2006 New York Code - New York city; city-wide courts established; merger; judges; jurisdiction.

 
    §  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  twenty-five  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.