochester, reflecting federal district headquarters and major cities where DOJ field offices, U.S. Attorneys, and federal law enforcement units are based.

Residents of New York who need to engage with the DOJ should identify the correct agency division for their matter — whether it involves civil rights, a federal crime, antitrust, or a FOIA request — before contacting the appropriate office.

Residents of New York who need to file a civil rights complaint, report federal fraud, or access victim assistance programs should visit justice.gov to identify the appropriate DOJ division or contact the U.S. Attorney's Office for the federal district covering their area.

Browse Department Of Justice by county across New York to find the nearest location.

Planning Your Visit to a New York Department of Justice Office

The 16 listings in our database are spread across 14 cities and 13 counties, so no two visits look alike. The Manhattan office at 1 Saint Andrews Plaza (212-637-2200) is a different experience from the Batavia office at 4250 Federal Drive (585-345-4300) or the Highland Falls office at 254 Main Street (845-446-4280). Treat each listing as a starting point and confirm details by phone.

Residents of the Southern Tier can check the offices in Chemung County and Broome County. In Elmira, the listing is at 1255 West Water Street (607-734-5971), and in Endicott it is at 3121 East Main Street (607-786-2965). Western New York callers can reach Rochester at 585-263-5707, Lancaster at 716-683-6780, Lewiston at 716-754-8215, and Niagara Falls at 716-282-0448. For Remsen, call 315-831-8710. In the Hudson Valley, Rosendale is 845-658-3686, Syracuse is 315-477-1700, and White Plains is 914-682-6175.

Winter matters upstate. Lake-effect snow around Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and the Tug Hill region can close roads and delay court sessions, so check for weather closings before you set out.