A judge of the Civil Court in Queens is an elected trial judge who decides civil lawsuits worth up to $50,000, small claims cases, and landlord-tenant disputes for residents of the borough. These judges sit at the Queens County Civil Court in Jamaica, serve 10-year terms, and must have practiced law in New York for at least a decade before taking the bench. The current salary is $216,400 a year.1Office of the New York State Comptroller. UCS-341 Salary Increase for Judges, Justices, and New York City
What These Judges Decide
Section 202 of the New York City Civil Court Act gives Queens Civil Court judges authority over lawsuits for money, the return of personal property, or the foreclosure of liens on personal property, so long as the amount in controversy is no more than $50,000.2New York State Senate. New York City Civil Court Act Section 202 Breach-of-contract claims, property damage, and personal injury cases under that cap make up most of the docket. Anything above $50,000 belongs in New York Supreme Court instead.
The same judges preside over landlord-tenant proceedings: nonpayment cases brought by landlords seeking rent, and holdover cases seeking to remove a tenant after a lease ends or for other reasons. The Housing Part also handles residential matters involving housing-code violations and building-maintenance standards.3Legal Services NYC. New York City Civil Court Act Section 110 – Housing Part
When a judge awards money damages, the judgment accrues interest while it sits unpaid. Consumer debt judgments carry a 2% annual rate under the Fair Consumer Judgment Interest Act, which amended the CPLR in 2022. Non-consumer judgments still accrue at 9% per year.
Small Claims
Queens Civil Court runs a small claims part for individuals and businesses pursuing up to $10,000.4NYC311. Small Claims Court for Disputes Up to $10,000 It is built for people without lawyers. Formal evidence rules are relaxed, and a judge or arbitrator hears both sides and issues a binding decision, often the same evening the case is scheduled.
Filing is cheap. Claims of $1,000 or less cost $15 to file; claims between $1,000 and $10,000 cost $20.5New York Courts. Starting a Case in NYC Small Claims Court Typical cases involve unpaid invoices, security-deposit refunds, damaged property, and defective goods or services. Sessions are held in the evening so people can attend after work.
How Judges Reach the Bench
Queens Civil Court judges are chosen through partisan elections. A candidate secures a party nomination, competes in a primary, and then runs in the general election. Because Democratic registration in Queens is overwhelming, the primary usually decides the race.
Seats come in two varieties. Some are borough-wide, meaning every registered voter in Queens participates. Others are tied to smaller municipal court districts covering specific neighborhoods. In 2025, for example, one borough-wide seat was contested while separate races were held in the 1st Municipal Court District (Astoria and Long Island City) and the 2nd Municipal Court District (Elmhurst, Woodside, Jackson Heights, and parts of Corona).
If a judge leaves the bench mid-term through retirement, resignation, or death, the Mayor of New York City appoints an interim Civil Court judge, with the appointment going through a public hearing before it becomes official.6NYC.gov. Mayor Mamdani Announces 3 Judicial Appointments That interim judge serves until the next general election, when the seat appears on the ballot for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Qualifications, Term Length, and Pay
Every Civil Court judge must have been admitted to the New York State Bar and practiced law for at least 10 years before taking office, a requirement set out in Section 102-a of the Civil Court Act. The New York Constitution fixes the term at 10 years, after which a judge must win re-election to stay.7Justia. New York Constitution Article VI Section 15
Retirement is mandatory at 70. The Constitution requires every Civil Court judge to step down on the last day of December in the year they turn 70.8Justia. New York Constitution Article VI Section 25 – Judges and Justices; Compensation; Retirement Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court justices can be certified to continue serving up to age 76; Civil Court judges have no equivalent post-retirement option in the constitutional text.
The current annual salary is $216,400.1Office of the New York State Comptroller. UCS-341 Salary Increase for Judges, Justices, and New York City Sitting judges must also complete at least 24 hours of continuing judicial education every two years, including two hours of antibias training.9Legal Information Institute. New York Codes, Rules and Regulations Title 22 Section 17.3 – Training and Education of Judges and Justices
Housing Court Judges Are Different
Not every judge inside the Queens courthouse is elected. Housing Court judges are appointed by the Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York from a list of qualified candidates compiled by the Housing Court Advisory Council.10New York Courts. NYC Housing Court Judges They serve five-year terms and handle residential summary proceedings, including evictions, rent disputes, and enforcement of housing-maintenance standards. There are currently 50 Housing Court judges across the five boroughs, with a subset assigned to Queens. So if you are looking up the judge on a housing case, the voter-election rules above do not apply.
Where to File and Visit
The Queens County Civil Court is at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica. The E, J, and Z trains stop nearby, along with bus routes on Sutphin Boulevard.11New York Courts. New York City Civil and Housing Court, Queens County Branch
Filing fees depend on the type of case. A standard non-consumer-credit action costs $45 to file; a consumer-credit action costs $140.12New York Courts. New York State Filing Fees Attorneys in certain case types must file electronically through the New York State Courts Electronic Filing system (NYSCEF). Self-represented litigants can generally still file paper documents at the Clerk’s office. You can also look up the judge assigned to your case through the eCourts online portal.
Free interpreters are available for parties, witnesses, and anyone else participating in a proceeding, in both civil and criminal matters, at no cost.13New York Courts. Language Access and Court Interpreters If you need one, tell the judge or the court manager.
If You Do Not Have a Lawyer
Many people in Queens Civil Court appear without an attorney, especially in Housing Court and small claims. The courthouse has a Help Center where staff explain court procedures, help you find the right forms, and walk you through filling them out. Staff cannot give legal advice or represent you, but they can point you in the right direction.14New York Courts. Court Help Centers and Community Organizations
For actual representation, the Queens Volunteer Lawyers Project, sponsored by the Queens County Bar Association, provides pro bono attorneys to Queens residents who cannot afford private counsel. Volunteer lawyers help with housing cases, family matters, foreclosures, and consumer disputes. The court also refers litigants to Community Dispute Resolution Centers, which offer free mediation as an alternative to a trial and can resolve landlord-tenant and neighbor disputes faster than waiting for a hearing date.