Albany, NY- Audits Show Money Missing in Justice Courts Statewide

Albany, NY - There are pervasive operational problems and substantial money missing in justice courts around the state, the state comptroller says, and he has called upon the state Legislature to reform the local justice court system.

State Comptroller Alan Hevesi said that audits conducted of justice courts around the state identified substantial problems in operations.

In 32 audits of courts, auditors found that money ranging from $650 to 62,000, totaling more than $133,000, was missing in 11 of the 32, or in one-third of the courts audited. Auditors found that some of this money was missing because of poor bookkeeping, as well as theft.

If the same percentage and size of fraud is occurring at the 1,260 courts statewide, auditors estimate that $5.2 million may be missing at 430 courts.

Hevesi has proposed changes for reform such as consolidating smaller courts, removing cash collections from smaller courts and providing additional training staff. An audit of 12 justices in Otsego, Delaware, Broome and Sullivan counties was issued.