Brooklyn Criminal Court at 120 Schermerhorn Street: Arraignments, DATs, and What to Expect

If you or someone you love has been arrested in Brooklyn, there is a very good chance the case will begin at the Kings County Criminal Court, located at 120 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. For most people, walking into this building is their first experience with the criminal justice system, and the combination of unfamiliar procedure, crowded hallways, and high stakes can be overwhelming. This guide explains what the court handles, how to get there, what happens at each stage of a typical case, and the practical details that experienced defense attorneys know from appearing in this building every week.

NYC Criminal Court general information: 646-386-4511

What Cases Are Heard at 120 Schermerhorn Street

The Kings County Criminal Court is a court of limited jurisdiction under the New York City Criminal Court Act. In practical terms, it handles:

• Arraignments on all Brooklyn arrests. Whether the charge is a violation, a misdemeanor, or the most serious felony, virtually every person arrested in Brooklyn is arraigned in Criminal Court first. Felony cases only move to Supreme Court after indictment or a superior court information.
• Misdemeanors and violations from start to finish. Charges such as petit larceny (Penal Law § 155.25), assault in the third degree (Penal Law § 120.00), criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree (Penal Law § 220.03), driving while intoxicated (VTL § 1192), and disorderly conduct (Penal Law § 240.20) are resolved in this courthouse, through dismissal, plea, or trial.
• Desk Appearance Ticket (DAT) arraignments. People released from the precinct with a DAT are directed to appear at 120 Schermerhorn Street on a specified date for arraignment.
• Preliminary felony proceedings. Before indictment, felony cases remain in Criminal Court for bail applications, preliminary hearings under CPL Article 180, and release motions under CPL § 180.80.

Because arraignments run in high volume every day, the building sees an enormous cross-section of Brooklyn: first-time arrestees, people with DATs, family members waiting for loved ones coming through central booking, and attorneys moving between arraignment parts and all-purpose parts.

Location and How to Get There

The courthouse is located at 120 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, in Downtown Brooklyn. It is one of the most transit-accessible courthouses in the city:

• Subway: Take the 2, 3, 4, or 5 train to Borough Hall, or the A, C, F, or R train to Jay Street–MetroTech. Both stations are a short walk from the courthouse.
• Driving: Street parking in Downtown Brooklyn is scarce and heavily regulated. If you must drive, budget significant extra time and expect to use a paid garage. Public transit is strongly recommended.

For hours of operation and any office-specific details, check the New York State Unified Court System's official website before your appearance, as schedules can change.

Getting Into the Building: Security and Timing

Everyone entering the courthouse passes through magnetometer screening run by court officers. A few practical points that regulars know:

• Arrive early. Security lines are longest first thing in the morning, when calendars are called. If your appearance is scheduled for the morning, plan to be in line well before your appearance time. Judges do not wait for people stuck in the security line, and a late arrival can be recorded as a failure to appear.
• Leave prohibited items at home. Weapons of any kind, including pocketknives and pepper spray, will not be allowed in and may create a new legal problem. Do not bring anything you would not bring through airport security.
• Confirm your courtroom. Cases are assigned to specific parts, and assignments can change. Check the posted calendars or ask a court officer at the information point when you arrive rather than guessing.
• Dress and conduct. There is no formal dress code for the public, but judges notice. Dress as you would for an important job interview. Phones must be silenced in courtrooms, and photography is prohibited.

Arraignments After a Full Arrest

If someone is arrested in Brooklyn and not issued a DAT, they are processed through central booking and then produced for arraignment. Under CPL § 140.20, a person arrested without a warrant must be brought before a local criminal court "without unnecessary delay," and New York courts have interpreted that requirement to mean arraignment should generally occur within 24 hours of arrest. Arraignment parts at 120 Schermerhorn Street run through the day and into the evening to process the constant flow of Brooklyn arrests.

The arraignment itself is governed by CPL § 170.10 for misdemeanor complaints and CPL § 180.10 for felony complaints. At arraignment, several things happen quickly:

1. The charges are formally presented. The defendant, through counsel, is advised of the accusatory instrument. Reading of the charges is almost always waived by defense counsel.
2. Counsel is assigned or appears. Every defendant has the right to counsel at arraignment. Families who retain a private attorney before arraignment can have that lawyer standing next to their loved one at the very first appearance, which matters enormously at the bail stage.
3. Notices are served. The prosecution typically serves statement and identification notice under CPL § 710.30, and may serve grand jury notice on felony cases under CPL § 190.50. Defense counsel must respond to CPL § 190.50 notice promptly to preserve the client's right to testify before the grand jury.
4. Securing orders are set. The judge decides whether the defendant is released on recognizance, released under non-monetary conditions such as supervised release, or held on bail, applying the framework of CPL §§ 510.10 and 530.20. Under New York's bail statute, most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies are not bail-eligible, and for qualifying offenses the court must select the least restrictive condition that will reasonably assure the defendant's return to court.
5. The case is adjourned or resolved. Some minor cases resolve at arraignment with an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal (ACD) under CPL § 170.55 or a plea to a violation. Most cases are adjourned to an all-purpose part.

For a deeper explanation of the arraignment process itself, including what to say and not say, see our detailed guide to a New York Criminal Court arraignment.

Bail Arguments in Brooklyn

The bail decision is often the most consequential moment of the entire arraignment. An attorney who prepares before the case is called — verifying employment, community ties, immigration considerations, and family support, and having relatives present in the courtroom — can make a materially stronger application under CPL § 510.30's factors than counsel who meets the client two minutes before the case is called. If bail is set, it can be posted at the courthouse or at the facility where the defendant is held; ask court staff for the current procedure, and note that CPL § 520.10 requires the court to set at least three forms of bail, including a partially secured or unsecured bond option.

Desk Appearance Tickets (DATs)

A Desk Appearance Ticket is not a dismissal and it is not a traffic ticket. It is a written order, authorized by CPL Article 150, directing you to appear at Criminal Court for arraignment on a criminal charge. Under CPL § 150.20, police must issue DATs for most misdemeanors and Class E felonies, subject to statutory exceptions (for example, certain domestic violence offenses, sex offenses, and cases where the person has outstanding warrants).

Key points if you received a DAT returnable at 120 Schermerhorn Street:

• Your appearance date is a real court date. The DAT arraignment is a full arraignment under CPL § 170.10. You will stand before a judge, charges will be filed, and the case begins.
• Missing the date has serious consequences. If you fail to appear, the court may issue a bench warrant under CPL § 530.70, and a warrant converts a manageable case into an arrest-first problem. Failing to respond to a DAT can also constitute a separate offense under Penal Law § 215.58.
• Hire counsel before the return date, not after. The window between the DAT's issuance and the arraignment is a genuine opportunity. Defense counsel can gather mitigation, contact the District Attorney's office in appropriate cases, prepare you for the appearance, and sometimes position a case for an ACD or non-criminal disposition at the very first appearance. Common DAT charges in Brooklyn include petit larceny, low-level drug possession, and criminal possession of a forged instrument.
• Expect fingerprinting issues to be sorted at arraignment. If prints were not processed at the precinct, there may be additional processing on the return date. Build in time.

After Arraignment: How a Case Moves Through the Courthouse

Misdemeanor and Violation Cases

Cases not resolved at arraignment are adjourned to an all-purpose part, where they proceed through several checkpoints:

• Conversion of the complaint. A misdemeanor complaint must generally be converted to an information supported by non-hearsay allegations (CPL §§ 100.40, 170.65) before the case can proceed to trial. Delays in conversion count against the prosecution's speedy trial clock.
• Discovery. Under CPL Article 245, the prosecution must disclose its discovery materials and file a certificate of compliance before it can validly state ready for trial (CPL §§ 245.20, 245.50). Discovery litigation is now a central battleground in Criminal Court, and challenges to defective certificates of compliance regularly result in dismissals.
• Speedy trial deadlines. CPL § 30.30 requires the prosecution to be ready for trial within 90 days on a Class A misdemeanor, 60 days on a Class B misdemeanor, and 30 days on a violation (when charged with no higher offense), excluding certain adjournments. A well-maintained 30.30 calculation is one of the most powerful defense tools in this courthouse.
• Motions. Pre-trial motions — to dismiss, to suppress statements, identifications, or physical evidence — are generally due within 45 days of arraignment under CPL § 255.20. Suppression hearings (Mapp, Huntley, Dunaway, Wade) are litigated in the trial-ready parts.
• Disposition or trial. The overwhelming majority of cases resolve by negotiated disposition. Understanding how offers evolve as a case ages — and when to reject them — is where experienced counsel earns their keep. Our overview of plea bargaining in New York criminal cases explains that process in detail.

Felony Cases

Felony cases begin at 120 Schermerhorn Street but do not end there. After a felony arraignment, the case is adjourned for grand jury action. Two deadlines dominate this phase:

• CPL § 180.80: A defendant held in custody on a felony complaint must be released if the prosecution has not obtained an indictment (or held a preliminary hearing establishing reasonable cause) within 120 hours of arrest, or 144 hours where a weekend or holiday intervenes.
• CPL § 190.50: A defendant who has served proper notice has the right to testify before the grand jury. This is a strategic decision that must be made quickly and with counsel.

If the grand jury indicts, the case is transferred to the Supreme Court, Criminal Term, for all further proceedings, and the prosecution's readiness deadline becomes six months under CPL § 30.30(1)(a). If the felony is reduced to a misdemeanor, the case stays in Criminal Court.

Practical Tips From Attorneys Who Appear Here

• Calendar calls move fast. When your case is called, everything may be over in under five minutes. What looks routine is often the product of hallway conversations between your lawyer and the assigned assistant district attorney before the case was called. Do not mistake brevity for inattention.
• Never discuss your case in the hallways or elevators. Prosecutors, witnesses, and complainants share the same corridors. Anything you say can find its way into your case.
• Bring documents your lawyer requests. Proof of employment, school enrollment, program completion certificates, and character letters directly affect bail arguments and plea negotiations.
• Filings go through the clerk's office. Motions, certificates, and other papers are filed with the Criminal Court clerk; confirm current filing procedures and window locations through the court's official website, as they can change.
• Non-English speakers are entitled to interpreters. The court provides interpreters at no cost; tell your attorney or a court officer in advance so one can be arranged. Spanish-speaking clients can also read our resources through our abogado de defensa criminal en New York page.
• Plan for a long day. Even a routine adjournment date can consume a morning. Do not schedule anything immovable for the same day.

Common Mistakes That Hurt Cases at 120 Schermerhorn Street

• Treating a DAT casually. People assume that because they were released, the matter is minor. A DAT case can still produce a criminal conviction, a record, and immigration or employment consequences.
• Missing a court date. A bench warrant follows you indefinitely and can convert a favorable posture into custody. If you realize you missed a date, contact a lawyer immediately about a voluntary return — walking in with counsel is vastly better than being picked up.
• Talking to the prosecution or police without counsel. Statements made after arraignment, in hallways, or on recorded jail calls are routinely used against defendants.
• Accepting the first offer without analysis. An arraignment offer may look attractive, but a plea taken before discovery is reviewed and CPL § 30.30 is analyzed may be a plea to a case that would have been dismissed. Conversely, some offers genuinely are best at arraignment. Only case-specific analysis tells you which.
• Ignoring collateral consequences. Pleas can affect immigration status, professional licenses, housing, and driving privileges. Sealing under CPL § 160.59 exists, but it is far better to avoid the conviction in the first place.
• Assuming Brooklyn works like other boroughs. Each borough's Criminal Court has its own rhythms, calendars, and prosecutorial policies. If your case is in Manhattan instead, see our companion guide to Manhattan Criminal Court at 100 Centre Street.

Why Local Experience at This Courthouse Matters

Criminal defense is not only about knowing the Penal Law and the Criminal Procedure Law — it is about knowing how those rules are applied in a specific building, by a specific District Attorney's office, part by part. An attorney who regularly appears at 120 Schermerhorn Street knows how arraignment parts handle bail applications, how the Kings County District Attorney's office structures its early disposition offers, which discovery disputes are worth litigating, and how to keep an accurate speedy trial ledger from day one. That local fluency translates directly into outcomes: released instead of held, dismissed instead of convicted, sealed instead of public.

You can contact us by phone at 212-233-1233 or by email at [email protected].