Welcome to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. This Federal Court has jurisdiction over and summons jurors from the counties of New York, Bronx, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan. The Court for the Southern District of New York hears cases in Manhattan, White Plains, and Middletown, New York.

Carved out of the first district court ever organized under the sovereignty of the United States, The Southern District of New York was established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, primarily for the determination of maritime matters. It has grown from its early maritime roots to emerge as one of the preeminent District Courts, distinguished not only by the nature of the matters filed but also by the renowned jurists who have graced its benches and determined those matters. For a listing of current U. S. District Judges and U.S. Magistrate Judges, click on Judges. Prior to appearing before the Court, parties should be familiar with the Individual Practices of the judge who has been assigned to their case.

The Southern District of New York has implemented Electronic Case Filing (ECF) and publishes the Electronic Case Filing Rules and Instructions to assist the bar. Documents filed in ECF cases must be filed electronically and will not be accepted in paper form, unless authorized. For more information, please visit ECF or contact the ECF Help Desk. For assistance in filing non-ECF cases, contact the Clerk’s Office.

The Clerk of Court publishes information on this web site to assist the public and the Bar in conducting business with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. New and noteworthy information is available by clicking onto the Notice to the Bar or the News and Events links. Please note that in addition to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Court’s Local Rules govern the conduct of all actions filed in this Federal Court.