August 3: Message from Chief Judge DiFiore
Responding to an Eviction Proceeding:
NYC | OUTSIDE NYC
Electronic Document Delivery System (EDDS)
The UCS has made available a system of secure document transmission by court users to judges,
clerks of court, and other UCS offices around the State. This system, known as the Electronic Document Delivery System (EDDS),
may also be used for filing of documents in pending cases in courts where NYSCEF is not available. EDDS may be used by attorneys, unrepresented persons, and other court users.
For more information on this system, view the
EDDS Notice and the
EDDS FAQs.
EDDS should NOT be used for the filing of emergency applications. For information on filing such applications please contact the court directly.
(If you do not have a lawyer, you may visit the
CourtHelp website or the
DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Forms page for helpful
information about the legal process and legal documents.)
Send a Document with EDDS
As part of our effort to provide court staff and the public with up-to-date accurate information about the impact of the coronavirus upon the courts – and especially as COVID-19 testing becomes more broadly available -- we ask the following:
If you have been tested or test positive for COVID-19 and have visited any UCS courthouse or court facility in the prior fourteen days, please fill out and submit the Covid19 Test Result Form as soon as possible. If you prefer to notify the court system by phone, call 833-503-0447.We will then notify court personnel, attorneys and other members of the public who may have been at risk of exposure, in order that they may contact their medical professionals and take appropriate further steps for their and their families’ health and safety. Thank you for your cooperation in this important notification effort during these challenging times.
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FreeLegal Assistance by phone/web.
CourtHelp when you don't have a lawyer.
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During the current coronavirus public health emergency, the NY State Court System remains open to address all essential and critical needs of the public. Concurrently, we continue to work closely with our partners in government, including State and local health authorities, to take appropriate measures in order to prioritize the health and safety of all court visitors and staff.
More Info
Latest News:
August 5, 2020 - Press Release
Commission to Reimagine Future of NY Courts Issues Its First Report | Report
August 3, 2020 - Press Release
Appellate Term Appointments Announced
July 28, 2020
Murder Trial Resumes in Bronx Supreme Court
Tuesday, July 28th, marked the resumption of an Intentional Murder jury trial in Bronx Supreme Court before Judge Steven Barrett. The jury, which had already been seated before trial operations ceased in mid-March due to the pandemic, returned, albeit with the courtroom looking very different.
Twelve jurors and three alternates, all socially distanced two seats apart in three rows, resumed listening to testimony.
July 24, 2020 - Memo
Revised Procedure for Addressing Residential & Commercial Foreclosure Proceedings
July 23, 2020 - Press Release
New Administrative Judge Named in Suffolk County
July 23, 2020
Bronx Supreme Court
As New York City courthouses continue to gradually increase in-person operations, the Bronx Hall of Justice implemented safety enhancements including plexiglas and markings on court benches and elevators.
Justice Robert Neary presides over cases in the SCA Part under the watchful eye of court officers.
Bronx Hall of Justice courtroom benches marked to ensure social distancing.
July 23, 2020
Court Officers Graduate
Having to reinvent the way the New York State Court System conducts business due to the pandemic has been paramount over the past few months.
In mid-March the current class of 211 Court Officer recruits was suspended and their graduation in April postponed.
Over the past few weeks, smaller groups of recruits returned to the Academy to complete their basic training. This is the first of 6 squads to return to and complete their basic training. A total of 36 trainees, 32 for courts outside New York City and four for 4 New York City courts graduated this week and will deployed starting Monday.
The remainder of the class, five more squads, are all destined for New York City courts.
July 17, 2020
Judge Mark Dwyer, State Supreme Court, New York County Criminal Term, sentences a defendant on a felony conviction, during an in person appearance at 100 Centre Street.
All health and safety protocols were in place, including Plexiglas barriers, sanitizer, masks and gloves for all involved.
July 16, 2020
Bar Exam/Temporary Practice Order Update
On July 16, 2020, the Board of Law Examiners made the difficult decision to cancel the September 9-10 administration of the bar examination in New York. The Board arrived at this decision after careful consideration of current conditions and with a singular focus on the health and safety of all participants. Unfortunately, the global pandemic presents a persisting threat in a growing number of states and therefore, at this juncture, an in-person exam is not yet a safe or practical option in New York.
The Court of Appeals commends the members of Board of Law Examiners, ably lead by Diane Bosse, for their tireless efforts to administer the bar exam under these difficult circumstances and for their considered decision to suspend the September exam. The Court is also appreciative of the input and cooperation of the Deans of New York’s fifteen law schools, who generously offered their facilities in order to make possible the Board’s redesigned exam administration.
Because suspension of the September exam has always been a real possibility, the Court has proceeded on dual tracks: working towards a safe administration of the exam while simultaneously developing contingencies to ameliorate the effects of further postponement. As previously announced, the Chief Judge has approved a program designed to provide temporary authorization for qualified law graduates to engage in the supervised practice of law. To formally implement the program, the Court has amended its rules, effective July 22. As provided in the Court’s amended rules, the temporary authorization program is available to all first-time takers of the bar examination employed in New York, including both J.D. and LL.M. candidates, irrespective of their graduation year. Once authorized, eligible candidates will be permitted to work under a qualified supervising attorney prior to their admission to the bar and to perform, subject to supervision, many of the functions of admitted attorneys across the State. Candidates may remain in the program through their formal admission to the bar, so long as candidates pass their first bar examination no later than 2021 and promptly seek admission to the bar following the release of exam results.
A standardized and streamlined application process has been developed to enable candidates to swiftly secure temporary authorization to practice. Qualified candidates may apply for authorization through the department of the Appellate Division in which they expect to be certified for admission by the New York State Board of Law Examiners. Application forms and related information can be found on each Department’s website. The Appellate Division will begin processing applications on July 22, when the Court’s amended rules take effect.
In addition, the Chief Judge has assembled a Working Group, to be chaired by retired Court of Appeals Judge Howard A. Levine, to study the future of the bar exam in New York. The Working Group has been tasked with evaluating, in a comprehensive manner, the primary assessment tool for New York bar applicants (presently, the Uniform Bar Examination) as well as other proposed metrics for bar admission – including a fully remote bar exam and a diploma privilege, among other alternatives. Relevant considerations will include health and safety, feasibility, equality, security, and the reliability of each proposed alternative as an accurate measure of an applicant’s proficiency. As its first priority, the Working Group will evaluate the emergency remote testing option to be offered by the NCBE on October 5-6 and endeavor to reach a recommendation by early August. This important work will explore innovative methods of adapting our professional licensure process in a responsible manner as we emerge from the most acute stages of this crisis.
July 14, 2020
Resumption of New York City's first jury trial
Preparations being made for the resumption of New York City’s first jury trial since all trials were suspended in March, at 100 Centre Street. Judge Ann Scherzer along with attorneys, court staff and security readying the courtroom for both in-person and virtual appearances by witnesses. Jurors will be returning Monday July 20th.
July 14, 2020 - Nassau County
Administrative Judge Norman St. George greets prospective Grand Jurors for the first time in nearly four months as Courts outside of New York City continue to gradually increase in-person operations.
Nassau County Court Judge Robert Bogle takes the bench to preside on Long Island's first criminal trial since the coronavirus forced trials to be postponed in March. While Jury trials are still on hold, Bench trials are now going forward.
July 13, 2020 - Grand Jury
In-person Grand Jury proceedings resumed today in all Counties outside of New York City. In Monroe County, potential jurors are sworn in at the Hall of Justice in Rochester.
July 10, 2010
Covid-19 Screening Protocols for UCS Judges and Nonjudicial Employees
July 9, 2020
Updated Guidance on Eviction and Foreclosure Proceedings
July 8, 2020 - Press Release
Courts in 3rd, 9th and 10th Judicial Districts Begin Phase 4 of Return to In-Person Operations
July 7, 2020 - Press Release
Grand Juries to Resume in NYC; NYC Courts Expand In-Person Proceedings
July 6, 2020 - TEMPERATURE CHECKS
Effective today, all visitors, attorneys, witnesses, spectators, law enforcement officers, prisoners, vendors, and all other non-court personnel, to any Unified Court System facility will be required to submit to temperature screening and questioning upon entry into the facility by New York State Court Officers and prior to magnetometer security screening.
If the visitor's registered temperature is less than 100.0" F., and the visitor answers "no" to the questions, the visitor shall be permitted to proceed to security screening.
If the visitor's registered temperature is equal to or greater than 100.0. F., or the visitor answers "yes" to any of the questions, the visitor will be questioned about their court business, given a recommended course of action and not permitted entrance to the building.
June 30, 2020
Upstate Courts to Begin Phase 4 of Return to In-Person Operations
June 30, 2020
Covid-19 Screening of Courthouse Visitors - Memo
Screening Questions Poster: English | Español
June 26, 2020
As we continue to slowly increase in-person operations in New York City Courthouses, various safety enhancements are being implemented. Facilities personnel from the Office of Court Administration along with New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services are in the process of fabricating and installing Plexiglas dividers in Courtrooms throughout the City.
Workers here are measuring a template in Queens Supreme Court in Jamaica.
June 25, 2020 - Press Release
Courts in 3rd, 9th and 10th Judicial Districts Enter Phase 3 of Return to In-Person Operations
June 23, 2020
Procedure for Addressing Residential and Commercial Foreclosure Proceedings
June 23, 2020 - Press Release
New Queens County Administrative Judge Named
June 23, 2020 - Press Release
NYC Courts Begin Phase 2 of Return to In-Person Operations
June 23, 2020
New York City Housing Court continued its incremental expansion to full operations. Continuing with virtual proceedings with represented parties, today, new matters may be filed either by mail or NYSCEF electronic filing system only.
Judges, chambers staff, Court Officers and support personnel returned to the courthouses, where here, at 141 Livingston Street in downtown Brooklyn, the foot traffic was minimal.
ARCHIVE OF COVID19 CONTENT:
June 18 to March 11, 2020
"The New York State Court System provides essential justice services to the people of the State of New York. As we resume in-person operations Statewide to include non-essential matters, all essential functions of the courts remain available to ensure that New Yorkers may access the justice system during this extremely challenging time."
- Chief Judge DiFiore
If you have specific questions about your juror service, a case already in court, or you need to start a court case, call: the Coronavirus Telephone Hotline: 833-503-0447.
JUROR SERVICE:
If you have been summoned for juror service or are serving on a jury, please see the notice from the Commissioner of Jurors regarding coronavirus and the flu.
TEMPORARY ORDERS OF PROTECTION issued in any court of the New York State Unified Court System which were due to expire on or after March 19, 2020 have been extended and are considered still in effect until parties are otherwise notified. If you have had an Order of Protection issued against you and it expired on or after March 19, it is still in effect until you are otherwise notified and you must continue to obey all conditions of that Order .
RESCHEDULING CASES:
Parties will be advised of rescheduled Court dates when normal court business resumes.
Questions about the status of a particular case should be made to the court, at telephone numbers listed at the Court Locator. However, please be advised that, during this health emergency, communications may sometimes be difficult.
