Small Claims Court Queens: Filing Guide for Queens County

Queens County Civil Court Small Claims Part

Queens small claims cases are heard at the Queens County Civil Court, 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435. The clerk's office handles filings during regular business hours Monday through Friday, and hearings are scheduled for evening sessions.

The defendant must live, work, or have a business address in NYC. You can file in Queens County if either party lives, works, or has a business address there. If you live outside NYC, file in the borough where the defendant lives, works, or has a business address. For a claim related to a tenancy or lease, if the defendant owns the property you rent or rented, you may also file in the borough where it is located.

Dollar Limits and Fees

The Queens small claims part shares the NYC-wide $10,000 cap. This is the highest small claims limit in New York State. If your claim exceeds $10,000, you have two choices: waive the excess and accept $10,000 as your maximum recovery, or file a regular civil action in Civil Court or Supreme Court.

Do not split a $15,000 claim into two $7,500 filings to avoid the cap; splitting can waive the excess or result in dismissal of later actions.

Filing fees:

• $1,000 or less: $15
• Over $1,000 to $10,000: $20

Accepted payment: cash, money order, certified check, or bank check. No personal checks.

Filing Step by Step

Fill out Form CIV-SC-50 (Statement of Claim) with your name, the defendant's full legal name, a physical street address for the defendant, and a brief description of what happened and how much you're owed.

If you're suing a business, the legal name matters. "Joe's Plumbing" on a van might actually be "Joseph Rodriguez d/b/a JR Plumbing Services" or "JR Plumbing LLC." Search the NYS Department of State database for corporations and LLCs, and the County Clerk's office for assumed name certificates (DBA filings). Getting the name wrong means an unenforceable judgment.

Submit the form and fee to the small claims clerk. The clerk assigns a hearing date and mails a notice to the defendant by certified mail and first-class mail. If the ordinary first-class copy is not returned as undeliverable within 21 days after mailing, the defendant is presumed to have received notice. Service is also complete if certified mail is signed for, or if it is refused or unclaimed and the first-class copy is not returned as undeliverable.

Preparing for Your Queens Hearing

Evening hearings start around 6:30 PM. Arrive early — cases are called from a calendar, and you'll check in with the clerk.

You'll choose between a judge trial (appealable) or arbitration by a volunteer attorney (faster, but both parties waive ordinary appeal rights, subject to narrow statutory exceptions). If you think your case has any chance of needing an appeal, opt for the judge.

Evidence preparation is where most self-represented litigants stumble. Print everything. Judges and arbitrators will not scroll through your phone. Prepare three organized sets of documents:

• Contracts, invoices, or lease agreements
• Proof of payment (canceled checks, bank statements, Venmo/Zelle receipts)
• Dated photographs of damage or defective work
• Written correspondence (emails, texts, demand letters)

For damage claims, an itemized bill or invoice, receipted or marked paid, or two independent itemized written estimates from qualified providers is prima facie evidence of reasonable value and necessity under Section 1804 of the City Civil Court Act.

Security Deposit Cases in Queens

Security deposit disputes are one of the most common Queens filings. Under GOL § 7-108, landlords have 14 days after you move out to return your deposit with an itemized statement of deductions. If they miss that deadline or fail to itemize, courts routinely award the full deposit back.

For a claim related to your tenancy or lease, you may file in the borough where property you rent or rented is located if the defendant owns it, even if the defendant lives elsewhere.

What Happens After You Win

A favorable judgment is a court order, not a payment. If the defendant doesn't pay voluntarily, you'll need to use enforcement tools: information subpoenas to locate bank accounts, restraining notices to freeze funds, or income execution through the Sheriff or NYC Marshal.

The New York Small Claims Filing Guide walks through the entire process from demand letter through hearing day, including the evidence binder system that keeps your documents organized the way Queens judges expect to see them.

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