Nassau County Small Claims Court: Filing, Fees, and What to Expect

Where Nassau County Small Claims Are Heard

Nassau County small claims go through the Nassau County District Court at 99 Main Street, Hempstead, NY 11550. Unlike NYC Civil Court, which runs parallel courts in five boroughs, Nassau funnels everything through Hempstead (or Glen Cove City Court for defendants in that jurisdiction).

The District Court handles small claims for the entire county. Day court sessions run at 9:30 AM, and there's a weekly night court session at 6:00 PM for people who can't take time off work.

The $5,000 Cap

Nassau County District Court caps small claims at $5,000 — half of what NYC Civil Court allows. If you're owed more than $5,000, you can either waive the excess (file for $5,000 and forfeit the rest) or pursue a regular civil action in District Court or Nassau County Supreme Court.

Claim splitting is prohibited. You can't break a $7,000 debt into two filings to stay under the limit.

Filing fees match the statewide schedule:

• Claims up to $1,000: $15
• Claims from $1,001 to $5,000: $20

Nassau District Court accepts money orders, certified checks, bank checks, and attorney checks. Check the clerk's office for current credit card acceptance.

How to File

You can file in person at the Hempstead courthouse or by mail. Mail filings require a completed claim form and payment. The clerk reviews your filing for proper venue and completeness, assigns a docket number, and sends notice to the defendant via certified and first-class mail.

Venue is proper if the defendant lives, works, or maintains a business within Nassau County. For a claim related to your tenancy or lease, you may also file where property you rent or rented is located, if the defendant owns that property.

One distinction from NYC: Nassau and western Suffolk County District Courts allow partnerships to file in the regular small claims part. In most other New York courts, partnerships must use the commercial claims part.

Business Entity Verification

If you're suing a company, you need its exact legal name. A storefront sign reading "Best Lawn Care" could be an LLC, a corporation, or a sole proprietor using a trade name.

Search the NYS Department of State's online Corporation and Business Entity Database for corporations and LLCs. For sole proprietors doing business under a trade name, check the Nassau County Clerk's office for assumed name (DBA) certificates.

Filing against the wrong entity name means your judgment may be unenforceable even if you win the case.

Evidence Standards

Nassau District Court follows the same relaxed evidentiary rules as the rest of the state. You don't need to master civil procedure, but you do need to prove your damages properly.

To establish the value of repairs or property damage, submit either:

1. An itemized repair invoice, receipted or marked paid, or
2. Two independent itemized written repair estimates from qualified providers

One single estimate is not the statutory prima facie evidence of reasonable value and necessity. This trips up a lot of first-time filers who bring a single quote from their mechanic or contractor and walk out without a judgment.

Print all evidence in triplicate — one copy for the judge or arbitrator, one for the defendant, one for yourself. Organize chronologically: the agreement, proof of payment, photos of damage, written communications, and repair documentation.

What Happens at the Hearing

When your case is called, you'll typically be offered a choice: a trial before the judge (with appeal rights under the small-claims standard) or a hearing before a volunteer attorney arbitrator (faster, but both sides waive ordinary appeal rights, subject to narrow statutory exceptions).

If the defendant doesn't appear, the court holds an inquest. You still need to take the stand, present your evidence under oath, and prove your case. Default doesn't equal automatic judgment for the amount you requested.

After the Decision

Judgments are mailed to both parties. The court doesn't collect money for you. If the defendant doesn't pay voluntarily, you'll need to use enforcement tools like information subpoenas to discover bank accounts and income execution through the Nassau County Sheriff.

The New York Small Claims Filing Guide covers the full Nassau County filing process, including court selection between the District Court and local Town or Village Courts, evidence preparation checklists, and service tracking logs.

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