Orange County, New York

Orange County is located in the mid Hudson Valley region of New York. The county was named for William III of Orange, who was held in high regard by the original settlers of the county. Orange County was one of the original twelve counties established in the Province of New York in 1683 along with Dutchess County, among others. Rockland County split off from Orange County in 1798. The first Court in Orange County was established in 1801.

The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel is proud to serve the residents of Orange County, offering representation for personal injury and criminal defense cases. Our founding attorney has been practicing in the area since 1986 and our entire team is dedicated to every case. If you have been injured or have been accused of a crime, contact us for a free consultation.

More About Orange County

Orange County is directly north of the New York-New Jersey border and northwest of New York City. Orange County is on the border of three states, bordering Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster in New York, Passaic and Sussex in New Jersey, and Pike County in Pennsylvania. Orange County is the only county in New York that has borders on the Hudson River and Delaware River. Based on the US Census, the population of the county was 407,470.

According to US Census figures, Orange County has a total area of 839 square miles, of which 816 is land. There are many tourist attractions in Orange County, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; the Brotherhood Winery, which is the oldest winery in the United States in Washingtonville; the birthplace of William H. Seward in Florida, New York (the 12th governor of New York and the U.S. Secretary of State under President Lincoln); the Harness Racing Museum Hall of Fame in Goshen; and the Sterling Forest State Park.

Famous residents of Orange County include George Washington, Geraldine Ferraro, Gen. David Petraeus, actors Barry Bostwick and Armand Assante and authors Stephen Crane and James Patterson.

What Most People Don’t Know About Personal Injury Law in Orange County

While Orange County is a beautiful place to live and work, a serious injury can derail your life in seconds. When people come to The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel after a serious injury, they don’t always know that:

• Insurance companies aren’t always on your side. One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that the insurance company of the at-fault party will automatically offer a fair settlement. In reality, insurance companies are businesses focused on minimizing their financial losses. They often try to settle as quickly as they can and for the lowest amount possible, sometimes not taking into account the long-term effects of an injury, such as future medical bills or lost earning potential.
• Pain and suffering are real losses. After a personal injury, you may be thinking about the most obvious financial losses, such as medical bills and lost wages. However, if you have a claim, you can also seek compensation for pain and suffering. This includes emotional distress, anxiety, loss of enjoyment of life, and ongoing physical pain. Calculating these damages isn’t always straightforward, which is why you will want to work with an Orange County attorney who can help.
• You can still be compensated if you were partially at fault. In New York, the law allows for comparative negligence, meaning you can still receive compensation even if you were partly to blame, though it will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
• A lawsuit isn’t always necessary. A lot of people assume that the only options they have are to either accept an insurance offer or go to court. In reality, the majority of personal injury claims are settled out of court. Your attorney’s goal is to reach a fair settlement, which allows you to avoid trial.

What Most People in Orange County Don’t Know About Criminal Law

Criminal law is another area where common misunderstandings often occur. If you are ever accused of a crime in Orange County, you will want to keep the following in mind:

• The police don’t always have to tell you everything. The police are there to solve a crime, not to protect you. If you are accused, police must follow specific procedures and rules, but they don’t have to tell you everything about how evidence is being gathered against you. Keep in mind that speaking to police without a lawyer present can hurt your case. Well-meaning individuals sometimes provide statements that inadvertently harm their defense. Having an experienced criminal defense attorney present from the start helps you protect your rights.
• You might not get bail right away. Many people assume that if they’re arrested, they’ll automatically get out on bail. In reality, bail is not always granted, and the conditions can vary widely based on the seriousness of the charge, your criminal history, and even the judge’s discretion.  An experienced criminal lawyer can help you request bail or argue for the least restrictive conditions.
• A plea deal isn’t always the best option. One of the most common ways cases are resolved in the criminal justice system is through plea deals, where the accused agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence or charges. While plea deals can be a way to avoid trial, they are not always in the best interest of the accused, especially if they don’t fully understand the long-term consequences of pleading guilty. A criminal defense attorney will evaluate the strength of the prosecution’s case, the plea offer, and any potential defenses you may have before advising you on whether a plea deal is in your best interest.
• The stakes are high, and they go beyond jail time. While many people think of jail time when they think about criminal convictions, there are many other consequences that can follow a conviction. These include probation, loss of employment, loss of voting rights, and a criminal record that can follow you for life. A criminal defense attorney will not only fight to reduce your sentence or avoid jail time, but also help minimize the collateral consequences of a conviction.

Being arrested and charged with a crime is a life-changing, frightening moment, but it’s important to remember that you have rights, not only during your arrest, but also after. The trouble is that many people are not aware of these rights when they are accused of wrongdoing, and this can make them vulnerable. The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel has even handled cases of police misconduct, where police acted in bad faith or even violently, often using an accused’s lack of legal knowledge against them.

Contacting a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible is crucial. An attorney can protect you from common mistakes that could endanger your future and your freedom.

The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel Serves Orange County

The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel specializes in personal injury and criminal law, and we pride ourselves on providing personalized, hands-on attention to each of our clients. From the moment the client enters our White Plains, New York offices, through the conclusion of their case by trial, mediation, arbitration or other resolution, our clients are fully apprised of the status of their cases at all times. We offer a free initial consultation to all clients, and are accessible through our two websites, injurylawny.com and dwilawnewyork.com, three blogs, and by fax, e-mail.

Contact our office at (914) 428-7386 to schedule an appointment for your free consultation or visit our websites at www.injurylawny.com or www.dwilawnewyork.com. Directions to our office from the Orange County Supreme Court in Goshen can be accessed here.

Parking is easily accessible in the six-story municipal parking garage directly behind our building at the corner of Maple Avenue and Chester Street, known as the Chester-Maple Garage.