Information About Small Claims Court of New York

Disputes can arise between any two people, between a person and an institution, or a business any time. When such disputes arise, in many instances, there might be no other option but to approach the court for some legal settlement. Interestingly, in many of these instances, the claims are not that high. If this is the case, the matter can be settled by the small claims court.

Jurisdiction of Small Claims Courts

These are the courts whose jurisdiction is limited to settle civil cases involving private litigants. The courts that settle such small claims often have the jurisdiction to hear many other types of cases. You will find a small claims court in New York, and in the other states of the U.S.. These courts also exist in other countries such as in Ireland, Israel, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Scotland, New Zealand and in Hong Kong.

One of the busiest legal bodies is the Small Claims Court in New York. These courts have the jurisdictional authority to host hearings and pass decisions on civil cases that involve relatively small amounts of money. The popularity of the courts for small claims can be highlighted by the fact that the number of cases annually filed in such courts is in excess of 40,000.

In New York, the Small Claims Court operates as a part of the Civil Court.

How to Communicate with the Small Claims Courts of New York

Many of the contesting parties involved in the lawsuits at the small claims courts have regular employment during the day. In view of this fact, the courts offer the extremely convenient option of hosting evening sessions, which the litigating bodies can attend without any problem.

The procedure adopted by these courts of New York for the settlement of small claims disputes is simple. You might also want to gather more information regarding these courts, which can be obtained online at http://www.courts.state.ny.us/courts/nyc/smallclaims/index.shtml.

Functions of the Small Claims Court

The New York Small Claims Court functions as a wing of the overall civil court system in the state. The authorities place maximum emphasis on providing equal, fair, and of course swift justice to all applicants. It is also ensured that the services of the small claims courts remain accessible from all parts of the city.

Often, pursuing a lawsuit in a court involves inordinate amounts of monetary expenses. There are no such risks with dealing with the New York Small Claims Courts. In fact, if you are looking for a cost-effective solution to your small monetary disputes, these courts offer the ideal legal service.

Where to Find New York Small Claims Courts

Small claims courts are present in New York in a number of counties. This ensures that residents of these counties can file cases in such courts if required. The locations of these courts for small claims in New York are as follows:

•    Bronx County – Civil (Contact No. (646)386-5700)
•    Bronx County – Housing (Contact No. (646)386-5750)
•    Harlem Community Justice Center (Contact No. (646)386-5750)
•    Kings County Court (Contact No. (646)386-5700)
•    New York County Court (Contact No. (646)386-5700)
•    Queens County Court (Contact No. (646)386-5700)
•    Redhook Community Court (Contact No. (646)386-5750)
•    Richmond County Court (Contact No. (646)386-5700)

There is a specific structure of fees that are charged for the services provided. The courts themselves determine the amount and nature of these fees.

Types of Cases Heard by the New York Small Claims Court

The small claims courts are legally authorized to settle a wide array of civil cases, which do not involve a large amount of money. The types of lawsuits that these courts settle are:

•    Disputes between landlords and tenants,
•    Civil and small claims cases, and
•    Special motions terms

A small claims lawsuit traverses a specific legal path in the concerned court. Let us now look at the broad outlines of the litigation steps in such cases:

•    Initiating the case in the recommended manner
•    Dealing with consumers and commercial aspects of the case
•    Seeking postponement and/or adjournments in the hearings of the case
•    Counter claim activities
•    Issuance of subpoenas
•    Vacating a judgment
•    Settling the case before the date (as given by the court) arrives

All legal communications with the authorities of the court have to be carried out through valid prescribed forms. You can obtain the appropriate forms from the website of these courts.

Over the past few years, the following types of cases have been the ones most commonly brought in these courts for settlement:

•    Individual, automobile or property damage
•    Inadequate repairing services, or unsatisfactory qualities of goods supplied
•    Loan defaults, and/or non-funding of security money deposits
•    Defaults in insurance claim payments, service charges, or salaries
•    Violation of legal contracts, warranties, or lease document clauses
•    Loss of personal property or luggage items
•    Cases involving bounced checks

In order to increase your familiarity with the inner workings of the New York Small Claims Court, you can also go through the booklet relating the details of civil court proceedings, which is available online.