Justices of the peace are judges who handle both civil and criminal cases, including small claims court, justice court, and administrative hearings. In practical terms, these are lawsuits over debts, evictions, car accidents, unlawful towing, and property.

Their criminal workload involves disposing of all class C criminal misdemeanor complaints, such as traffic citations, issuance of bad check, and others. These cases involve payment, setting contested cases for trial, and pretrial hearings with the county prosecutor.

Other duties include presiding over peace bond hearings, reviewing applications for mental health or chemically dependent commitments, conducting compulsory school attendance trials, and giving warnings to juveniles required by law. They issue warrants for and conduct hearings concerning seizure and disposition of cruelly treated animals. Most justices of the peace perform marriage ceremonies as well.

In New York, justices of the peace are local judges who primarily preside over matters in town and village courts. They handle a variety of cases, including small claims (for disputes involving limited monetary amounts), landlord-tenant disputes, and other civil matters. They also deal with minor criminal offenses, such as traffic violations and other misdemeanors. Justices of the peace in New York do not typically handle class C criminal misdemeanor complaints as described, as New York categorizes misdemeanors differently. They may oversee administrative hearings, issue warrants, and perform marriage ceremonies. Their role in mental health or chemical dependency commitments, school attendance trials, and juvenile warnings varies based on local regulations and may require collaboration with other agencies or courts. It's important to note that the specific duties and powers of justices of the peace can vary by jurisdiction within the state, and they operate under the rules and statutes of New York State law.