Law is the body of rules, laws and legal opinions governing a country or state. These can include the Constitution, laws passed by a legislature and periodically codified in a code like the New York Consolidated Laws, and decisions by courts that interpret those laws.
court reporter: Someone who records, word for word, what is said in a court case using stenographic equipment. This record can be written, audio recorded or video recorded. It is usually filed with the case.
citation: The process by which the court tells a defendant that he or she must go to court and may have to post bail. The citation also tells the defendant what charges are being brought against him or her and gives the date of the next court hearing.
case number: The number that identifies a particular case in a court, for example, N=New York City; Q=Queens; K=Kings; R=Richmond (Staten Island); C=City of New York; and so on. This is a unique number that identifies the case on all court documents.
cpr: Civil practice law and rules. This is the New York law that describes procedure in civil cases.
conservatorship: The right of a court to manage the property of an individual who is unable to handle their own finances. This is often done for older adults.
custody: 1. The legal and physical control of a child. This includes the right to make major decisions affecting a child. 2. The care and control of a child’s day-to-day activities.
The forms and calculators for both Contested and Uncontested Divorces have been revised to reflect the new laws on maintenance and child support. Please see the Maintenance & Child Support Tools page for additional information.