All Courts in New York City

The Legal Capital of the World: A Comprehensive Guide to Courts in New York City 🇺🇸

Welcome to the ultimate directory of judicial institutions within New York City, the most populous city in the USA and a global powerhouse of finance, culture, and law. From the historic steps of the courthouse at 60 Centre Street (seen in countless movies) to the bustling arraignment parts in the Bronx, the legal system here is massive, handling millions of cases annually for over 8 million residents. New York City is unique because it spans five distinct boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island), each of which functions as its own county with its own set of Courts. Whether you are a tenant fighting an eviction in Housing Court, a corporation litigating a billion-dollar merger in the Commercial Division, or a tourist dealing with a subway citation, understanding the landscape of Courts in this metropolis is a daunting but necessary task. This catalog is designed to be your navigator through the complex, high-energy, and often intimidating legal avenues of the Big Apple. 🗽

The first rule of navigating the NYC legal system is understanding the geography. Each borough corresponds to a specific county: Manhattan is New York County, Brooklyn is Kings County, Staten Island is Richmond County, while Queens and The Bronx share their borough names. You must file your papers in the correct county. Additionally, New York State uses terminology that is the opposite of the rest of the country: here, the “Supreme Court” is a trial court, not the highest appeals court. Below, we break down the vast array of institutions you will find in our directory. ⚖️

The Federal Courts: SDNY and EDNY

New York City is the only city in the USA to host two separate and highly prestigious federal district courts.

Southern District of New York (SDNY)

Located in Manhattan (Foley Square), the SDNY is often called the “Mother Court” due to its age and prestige. It handles cases involving Wall Street, major financial crimes, terrorism, and complex international litigation. If a case involves federal law and occurs in Manhattan or the Bronx, it lands here.

Eastern District of New York (EDNY)

Located in Downtown Brooklyn, the EDNY covers Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island (as well as Long Island). It handles a massive docket of civil rights cases, organized crime prosecutions, and drug trafficking cases centering on JFK and LaGuardia airports.

The Supreme Court of the State of New York

In each of the five boroughs, there is a Supreme Court. Remember, despite the name, this is the trial court of general jurisdiction.

• Civil Term: Handles lawsuits seeking damages over $25,000, divorce (matrimonial) cases, and Article 78 proceedings (suing government agencies). The “Commercial Division” in Manhattan is world-famous for handling business disputes.
• Criminal Term: Handles felony trials (serious crimes like murder, rape, grand larceny). If you are watching a high-profile criminal trial on the news in NYC, it is likely happening in the Supreme Court Criminal Term.

The NYC Civil Court

The Civil Court of the City of New York is one of the busiest courts in the world. It has branches in all five boroughs.

• General Civil: Lawsuits involving monetary claims up to $50,000.
• Small Claims: A simplified “People’s Court” for disputes up to $10,000.
• Housing Part: This is arguably the most critical court for average New Yorkers. It handles landlord-tenant disputes, non-payment of rent, and holdover evictions. Given the city’s complex rent-stabilization laws, these courtrooms are battlegrounds for tenant rights. 🏠

The NYC Criminal Court

Distinct from the Supreme Court, the Criminal Court of the City of New York handles the initial stages of all criminal cases and trials for misdemeanors.

• Arraignments: This is where the process begins. Arraignment courts in NYC operate 365 days a year, often until 1:00 AM. This is where bail is set after an arrest. The most famous location is 100 Centre Street in Manhattan.
• Misdemeanors: Crimes punishable by up to one year on Rikers Island are tried here.
• Summons Part: Handles “pink slip” summonses for quality-of-life offenses like public drinking or being in a park after dark.

Family & Surrogate’s Courts

Each borough also houses these specialized state courts:

• Family Court: Handles child custody, visitation, juvenile delinquency, and child support. Notably, they do not handle divorce judgments (that’s Supreme Court).
• Surrogate’s Court: Handles wills, estates, and adoptions. The New York County Surrogate’s Court handles some of the wealthiest estates in the country. 🕯️

Logistics: Surviving the NYC Legal System

Going to court in New York City is an experience unlike any other. It is crowded, loud, and fast-paced.

Transit is King

Do not drive. Parking near the courthouses in Downtown Brooklyn, Jamaica (Queens), or Lower Manhattan is either non-existent or exorbitantly expensive. The subway is the most reliable way to arrive. All major court complexes are hubs for multiple subway lines (e.g., Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall, Court St-Borough Hall, Sutphin Blvd). 🚇

Security Protocols

Security is managed by NYS Court Officers. It is extremely strict.

• Screening: Airport-style lines. You must remove belts, coats, and empty pockets.
• Prohibited Items: Guns, knives (of any size), pepper spray, tools, glass bottles, and heavy metal objects.
• Cell Phones: Policies have relaxed slightly, but generally, you cannot use them in the courtroom. Taking photos or recording video anywhere inside the building is grounds for arrest. 📵

Dress Code

While you will see everything from suits to sweatpants, dressing professionally (“business casual”) can help you navigate the system more smoothly and gain respect from judges and clerks.

Digital Access: NYSCEF

New York has aggressively moved to e-filing.

• NYSCEF: The New York State Courts Electronic Filing system is mandatory for most Supreme Court and Surrogate’s Court cases.
• WebCivil / WebCrim: You can track cases online using the eCourts public portal to find your next appearance date. This is vital in a city where dockets can have hundreds of cases a day. 💻

How to Use This Directory

We have organized this massive list to help you find the needle in the haystack.

1. Identify the Borough: An arrest in Brooklyn goes to Kings County Criminal Court. A divorce in Manhattan goes to New York County Supreme Court. Do not cross borough lines!
2. Identify the Court: Eviction? -> Civil Court (Housing Part). Felony? -> Supreme Court. Ticket? -> Criminal Court (Summons Part) or DMV TVB (for moving violations).
3. Check the Address: Many courts are in large complexes. 100 Centre St and 111 Centre St are different buildings with different functions.

The Courts of New York City are the busiest in the world, a testament to the city’s energy and complexity. From high-stakes federal trials to neighborhood disputes, the institutions listed here form the bedrock of law and order in the five boroughs. Use the information below to find the contact details, addresses, and operational specifics of the institution serving your needs. 🌟