Which New York court hears your civil case
Civil jurisdiction thresholds with statutory authority. Source: 1Court Directory, verified 2026-08-20 (official source).
| Tier | Court | Amount in controversy | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small claims | Small Claims Part (NYC Civil / District / City Court) NYC and Nassau/Suffolk District Courts $10,000; many town/village justice courts $5,000. | Up to $10,000 | N.Y.C. Civ. Ct. Act § 1801 |
| Limited civil | New York City Civil Court Outside NYC, District/City Courts generally up to $15,000. | Up to $25,000 | N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 15 |
| General civil | Supreme Court General, unlimited civil jurisdiction. | No limit | N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 7 |
Lower-court limits vary by court type outside NYC; a ballot proposal to raise the NYC Civil Court cap was pending as of 2025.
Answer deadline after service
A defendant generally has 30 days after service of the summons and complaint to file an answer (CPLR 320(a)). Note: 20 days for personal in-state delivery; 30 used to cover all other service methods.
11 New York forms SimpleCase prepares
Generated from your uploaded complaint, with captions and terminology matched to New York practice. Every document is a draft for attorney review.
- Summons (CPLR 305)NY Supreme Court summons: 20/30 day response
- E-Filing Notice (Rule 202.5-bb)NYSCEF mandatory e-filing notice
- Request for Judicial Intervention (UCS-840)Required to get case assigned to judge: $95 fee
- Affirmation of RegularityApplication for default judgment: CPLR 3215
- Affidavit of Merit & Amount DueProof of facts and damages: CPLR 3215(f)
- Affidavit of Military StatusSCRA compliance: 50 U.S.C. § 3931
- Affirmation re: Statute of LimitationsRequired for clerk default: CPLR 3215(j)
- Proposed JudgmentDefault judgment for clerk/court entry
- Restraining Notice (CPLR 5222)Freezes debtor's bank accounts and assets
- Information Subpoena (CPLR 5224)Post-judgment asset discovery
- Voluntary Discontinuance (CPLR 3217)Voluntary dismissal: with or without prejudice
Filing packages
One click assembles the forms a New York matter typically needs at each stage.
General Civil
Summons (CPLR 305) · E-Filing Notice (Rule 202.5-bb) · Request for Judicial Intervention (UCS-840)
Collections: File & Serve
Summons (CPLR 305) · E-Filing Notice (Rule 202.5-bb) · Request for Judicial Intervention (UCS-840)
Collections: Default Judgment
Affirmation of Regularity · Affidavit of Merit & Amount Due · Affidavit of Military Status · Affirmation re: Statute of Limitations · Proposed Judgment
Collections: Enforce Judgment
Restraining Notice (CPLR 5222) · Information Subpoena (CPLR 5224)
Voluntary Discontinuance
Voluntary Discontinuance (CPLR 3217)
County-level court details
Filing fees, clerk contacts, e-filing portals, and courthouse addresses for every New York county are in the 1Court Directory: New York.
How it works
Upload your case document
PDF, Word, image, or text. SimpleCase extracts parties, claims, amounts, and dates.
Confirm venue and court
For unfiled cases, SimpleCase suggests the county, court level, and courthouse, with the statutory basis shown.
Generate the package
Every required form, filled and assembled as a ZIP, ready for attorney review and filing.
Turn a complaint into a filing-ready case
Your first 3 cases are free. No card required.
Try SimpleCase freeSimpleCase prepares document drafts for attorney review; it is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Court data on this page is sourced from the 1Court Directory with the verification date shown, and statutes and court rules change: always confirm current requirements, deadlines, and fees with the clerk of the court before filing.