N.Y. Vehicle & Traffic Law § 155: Traffic infraction

§ 155. Traffic infraction. The violation of any provision of this

chapter, except articles forty-seven and forty-eight, or of any law,

ordinance, order, rule or regulation regulating traffic which is not

declared by this chapter or other law of this state to be a misdemeanor

or a felony. A traffic infraction is not a crime and the punishment

imposed therefor shall not be deemed for any purpose a penal or criminal

punishment and shall not affect or impair the credibility as a witness

or otherwise of any person convicted thereof. This definition shall be

retroactive and shall apply to all acts and violations heretofore

committed where such acts and violations would, if committed subsequent

to the taking effect of this section, be included within the meaning of

the term "traffic infraction" as herein defined. Except in those

portions of Suffolk county for which a district court has been

established, outside of cities having a population in excess of one

million in which administrative tribunals have heretofore been

established, courts and judicial officers heretofore having jurisdiction

over such violations shall continue to do so and for such purpose such

violations shall be deemed misdemeanors and all provisions of law

relating to misdemeanors except as provided in section eighteen hundred

five of this chapter and except as herein otherwise expressly provided

shall apply except that no jury trial shall be allowed for traffic

infractions. In those portions of Suffolk county for which a district

court has been established and in cities having a population in excess

of one million in which administrative tribunals have heretofore been

established, the criminal courts of such cities or portions of Suffolk

county in which a district court has been established shall have

jurisdiction to hear and determine any complaint alleging a violation

constituting a traffic infraction, except that administrative tribunals

heretofore established in such cities or portions of Suffolk county in

which a district court has been established shall have jurisdiction to

hear and determine any charge of an offense which is a traffic

infraction, except parking, standing or stopping. In cities having a

population in excess of two hundred thousand in which administrative

tribunals have heretofore been established, and any such administrative

tribunal established by the city of Yonkers, the city of Peekskill, or

the city of Syracuse, such tribunals shall have jurisdiction to hear and

determine any charge of an offense which is a parking, standing or

stopping violation. Any fine imposed by an administrative tribunal shall

be a civil penalty. For purposes of arrest without a warrant, pursuant

to article one hundred forty of the criminal procedure law, a traffic

infraction shall be deemed an offense.