ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) — Albany drivers who have received school speed zone camera tickets could be eligible for reimbursement if Albany County succeeds in a legal fight alleging the city violated state law in issuing some citations.
The dispute centers on what attorney Greg Rinckey, founding partner at Tully Rinckey, described as “bad blood” between Albany County and the city.
“In a nutshell, it’s really a fight between the County and the City. Hopefully they can resolve it through settlement,” Rinckey said.
In a document sent to the New York State Supreme Court, Albany County laid out alleged violations tied to school speed zone enforcement. A county audit found six citations issued from a camera in front of a school that was not in session. In one instance, a county vehicle was ticketed by a camera in front of All Saints Catholic Academy two months after the school shut down in May 2025.
Rinckey urged drivers who received a school zone violation from the city to review the circumstances of their ticket.
“If you’re watching this and you got a violation from the city of Albany for a school zone is first check and make sure that school was actually in session that day and secondly see how much they’re trying to charge you for the violation,” he said.
The County says school zone citations should not cost more than $75 — $50 for the base penalty and an additional $25 for a single failure to respond to a notice of liability. If the city is found to be in violation of state law, residents who have recently been ticketed could benefit.
“That should be automatic refunds to everyone who has paid for going back several years you know whether or not that’s going to happen or whether you’re going to have to fight to get a refund that’s yet to be seen,” Rinckey said.
Rinckey also said taxpayers could ultimately bear the cost of the dispute, which he attributed to “bad blood” between the city and the county.
“The other thing is this is a case that should have been resolved through settlement and it sounds like the county was trying to do that and the city kind of had to pay thousands of dollars in fees and time loss and fighting over I think it’s seven thousand dollars in fees,” he said.
Rinckey said much remains uncertain, and if the case goes to trial, the outcome will help determine how residents could seek reimbursement for similar citations.
