LeRay, New York is in the north central portion of Jefferson County. The Town of LeRay, formed in 1806, was named for a generous French colonial supporter, J. Le Ray de Chaumont, who became locally well known as James LeRay.

Fort Drum, home of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division, is located with the LeRay city limits. Fort Drum maintains the Wheeler Sack Army Airfield on its base as well. Leray is part of the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY Micro Statistical Area with a 2010 estimated population of just over 20,000 people on its 74 square miles.

LeRay, NY is about 60 miles north of Syracuse and about 30 miles south of the St. Lawrence River (the world's longest deep-draft inland waterway) and the Canadian border. Most of the local and state roads servicing the area wind their way into LeRay, making the area a hub. US Route 11 and NYS Route 3 are the major arteries.

The Town of LeRay Justice Court is held at 7:00 p.m. on Monday evenings (except holidays) in the Court Room of the Municipal Office Building at 8650 LeRay Street Evans Mills. Civil proceedings where claims amount to $15,000 or less are handled in the Justice Court and small claims matters under $3,000 are litigated in Small Claims Court. The Justice Court presides over traffic violations, arraignments, criminal cases, and evictions that occur within the town limits. The town’s two justices also perform marriages.

At the county court level, Jefferson County District Attorney is responsible for the prosecution of all violations of the law occurring within the boundaries of the County. Currently this includes prosecution in all courts in the County for violations of the Penal, Alcoholic Beverage Control, Agricultural and Markets, Vehicle and Traffic, Tax, Environmental Conservation Law, and municipal ordinances. The County District Attorney delegates prosecution of municipal ordinances to the municipalities' attorneys. The Jefferson County Court system handles many of the family law matters that arise in LeRay. Wills, estates, adoption, and guardianships are handled at the county level by the Jefferson County Surrogate's Court in Watertown, NY.

The statewide Supreme Court generally hears cases outside the authority of the lower courts such as civil matters and personal injury cases beyond the monetary limits of the lower courts’ jurisdiction. The Supreme Court is also the primary court for divorce, separation and annulment proceedings, and criminal prosecution of felonies. The Jefferson County Court and the statewide Supreme Court come under the administration of The NY State 5th Judicial District Court. The Jefferson County Court is located at Jefferson County Court Complex, 163 Arsenal Street, Watertown, NY. Jefferson County Supreme Court is in the State Office Building, 317 Washington St., Watertown, NY.

LeRay, New York, and Fort Drum are serviced by three different school districts: Carthage Central School District, Indian River Central School District and the Watertown City School District.