The City Court in Watertown, New York is where you can:

• Contest traffic infractions 
• Take action against or respond to action from your landlord
• File a small claim or counterclaim for up to $5000 
• Appear in small claims court
• File a commercial claim or counterclaim for matters up to $15,000 
• Appear in commercial court
• Attend court in response to lesser offenses that carry a term of imprisonment of no more than one year (disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, etc.) 

When to show up:

• Civil, small claims, commercial claims and evictions are at 9:00 a.m.
• Criminal calendar is at 10:00 a.m.
• Arraignment calendar is at 11:00 a.m.

Important tips:

• The Coronavirus crisis has drastically altered court hours and cases.
• Currently, all non-essential functions of the City Court in Watertown have been suspended. If you have an essential matter at the Watertown City Court, it may be addressed at the Jefferson County Court Complex at 163 Arsenal Street.
• Call (315) 671-4699 to see if your cases has been postponed or if it’s an essential matter. Essential court cases may be conducted virtually during the Covid-19 crisis. 
• Parking is free.
• You will pass through a metal detector upon entry.
• You will need to pay fees associated with your appearance. You can find them here.
• You can always hire an attorney, even for landlord/tenant issues or traffic offenses. Court Buddy can help you find an affordable lawyer. 

Their address is: 

Watertown City Court

City Hall

245 Washington St., 1st Floor

Watertown, NY  13601

Their phone number is:

 (315) 785-7789

Their hours are:

8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Monday - Friday

September through June

8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Monday - Friday

June, July & August

Note that during the Cov-19 crisis, not all courts are open. When they re-open, you won’t be allowed inside without a mask. 

More resources:

http://ww2.nycourts.gov/courts/5jd/jefferson/city/traffic.shtml