22 NYCRR Part 214 — Uniform Civil Rules Justice Courts
Updated October 27, 2026
Statewide court type
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Collected from an official published rule text/index; no assertion that every provision is currently operative in every case. Preserve source version, amendments, waivers, specialized-section limits and applicable later orders.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27
Section 214.2 Place and hours of court
(b) Each court shall establish the days and times when it shall sit in regular session. Such days and times shall be subject to modification by the Chief Administrator of the Courts. The court's schedule as so established shall be filed with the clerk of the municipality, shall be posted where other official notices are posted and shall be filed with the law enforcement agencies regularly appearing in the court. The clerk's office shall be open at hours established by each court, subject to the further order of the Chief Administrator.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.4 Pleadings
(c) An order directing the service and filing of a formal pleading, or pleadings, shall specify the time within which the same shall be served and filed.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.7 Conciliation conference
(a) Any party who commences an action, proceeding or claim within the court's jurisdiction or against whom such an action, proceeding or claim is commenced, which, in his or her opinion, may be adjusted without resort to a trial, may apply to the court for the issuance, in the discretion of the court, of a notice of conciliation, or the court on its own motion may order such conciliation. However, such conciliation conference may be ordered only upon the prior written consent of the parties that, should the controversy not be resolved by conciliation, the justice who presides over the conciliation conference may preside over a subsequent trial of the action, proceeding or claim.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.7 Conciliation conference
(b) If the court so orders, the clerk shall immediately fix a date for a conciliation conference and shall mail notice to all parties to the controversy. At least 10 days' notice shall be given, exclusive of the day of mailing. The notice shall designate the address of the court and the time and date where the hearing will be held.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.7 Conciliation conference
(c) Conciliation conferences shall be informal, and the justice presiding shall endeavor to effect an amicable and equitable adjustment between the parties. The justice shall permit either party to be assisted by counsel, but no record of the proceeding shall be kept. At the conference, the justice shall not be bound by the rules regarding admissibility of evidence.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.7 Conciliation conference
(d) The justice shall direct the clerk to make an entry in the docket hereinafter referred to of the terms of the settlement or that no settlement was effected. No judgment or order enforceable by law shall be rendered or made by the justice except upon the consent or written stipulation of the parties.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.7 Conciliation conference
(e) A docket shall be kept wherein proper entries of all proceedings shall be made. Such docket may not be offered in evidence or referred to upon any subsequent trial of the controversy.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.8 Appeals
(a) A notice of appeal shall not be accepted for filing without proof of service upon all parties. (b) All papers prepared by the appellant that are required to be included in the return on appeal as required by the applicable provisions of the CPLR, shall be furnished by the appellant to the clerk at the time of filing the notice of settlement provided in section 1704 of the UJCA.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.10 Small claims procedure
(b) A small claims action shall be commenced by a plaintiff or someone on his or her behalf paying the filing fee as provided in UJCA 1803, and by supplying to the clerk the following information: (1) plaintiff's name and residence address;
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.10 Small claims procedure
(d) The justice or clerk shall give to the person who signed the statement a memorandum of the time and place set for the hearing, which shall be not less than 22 nor more than 45 days from the date the action is recorded, and shall advise such person to produce at the hearing the supporting witnesses, account books, receipts or other documents required to establish the claim.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.10 Small claims procedure
(e) Within five days after the action is recorded, the clerk shall send to the defendant by ordinary first class mail and by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to one or more of the addresses supplied as shall be deemed necessary, a signed notice bearing the seal of the court, which shall be in substantially the following form:
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.10 Small claims procedure
You must appear and present your defense and any counterclaim you may desire to assert at the hearing at the time and place above set forth (a corporation must be represented by an attorney or any authorized officer, director or employee). IF YOU DO NOT APPEAR, JUDGMENT WILL BE ENTERED AGAINST YOU BY DEFAULT, EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY HAVE A VALID DEFENSE. If your defense or counterclaim, if any, is supported by witnesses, account books, receipts or other documents, you must produce them at the hearing. The Clerk, if requested, will issue subpoenas for witnesses, without fee thereof.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.10 Small claims procedure
If you wish to present a counterclaim against the claimant, you must do so by filing with the Clerk of the Court a statement containing such counterclaim within five days of receiving this notice of claim. At the time of such filing you must pay the Clerk a filing fee of $3.00 plus the cost of postage to send your counterclaim by first class mail to the claimant. If you fail to file a counterclaim within this five-day period, you retain the right to file the counterclaim until the time of the hearing, but the claimant may request and obtain an adjournment of the hearing to a later date.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.10 Small claims procedure
NOTE: If you desire a jury trial, you must, before the day upon which you have been notified to appear, file with the Clerk of the Court a written demand for a trial by jury. You must also pay to the clerk a jury fee of $10 and file an undertaking in the sum of $50, or deposit such sum in cash to secure the payment of any costs that may be awarded against you. You will also be required to make an affidavit specifying the issues of fact which you desire to have tried by a jury and stating that such trial is desired and demanded in good faith.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.10 Small claims procedure
Under the law, the Court may award $25 additional costs to the plaintiff if a jury trial is demanded by you and a decision is rendered against you. (f) The justice or clerk shall note, on the statement referred to in subdivision (b) of this section, the date on which the notice was mailed and the address, the date of delivery shown by the return receipt and the name of the addressee or agent signing the receipt.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.10 Small claims procedure
(i) If at the hearing it shall appear that the defendant has a counterclaim in an amount within the jurisdiction of the part for the hearing of small claims, the justice may either proceed forthwith to hear the entire case or may adjourn the hearing for a period of not more than 20 days or as soon thereafter as practicable, at which adjourned time the hearing of the entire case shall be had. An adjournment shall be granted at the request of the claimant if the defendant did not file the counterclaim with the court within five days of receiving the notice of claim.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.10 Small claims procedure
(j) An oath or affirmation shall be administered to all witnesses. The court shall conduct the hearing in such manner as it deems best suited to discover the facts and to determine the justice of the case. If the plaintiff, or an attorney in his or her behalf, does not appear at the time set for hearing, the court may dismiss the claim for want of prosecution or enter a finding on the merits for the defendant, or make such other disposition as it may deem proper.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.10 Small claims procedure
(l) The undertaking to be filed by a defendant desiring a jury trial shall be in the form prescribed by the relevant provisions of article 25 of the CPLR.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.12 Omission or Redaction of Confidential Personal Information in Civil Actions and Proceedings
(1) Except for any action or proceeding arising under the Vehicle and Traffic Law, or prosecution of a violation of an ordinance of a city, town or village, or in a petition for change of name under the Civil Rights Law, or as otherwise provided by rule or law or court order, and whether or not a sealing order is or has been sought, the parties shall omit or redact confidential personal information in papers submitted to the court for filing. For purposes of this rule, confidential personal information (“CPI”) means
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_captureSection 214.12 Omission or Redaction of Confidential Personal Information in Civil Actions and Proceedings
(2) The court sua sponte or on motion by any person may order a party to remove CPI from papers or to resubmit a paper with such information redacted; order the clerk to seal the papers or a portion thereof containing CPI in accordance with the requirement of 22 NYCRR § 216.1 that any sealing be no broader than necessary to protect the CPI; for good cause permit the inclusion of CPI in papers; order a party to file an unredacted copy under seal for in camera review; or determine that information in a particular action is not confidential. The court shall consider the pro se status of any party in granting relief pursuant to this provision.
Civil actions and proceedings only; section-specific and specialized-part restrictions remain applicable.
Source page web_or_saved_capture