S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3457
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 3, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Judiciary
 
 AN ACT to amend the uniform justice court act, in  relation  to  raising
   the jurisdictional amount for small claims cases
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subdivision a of section 201 of the uniform  justice  court
 act,  as  amended by chapter 685 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read
 as follows:
   a. The court shall have jurisdiction as set forth in this article  and
 as  elsewhere  provided  by  law,  subject,  in the case of a city court
 governed by this act, to the limitations stated in §2300 (b) (2) (i)  of
 this act. The phrase "[$3000] TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS", whenever it appears
 herein,  shall  be taken to mean "[$3000] TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS exclusive
 of interest and costs", except  that,  in  the  case  of  a  city  court
 governed  by  this act whose monetary jurisdiction is, pursuant to §2300
 (b) (2) (i) of this act, below [$3000] TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, it shall be
 taken to mean such lesser sum as is applicable in the particular  court,
 exclusive of interest and costs.
   § 2. Section 202 of the uniform justice court act, as amended by chap-
 ter 685 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows:
 § 202. Money actions and actions to recover chattels.
   Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of  law,  the court shall have
 jurisdiction of actions and proceedings for the  recovery  of  money  or
 chattels  where  the  amount  sought to be recovered or the value of the
 property does not exceed [$3000] TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
   § 3. Section 208 of the uniform justice court act, as amended by chap-
 ter 685 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows:
 § 208. Counterclaims.
   The Court shall have jurisdiction of any  counterclaim  whose  subject
 matter  would  be  within its jurisdiction if sued upon separately. If a
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00479-01-3
              

 A. 3457                             2
 
 counterclaim for money only in excess of [$3000] TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS is
 interposed, the court may entertain it to  the  extent  of  [$3000]  TEN
 THOUSAND  DOLLARS  but  it shall be deemed waived as to the excess above
 [$3000] TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
   § 4. Section 211 of the uniform justice court act, as amended by chap-
 ter 685 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows:
 § 211. Joinder of causes of action in complaint; effect on jurisdiction.
   Where several causes of action are asserted in the complaint, and each
 of them would be within the jurisdiction of the court if sued upon sepa-
 rately,  the  court  shall have jurisdiction of the action. In such case
 judgment may be rendered by the court in excess of [$3000] TEN  THOUSAND
 DOLLARS if such excess result solely because of such joinder.
   §  5.  Section  1801  of  the uniform justice court act, as amended by
 chapter 485 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
 § 1801. Small claims defined.
   The term "small claim" or "small claims" as used  in  this  act  shall
 mean  and  include  any  cause of action for money only not in excess of
 [three] TEN thousand dollars exclusive of interest and  costs,  provided
 that  the defendant either resides, or has an office for the transaction
 of business or a regular employment within the  municipality  where  the
 court is located, or where claimant is or was a tenant or lessee of real
 property owned by the defendant and the claim relates to such tenancy or
 lease,  and such real property is situated within the municipality where
 the court is located. However, where a judge of the county court, pursu-
 ant to subdivision (g) of section three hundred twenty-five of the civil
 practice law and rules, transfers a small claim from the town or village
 court having jurisdiction over the matter to  another  town  or  village
 court within the same county, the court to which it is transferred shall
 have jurisdiction to determine the claim.
   §  6.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.