New York City Courts New York City Civil Court

Overview

The Civil Court of the City of New York decides lawsuits involving claims for damages up to $50,000, small claims (cases involving amounts up to $10,000), and claims related to housing (landlord-tenant matters).

The Civil Court of the City of New York consists of 3 parts: General Civil, Housing, and Small Claims. General Civil cases includes matters where parties are seeking monetary relief up to $50,000. The Housing Part hears landlord-tenant matters and cases involving maintenance of housing standards. The Small Claims Part hears cases where parties are seeking monetary relief up to $10,000.

The Civil Court serves the five counties of the City of New York. There is one courthouse located in each borough, except in the Bronx, where there are two locations. There are also two "community courts" located in Harlem and Red Hook, which provide some of the court's services to those communities.