Professional Court Filing Services
in New York City

Filing the necessary forms and papers at a court can be a burdensome and a time consuming task. The process usually involves visiting the court clerk, paying the filing fee, and adhering to court-specific filing requirements. Rather than do all this work yourself, let us handle the task of filing and serving court documents for you. We have made it easier for our New York clients by filing papers for them, whether in-person or through e-filing.

You may need to file legal documents in court for various reasons. These include:

• Submitting a lawsuit
• Filing into an ongoing case
• Reopening an old case

These are just a few examples. Individuals and organizations file papers for a wide range of civil, criminal, probate, and family matters.

There is a proper way to deliver legal papers, guided by something called the service of process. Every person and organization involved in a case need to be served with their own set of legal papers the right way.

Papers, such as complaints or summons, cannot be personally served by the involved parties, unless permitted by the judge. This is where process servers step in; they will serve legal papers in a way that is recognized by the law.

When it comes to serving court papers in New York, leave it to professionals.

If the case has started but the legal papers weren’t served the right way, the judge may require the plaintiff or petitioner to restart the whole process from the beginning. This is known as a dismissal without prejudice. At Serve Index LLC, rest assured we will serve your documents with accuracy and guaranteed success.

We will help you file your Federal, State, Matrimonial, Probate, Family and Civil related cases at any of New York City’s courts including:

• Family Court
• Surrogate’s Court
• US District Court
• New York State Supreme Court
• New York City Civil Court

When serving a subpoena, several key legal documents must accompany it to ensure that all parties involved are properly informed and the legal process is upheld:

A summons is a formal notice issued by the court to inform the recipient that a legal action has been initiated against them. It includes essential information such as the court’s name, case number, and the parties’ names. The summons notifies the recipient of their obligation to respond to the legal action within a specified timeframe. When serving a subpoena, including a summons, ensures that the recipient understands the context and legal implications of the documents they are receiving.

The petition is the document that outlines the legal claims or requests made by the party initiating the legal action (the petitioner). It details the facts of the case, the relief sought, and the legal basis for the petitioner’s claims. 

Serving a copy of the petition and the subpoena ensures that the recipient is fully informed about the nature of the legal dispute and the specific allegations or requests against them. This transparency is essential for the recipient to appropriately prepare their defense or response.

In some cases, the court may issue a temporary order, also known as a preliminary injunction or restraining order, before the full legal proceedings are completed. This temporary order imposes specific obligations or restrictions on one or both parties involved in the dispute until a final decision is made. 

When serving a subpoena, including a copy of any temporary order ensures that the recipient is aware of any immediate legal obligations or prohibitions they must adhere to pending the case outcome. This helps maintain the status quo and prevent potential harm or disputes during the legal process.

Serving legal papers in New York follows specific guidelines to ensure that the process is both fair and effective. Understanding when these papers can be served is crucial for maintaining the integrity of legal proceedings. Here’s what you need to know:

Legal papers can be served in New York any day of the week except Sundays and public holidays. However, Sunday service is prohibited to respect the day of rest. Additionally, service on certain public holidays is not allowed to ensure recipients are not disturbed during these times.

The service must occur within specific hours. Legal papers can be served between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. This time frame is designed to avoid undue inconvenience to the parties involved and ensure that individuals are not served at unreasonably early or late hours.

Certain rules apply depending on the type of case or the parties involved. For example, in landlord-tenant disputes, there may be additional service timing requirements to ensure tenants have adequate notice before a court appearance.

It’s also important to note that some jurisdictions within New York may have specific rules regarding service timing. Preferred process servers, who are well-versed in local regulations, ensure compliance with these rules to avoid any potential issues with the validity of the service.

Every court filing has a fee. The amount you pay depends on various factors, including the court, case type, and document type.

The fee may be large enough in relation to your household income that it is a significant financial burden. In that case, you may be exempt from paying it. Your court clerk can provide a list of filing fees which will tell you if the exemption applies to you.

Our process is simple and straightforward, we’ll pick up the necessary documents and file them at the appropriate court, and in the case of civil matters, in the correct jurisdiction. To get started you’ll need to have the necessary paperwork complete, as well as the correct amount of copies. If you need an index number, we’ll purchase them on your behalf, and submit the papers to the court clerk.

Save yourself the hassle of personally filing papers. Use our electronic filing system if it’s available in your area.

There are several counties in New York that allow papers to be filed electronically. However, not every claim can be filed in this manner. Some would still require you to file in-person.

For those counties that accept e-filing we’ve added this new feature to our services. This is part of our commitment to our clients to serve court papers in New York the right way.

Now, as an authorized e-filing agency we’re able to assist attorneys file cases through the NYSCEF (New York State Courts Electronic Filing) system saving them countless hours in the process. To carry out this service we’ll need a Statement of Authorization (SOA) for each law firm or attorney, in addition to scanned copies of the relevant paperwork.

Take advantage of this service and file papers electronically.

Your papers will be filed with the clerk of the court or through e-filing expeditiously. Meaning, you won’t have to spend time curating and filing your client’s cases, or spending time away from the office filing your own claims. We’ll take care of this process in an expedient manner.

We also offer fast process service to deliver documents within days.

To get your claims filed simply contact us.