§ 15. a. The legislature shall by law establish a single court of
city-wide civil jurisdiction and a single court of city-wide criminal
jurisdiction in and for the city of New York and the legislature may,
upon the request of the mayor and the local legislative body of the city
of New York, merge the two courts into one city-wide court of both civil
and criminal jurisdiction. The said city-wide courts shall consist of
such number of judges as may be provided by law. The judges of the court
of city-wide civil jurisdiction shall be residents of such city and
shall be chosen for terms of ten years by the electors of the counties
included within the city of New York from districts within such counties
established by law. The judges of the court of city-wide criminal
jurisdiction shall be residents of such city and shall be appointed for
terms of ten years by the mayor of the city of New York.

b. The court of city-wide civil jurisdiction of the city of New York
shall have jurisdiction over the following classes of actions and
proceedings which shall be originated in such court in the manner
provided by law: actions and proceedings for the recovery of money,
actions and proceedings for the recovery of chattels and actions and
proceedings for the foreclosure of mechanics liens and liens on personal
property where the amount sought to be recovered or the value of the
property does not exceed fifty thousand dollars exclusive of interest
and costs, or such smaller amount as may be fixed by law; over summary
proceedings to recover possession of real property and to remove tenants
therefrom and over such other actions and proceedings, not within the
exclusive jurisdiction of the supreme court, as may be provided by law.
The court of city-wide civil jurisdiction shall further exercise such
equity jurisdiction as may be provided by law and its jurisdiction to
enter judgment upon a counterclaim for the recovery of money only shall
be unlimited.

c. The court of city-wide criminal jurisdiction of the city of New
York shall have jurisdiction over crimes and other violations of law,
other than those prosecuted by indictment, provided, however, that the
legislature may grant to said court jurisdiction over misdemeanors
prosecuted by indictment; and over such other actions and proceedings,
not within the exclusive jurisdiction of the supreme court, as may be
provided by law.

d. The provisions of this section shall in no way limit or impair the
jurisdiction of the supreme court as set forth in section seven of this
article.