N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 15: 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 fifty 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.