The Clarkstown Court, one of the largest in terms of criminal cases handled in the state, has four judges formerly known as Justices of the Peace, Police Justices now designated "Town Justice."
The judges are Scott B. Ugell, Craig E. Johns, Howard Gerber and Rolf M. Thorsen.
The court handles more than 27,000 cases annually including criminal cases, vehicle and traffic cases, landlord-tenant disputes and small claims actions. The court also has a drug court which focuses on non-violent, drug-addicted offenders.
A town court has existed in the Town of Clarkstown since 1786. At one time the Judge was a member of the Town Board, and served in a legislative capacity as well as a judicial capacity. The Town Clerk of the Town of Clarkstown maintains excellent records with regards to the minutes of the Town Board, and through research of these minutes, the names of the Judges since 1786 were obtained with the exception of a period between 1836 and 1858, as the records for those years were destroyed in a fire.
Two judges have gone on to become Supervisor, Irving Dillon (the 75th Judge of the Court) and William E. Vines (the 79th Judge of the Court). One of the present Judges has ancestors who have served on the Court. Judge Craig Johns is related on the paternal side of his family to the Blauvelt family, and one of the earliest judge was Thomas Blauvelt.