The Family Law division handles various domestic issues such as child custody, visitation and support; restraining orders/protective orders/adoption.
Family Court decisions may be transferred to Supreme Court for review in certain instances, although generally speaking this action would only occur if there was valid justification to do so.
Courthouse
Contrary to civil and criminal courts, family courts tend to hold hearings in more intimate rooms reserved for matters related to child custody, domestic violence, adoption and paternity. Many courts even feature videoconferencing capabilities which enable parties to participate from different locations during hearings.
The Family Court is a division of the New York Unified Court System dedicated to handling family matters such as divorce, legal separation, nullity, child support and spousal support payments, guardianships and domestic violence cases. In addition, decisions on persons in need of supervision (PINS) cases are also made at this court.
Case information is readily accessible online via the New York State Unified Court System’s website, where users can access ongoing cases in Family and Integrated Domestic Violence Courts through WebFamily portal. Users may search cases by file number or docket number as well as view calendars for Family Courts across New York state. Using WebFamily is free but users must register an username and password to gain entry to information available to them on this portal.
Family Courts provide families with numerous documents and resources in addition to an online portal, including documents such as judicial guides and forms for different cases, which can be utilized both by attorneys and self-represented litigants alike. One such guide for PINS cases helps judges better comprehend all of the complex issues involved with these types of litigation cases.
Many family courts require individuals filing cases before them to fill out application forms for every type of case they intend on filing, typically available through court or county websites, in order to ensure they obtain all of the appropriate records. Some courts also charge a nominal fee for copies of any records requested.
At times, parties must submit court papers in person. While not always necessary, in certain circumstances it can be helpful in providing personal service of court documents to parties personally. When this occurs, individuals requesting this must fill out an affidavit detailing why this service request should be granted and then file it with the court.
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The New York Family Court is a specialized trial court that handles family-related cases such as divorce, custody and visitation disputes, child and spousal support payments and guardianship proceedings. Additionally, this court has jurisdiction for juvenile delinquency cases as well as adoption proceedings. As part of the state’s Unified Court System with branches throughout each county of operation statewide – and includes paternity suits against abusive partners as well as Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) cases as part of its jurisdictional scope.
While other courts in the state had implemented technological solutions to manage pandemic, Family Court struggled to develop effective systems for disseminating information and enabling people to access its services. While people could still file papers personally, unrepresented litigants lacked any way of requesting assistance or providing documents.
Family Court websites provided limited information, and it took more than a year for nonemergency cases to begin being heard by the court – many were preexisting cases from prior to pandemic outbreak such as custody petitions or guardianship requests as well as new support applications that had not yet started hearings by spring 2021.
In the meantime, many who filed petitions were denied their day in court, losing trust in an institution which seemed unavailable when needed – this has long-term ramifications and could cause irreparable harm to its integrity.
The Family Court has made efforts to enhance communication and transparency, yet many are dissatisfied with its quality of service and overall experience. Many are upset by lengthy waiting times to speak to a judge, lack of information about case statuses, and difficulty accessing them online. Unfortunately, due to this lack of transparency the public trust in this court has diminished considerably leaving many feeling abandoned by something they once trusted.
Are You Wondering the Status of Your Family Court Case? Use eCourt Kokua, the court’s online portal! Users can search by entering CNR/Docket Numbers to locate relevant cases; also provided is a comprehensive listing of pending and active cases in each division. While using this service is free for everyone, only lawyers have access to its document library that contains more detailed information.
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The Family Court is a specialty court located within New York state courts that handles domestic matters pertaining to child abuse and neglect, custody, support and visitation issues, guardianship proceedings and juvenile delinquency issues, adoption proceedings as well as guardianship proceedings. As well as its judicial functions, it also has administrative responsibilities including maintaining case files, recording proceedings and providing copies for review both online and in person. Furthermore, self-help services are offered as an added service in these matters.
For information regarding Family Court cases, one may either directly contact the clerk of court or reach out to a help center during their hours of operation (9 am – 4 pm Monday through Friday). While not a free service, this does provide legal information and assistance to individuals who cannot afford private attorneys.
New York courts must provide access to court records for the public unless there are good reasons for restricting it, such as security concerns or harm to an individual’s rights or interests. In certain circumstances, such as with criminal cases, a judge or support magistrate presiding over it may order all documents related to it be sealed off from public view.
Once a case is filed, it is assigned a unique identifier called a docket number that tells what kind of case it is such as child abuse, custody or paternity proceedings. This docket number appears on all documents related to it such as complaints, summonses and orders – including complaints.
The Family Court can grant one parent sole “final decision making authority.” This means they can unilaterally make important decisions for their child such as medical treatment, schooling and religious upbringing. Alternatively, shared custody arrangements where both parents have significant time with the child can also be awarded by the Court as well as visitation schedules like every other weekend, week on/week off or summer visitation rights for noncustodial parents.
If a party is dissatisfied with a decision of the Family Court, they can lodge an objection with higher courts by filing an objection against it. An appeal allows higher courts to examine both case evidence presented during its original hearing as well as those presented during an appeal hearing.
New York’s Family Law section oversees cases relating to child custody, divorce, parental rights and responsibilities, guardianship, adoption and paternity. This specialized court strives to treat domestic matters with integrity, sensitivity and timeliness while offering fair case processing, intensive case management and education through Impact on Children seminars – while simultaneously striving to reduce conflict and delay by employing collaborative practices when possible.
New York courts allow members of the public access to certain records online, however when making requests of family court records they must be very specific in their requests and provide specific case and document reference numbers which correspond with what system the court uses; otherwise they will not receive timely or efficient responses from them.
To obtain copies of Family Court records, visit the website of the court or county that handles your case. Some sites allow members of the public to submit requests via provided application forms; this ensures that only relevant records will be requested and will reach their proper recipients. Please be aware that some courts charge a nominal fee per copy requested.
Anyone seeking family court documents may also benefit from hiring process servers and sheriffs as process servers and sheriffs are paid professionals who charge a fee to serve papers to defendants and provide an affidavit of service upon their return to plaintiff or defendants.
If you have legal concerns related to your family, seeking professional help is often the most effective solution. Attorneys specialize in family laws related to divorce, custody and support and can help determine whether a settlement agreement would work in your situation as well as providing information on filing motions to modify orders or enforce final orders.
For checking case status in New York Family Court, use eCourt Kokua, a free website which offers case information regarding pending and future appearance dates in all Family and Integrated Domestic Violence Courts within New York state as well as information about judges, attorneys and firms involved with each court. It is part of New York Unified Court System (UCS) and can be accessed from any computer connected to the Internet.