Legal Terms & Definitions

View the Glossary for a dictionary of legal terms.

Starting Your Case

How to Commence a Civil Action

NumberTitlePDFFillable
 InstructionsPDF 
45SummonsPDFFillable
20Summons with NoticePDFFillable
28Complaint

PDF

(*Sample)

Fillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
35Affirmation of Service of Initiating PapersPDFFillable

How to Commence a Special Proceeding

NumberTitlePDFFillable
8Notice of Petition, Petition, Verification in a Special ProceedingPDFFillable
4Order to Show Cause in a Special ProceedingPDFFillable
5Order to Show Cause with Temporary Restraining Order in a Special ProceedingPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Plaintiff: Serving Your Case on Defendant

How to Serve Papers

NumberTitlePDFFillable
 InstructionsPDF 
35Affirmation of Service of Initiating PapersPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable
17Application for Order Extending Plaintiff's Time to Serve SummonsPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable

Defendant: Answering

How to Answer a Complaint

NumberTitlePDFFillable
 Instructions on How to Answer a ComplaintPDF 
 Instructions on How to Extend the Time to AnswerPDF 
 Instructions on How to Answer a Consumer Credit ComplaintPDF 
23AnswerPDFFillable
 Consumer Credit AnswerPDF 
 Foreclosure Answer  
7Notice of MotionPDFFillable
24Notice of AppearancePDFFillable
18Application for Order Extending Defendant's Time to AnswerPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

How to Get a Judge Assigned to Your Case

Request for Judicial Intervention - RJI Forms / Request for Preliminary Conference

NumberTitlePDFFillable
 InstructionsPDF 
31Request for Judicial Intervention (RJI) 840PDFFillable
 General Addendum Form 840A (Additional Space) Fillable
 Commercial Division Addendum 840C Fillable
 Foreclosure Addendum 840F Fillable
 Matrimonial Addendum 840M Fillable
34Request for Preliminary ConferencePDFFillable
 Preliminary Conference Instructions and ADR Certification (Effective 1/02/2025)PDF 
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Making or Answering a Motion

Order to Show Cause Cover Sheet & Procedures / Relief by Order to Show Cause or Motion

NumberTitlePDFFillable
 InstructionsPDF 
7Notice of MotionPDFFillable
2Order to Show Cause in a Civil ActionPDFFillable
3Order to Show Cause with Temporary Restraining Order in a Civil ActionPDFFillable
39Affidavit in Support of a Temporary Restraining Order in a Civil ActionPDFFillable
6Order to Show Cause for Contempt in Civil ActionPDFFillable
33Emergency AffidavitPDFFillable
38Affidavit in SupportPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

How to Answer a Motion or Order to Show Cause

NumberTitlePDFFillable
 InstructionsPDF 
21Affidavit in OppositionPDFFillable
22Reply AffidavitPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Missing Your Court Date

How to Vacate a Default

NumberTitlePDFFillable
 InstructionsPDF 
7Notice of MotionPDFFillable
2Order to Show Cause in a Civil ActionPDFFillable
33Emergency AffidavitPDFFillable
38Affidavit in SupportPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Legally Stopping the Other Party

How to Ask for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)

NumberTitlePDFFillable
 InstructionsPDF 
3Order to Show Cause with Temporary Restraining Order in a Civil ActionPDFFillable
39Affidavit in Support of a Temporary Restraining Order in a Civil ActionPDFFillable
40Affidavit in Support of a Temporary Restraining Order Against a Public Officer, Board or Municipal CorporationPDFFillable
5Order to Show Cause with Temporary Restraining Order in a Special ProceedingPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable

Getting Ready for Trial

How to Certify Your Case for Trial

NumberTitlePDFFillable
26Note of IssuePDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Proposing an Unsigned Order

How to Send Out a Proposed Order / Judgment (Unsigned)

NumberTitlePDFFillable
27Long Form OrderPDFFillable
49Notice of SettlementPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Sending a Signed Order

How to Send Out a Signed Order / Judgment (Signed)

NumberTitlePDFFillable
25Notice of EntryPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Appealing

How to Appeal an Order / Judgment

NumberTitlePDFFillable
 InstructionsPDF 
45Notice of AppealPDF 
46Pre-Argument StatementPDF 
50Request for Appellate Division Intervention (RADI)PDF 
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Removing Your Case Before the Court

How to Discontinue an Action / Special Proceeding

NumberTitlePDFFillable
32Stipulation Discontinuing ActionPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Representing Yourself

How to File a Consent to Change Attorney to Represent Yourself

NumberTitlePDFFillable
51Consent to Change AttorneyPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Guardian of Infant's Money

Withdrawal of Infant Funds

NumberTitlePDFFillable
13Petition for Withdrawal of Infant's FundsPDFFillable
37Acknowledged Consent of Infant Over the Age of 14 Years to Withdraw FundsPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Getting Your Arbitration Award

How to Confirm an Arbitration Award

NumberTitlePDFFillable
1Order to Show Cause to Confirm Arbitration - CPLR Article 75PDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable

After the Foreclosure Sale

How to Release Surplus Money After a Foreclosure Sale

NumberTitlePDFFillable
9Notice of Motion to Confirm Referee Report of Sale and Disburse Surplus MoniesPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable
36Affirmation of Service After Commencement of LitigationPDFFillable

Extending a Mechanic's Lien

How to Extend a Mechanic's Lien

NumberTitlePDFFillable
19Application for Order Extending Mechanic's LienPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable

Blank Forms

Miscellaneous Forms

NumberTitlePDFFillable
29PetitionPDFFillable
30AffidavitPDFFillable
38Affidavit in SupportPDFFillable
43Part 130 CertificationPDFFillable
44VerificationPDFFillable
48Legal BackPDFFillable