Emergency Applications After Hours

From time to time, counsel seek to make emergency civil applications, such as a request for a temporary restraining order, in Supreme Court during the evening and on weekends and holidays, when the courthouse is closed. To address such applications, the following procedure has been established.

A central point of contact with a single toll-free telephone number and e-mail address has been created through which attorneys outside normal hours may request to appear before a Judge. The central staff, who will be available 24 hours every day of the week, will contact the Administrative Judge (or designated back-up) with any request. The Administrative Judge will then determine if there is a real need for a Judge to hear the application outside of regular court hours. If so, the Administrative Judge will make the appropriate arrangements with an available trial Judge or perhaps handle the matter directly.

An attorney who wishes to make an application outside normal court hours should proceed as follows:

  • The attorney should call or e-mail a central court system office at 800-430-8457 or the email address: emergency@nycourts.gov

  • The telephone call or e-mail will be answered by staff of the Unified Court System’s Division of Technology

  • The staff member will take down the essential information, including the names and telephone numbers of the attorneys and the county

  • The staff member will then contact the Administrative Judge or designated back-up to pass on the information. (In the event the Administrative Judge or back-up is not available, staff will contact the appropriate Deputy Chief Administrative Judge.) The Administrative Judge will take the information and make any further arrangements.

Please note that the staff member initially receiving the calls or e-mails will only pass on the request and the information to the Administrative Judge. The staff will not screen any calls, as any screening should be left to the Administrative Judge.