Nassau County Residents
If you reside in Nassau County, and the debt you allegedly owe is $15,000 or less, your creditor will likely file a lawsuit in the Nassau County District Court, located at 99 Main Street in Hempstead, New York. Records of Nassau County District Court lawsuits are available online, so if you are not sure whether you have a pending case, of if a lawsuit has been filed against you, you can enter your information on the Court System’s WebCivil Local Website.
If you are being sued for a debt that is greater than $15,000, your creditor will likely file a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court in Nassau County, located at 100 Supreme Court Drive in Mineola, New York. If you are being sued for a debt in this Court, it is imperative that you contact a consumer defense attorney, at the very least for a consultation. Your creditor will have hired a highly experienced litigator to file suit in this venue. You can check the Court System’s WebCivil Supreme website to see if a lawsuit has been filed against you, as well as the details of your case.
Suffolk County Residents
If you reside in Suffolk County, and you live within one of the five western Suffolk towns (Babylon, Huntington, Islip, Ronkonkoma or Brookhaven), and your debt is for $15,000 or less, your creditor will likely file a lawsuit against you in one of the Suffolk County District Courts. Often times the plaintiff’s attorneys file in the district court that is most convenient for them, not necessarily the district court that is closest to where you live. You have a right to file a motion requesting that the court transfer your action to the venue closest to where you live. You can check the Court System’s WebCivil Local Website and search for your name to find out if there was a lawsuit filed against you, and to see the details of the case.
The five Suffolk County District Courthouses for civil cases are:
First District Court of Suffolk County, 3105 Veterans Memorial Highway, Ronkonkoma, New York 11779
Second District Court of Suffolk County, 30 East Hoffman Avenue, Lindenhurst, New York 11757
Third District Court of Suffolk County, 1850 New York Avenue, Huntington Station, New York 11746
Fourth District Court of Suffolk County, North County Complex, Building C158, Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge, New York 11787
Sixth District Court of Suffolk County, 150 West Main Street, Patchogue, New York 11772
If you reside in one of the five eastern Suffolk County towns, and your debt is for $3,000 or less, you can be sued in your local town justice court, although most creditors will not bring an action in these courts, but will instead bring it in New York State Supreme Court in Suffolk County, which is where debt-collection attorneys tend to feel more comfortable. If the amount you are sued for is $25,000 or less, you can also be sued in Suffolk County Court, although most creditors bypass that venue as well. Bypassing the proper court violates the rules of the courts, and these improperly brought actions can be transferred to a proper court.
Justice court and county court civil records are not available on the Court System’s Website. You will have to physically go to the county court or your local town justice courthouse and ask the clerk to search the court’s records for any possible suits filed against you. Here are the addresses of the Suffolk County Court and the town justice courts for the east end of Long Island:
Suffolk County Court, Cromarty Court Complex, 210 Center Drive, Riverhead, New York 11901
East Hampton Town Justice Court, 159 Pantigo Road, East Hampton, New York 11937
Riverhead Town Justice Court, 210 Howell Avenue, Riverhead, New York 11901
Southampton Town Justice Court, 32 Jackson Avenue, Hampton Bays, New York 11946
Southold Town Justice Court, 53095 Main Road, Southold, New York 11971
Shelter Island Town Justice Court, 46 North Ferry Road, Shelter Island, New York 11964
If you live within the five western towns of Suffolk County and you are being sued for a debt that is greater than $15,000, or if you live within the five eastern Suffolk towns and are being sued for any amount, your creditor will likely file a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court in Suffolk County, located at One Court Street in Riverhead, New York. It is imperative that you consult with an attorney if you are ever sued in Supreme Court. You can check to see if a lawsuit was filed against you by visiting the Court System’s WebCivil Supreme Website and searching for your name. You will be able to see if a suit has been filed, the status of your lawsuit, and some additional information regarding your case.
