It is estimated that at least one million of the nearly four million cases pending in New York courts (not including parking and traffic cases) directly involve people under 18 years old. Most of those are Family Court cases involving child abuse or neglect, custody, paternity, support, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, foster care or adoptions. That number also includes more than 60,000 divorce cases and the majority of cases in housing court. Many more children and youth may be in court as witnesses, victims, or plaintiffs in civil suits (like cases about personal injuries).

Download The New York State Courts: An Introductory Guide for an overview of the state court system—what it does and how it works.

The New York State Unified Court System web site is a resource for comprehensive information about the courts, the law and related topics. The information available covers a wide range of topics, ranging from jury service to specialized, problem-solving courts, and from courthouse tours to jobs in the courts.