The County Court Bureau oversees general felony level crimes in Schenectady County. The bureau is responsible for investigating and prosecuting a variety of felonies, such as burglaries, robberies, drug crimes, and vehicular crimes. The bureau also handles Schenectady County Court's general daily court calendar appearances that can include the arraignment of defendants, the service and acceptance of motions, responses, and court decisions, as well as attorney conferences on cases to work toward resolutions or scheduling for trials and sentencings.
The Bureau is currently made up of a Bureau Chief and several Assistant District Attorneys who handle the multiple court calendars and cases occurring each day in the courthouse.
Diversion Courts
The Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office is proud to be an active participant in the Schenectady County Drug Court Program and County Alternative Treatment Court.
Schenectady County Drug Court
The Drug Court program focuses on the treatment and recovery of those addicted to illegal drugs and alcohol, rather than on incarceration as punishment. By participating in treatment, stopping the use of illegal drugs and maintaining that abstinence, the participants of Drug Court, treat an addiction and become active and productive members of society. The successful completion of a Drug Court Program results in no or a low level criminal conviction, rather than a felony and incarceration. The aim is to address the issue or illness that contributed to the criminal behavior, and to provide aid and skills for those individuals.
Alternative Treatment Court
The Alternative Treatment Court handles criminal matters where actors with mental health issues that contributed to the behavior can voluntarily seek to enter the program and address the specific mental health needs. The Program utilizes a team that includes the probation department to supervise, as well as attorneys from the District Attorney’s Office, defense counsel, a psychiatric supervisor and a peer. The team works in different capacities with the participants as they voluntarily seek treatment to address serious persistent mental health issue or illness.
The programs are applicable to felony and misdemeanor level offenses. Both programs reward active and engaged participants with alternative sentences for criminal behavior rather than incarceration. The two Courts Programs have helped countless Schenectady County citizens and their families.
