The state rules, including the amended Rule 7.1, are in the New York guide. This page covers what is different about the city: five county court systems, borough names in every search, and a market where many firms compete for the same few answers.
Five boroughs, five counties
People search by borough, but the courts are organized by county. The New York State court locator lists New York County courts at Manhattan addresses, Kings County courts in Brooklyn, Queens County courts in Jamaica, Long Island City, and Kew Gardens, Bronx County courts on and near the Grand Concourse, and Richmond County courts on Staten Island.
A page should use both names where it helps the reader: "Brooklyn (Kings County)" is clearer than either alone, and it matches how court documents name the county.
Getting the local court facts right
Each county has its own Surrogate's Court. The court locator lists them as follows:
| County (borough) | Surrogate's Court address |
|---|---|
| New York (Manhattan) | 31 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007 |
| Kings (Brooklyn) | 2 Johnson Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 |
| Queens | 88-11 Sutphin Blvd, Jamaica, NY 11435 |
| Bronx | 851 Grand Concourse, 3rd Floor, Bronx, NY 10451 |
| Richmond (Staten Island) | 18 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301 |
The Supreme Court, Civil Term, sits at the New York County Courthouse in Manhattan, 360 Adams Street in Brooklyn, 851 Grand Concourse in the Bronx, and 26 Central Avenue on Staten Island, with Queens locations at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard and 25-10 Court Square in Long Island City. We check every court name and address against the court system's own pages before it goes on yours.
What differs from the rest of the state
Outside the city, many counties have one main courthouse and a set of town and village courts. Inside the city, the same matter type lands in a different building depending on the borough, and the city has its own Civil, Housing, and Criminal Courts with county branches. A citywide page that names one courthouse for everyone will be wrong for most readers.
Compare the Buffalo market, where one county holds the main courts but cities, towns, and villages share names.
What we build for New York City firms
- Practice-area pages that name the right county court for each borough you serve
- Borough pages only where the content differs, not five copies with the name swapped
- Answer posts for the questions city clients ask before they call
See the estate planning guide for how Surrogate's Court detail shapes those pages, and the personal injury guide for the injury side of the market.
Common questions
Should a New York City firm build a page for every borough?
Only where the page has something distinct to say, such as a different courthouse or different client questions. Five near-identical borough pages add little. Our answer on whether city pages still work covers when a location page earns its place.
Is Brooklyn the same as Kings County for court purposes?
Yes. The court system lists Brooklyn courts under Kings County, such as the Kings County Surrogate's Court at 2 Johnson Street and the Supreme Court, Civil Term, at 360 Adams Street. Using both names on a page helps readers and assistants match the two.