Queens County Civil Court (Google Maps)
Dec. 18, 2019 By Allie Griffin
A bill sponsored by State Sen. Michael Gianaris to increase the amount in dispute that small claims court can address in New York City was signed into a law by the governor Monday.
The law increases the previous jurisdictional limit from $5,000 to $10,000 and only applies to courts within the City of New York.
The $5,000 cap for small claims in the city is below the cost of many current disputes, Gianaris said. The new law allows people to resolve higher-dollar disputes without requiring attorneys.
“This is an important law that will make it easier for people to achieve justice in relatively minor disputes without needing to hire an attorney,” Gianaris said. “I am pleased to see this legislation addressing basic fairness signed into law.”
The limit for small claims outside the city remains $5,000 in city courts and $3,000 in town and village courts.
The law takes effect immediately.
2 Comments
This is a great idea. It will help more people get just compensation for claims that are too small for lawyers to take on.
Finally, a long time overdue.