DWI in Erie County (Buffalo): What the Court Data Shows

In Erie County, 4.2% of 4,001 DWI / DUI cases (DCJS, 2019–2024) were dismissed; 95.1% ended in conviction. Median case duration: 175 days. Pretrial release: 84.4% ROR. Median bail when set: $250. 3.3% of cases were reduced to a lesser charge, most commonly Traffic Offense.

Erie DWI / DUI — By the Numbers

4.2%

Dismissal Rate

95.1%

Conviction Rate

175

Median Days to Disposition

Pretrial Release (Erie County)

84.4%

Released on Recognizance

3.5%

Bail Set

$250

Median Bail When Set

Sentencing Profile (Erie County)

For the 95.1% of 4,001 DWI / DUI cases that ended in conviction in Erie County: 85.3% received a fine only; 8.6% received probation; 2.9% received a jail sentence; 0.8% received a state prison sentence. Actual sentences depend on the specifics of each case.

Source: NY DCJS Pretrial Release Data (2019–2024). See our methodology for definitions. Statutory references: NY VTL § 1192 (driving while intoxicated). For the full Erie County DWI / DUI profile, see our data page.

Disclaimer: This page provides statistics from public court records for informational purposes only. This is not legal advice. Laws and penalties change — consult a licensed New York attorney and the New York Penal Law for current legal information. Past court outcomes do not predict future results.

Erie County, which includes the city of Buffalo, is the largest county in upstate New York and processes a substantial volume of DWI cases. This guide examines what DCJS pretrial release data (2019-2024) reveals about DWI case handling in Erie County.

What Our Data Shows About DWI in Erie County

Our analysis of DWI cases in Erie County reveals:

Erie County's DWI pretrial release patterns provide a window into upstate court practices
Charge reduction and plea patterns may differ from New York City and Long Island counties
The data captures how bail reform affected DWI processing in this major upstate jurisdiction

View DWI statistics for Erie County for detailed data.

Erie County Court Context

Erie County's courts serve the Buffalo metropolitan area, the second-largest urban center in New York State. The county's mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas creates a diverse caseload. DWI enforcement patterns may differ from downstate counties given the region's geography and transportation infrastructure.

Pretrial Release Patterns

Our data tracks pretrial release decisions for DWI cases in Erie County over the 2019-2024 period. As a major upstate county, Erie's data is useful for understanding how bail reform and DWI processing practices play out outside the downstate region.

Next Steps

For information about DWI laws and potential penalties, consult a licensed New York attorney. View Erie County DWI statistics or compare DWI outcomes across all New York counties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our analysis of DCJS pretrial release records from 2019-2024 shows that Erie County (Buffalo) has its own DWI processing patterns. As the largest upstate county, its data provides insight into how DWI cases are handled outside the New York City metro area.

Our data shows differences between Erie County and the New York City metro area in DWI pretrial release and disposition patterns. Upstate counties may handle DWI cases with different approaches than downstate urban and suburban courts.

For legal advice about a DWI charge in Erie County, consult a licensed New York attorney who practices in the Buffalo area courts. Our site provides court statistics, not legal recommendations.

Related Data

DWI / DUI

80,930 cases · 5.1% dismissed

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