This information has been adapted for the following New York Counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming.
Cómo iniciar un caso en el Tribunal de Familia – 8vo Distrito Judicial
¿Cómo inicio un caso en el Tribunal de Familia?
Primero debe presentar una petición (pe-TI-shun). A petition is when you ask the judge to make a decision about something. The person who starts a case is called the peticionario. La persona del otro lado se llama demandado. El peticionario y el demandado se denominan fiestas.
¿Qué casos se conocen en el Tribunal de Familia?
• Abuse or Neglect of Children
• Adoption
• Child Support
• Custody
• Guardianship/Standby Guardianship
• Juvenile Delinquency
• Order of Protection or OP
• Paternity – Order of Filiation
• PINS (Persons In Need of Supervision)
• Spousal Support
• Visitation
• Voluntary Placement of Child into Foster Care
¿Cuándo debo acudir al tribunal?
The earlier you get to court the better, as you might not have to wait as long to get everything done. Generally, most courts are open from 9:00am – 5:00pm. You may have to wait in line to go through a metal detector.
¿Dónde está ubicado el tribunal?
The addresses and phone numbers of the local Family Courts appear below. Please go to the Family Court in the county in which you reside.
Allegany County Family Court
Calle de la Corte 7
Belmont, Nueva York 14813
(585) 449-3463
Cattaraugus County Family Court
One Leo Moss Drive
Olean, Nueva York 14760
(716) 379-6616
Chautauqua County Family Court
Chautauqua Municipal Building
2 Academy Street, Suite 5
Mayville, Nueva York 14757
(716) 753-4351
Erie County Family Court
One Niagara Plaza
Búfalo, Nueva York 14202
(716) 845-7400
Genesee County Family Court
1 West Main Street
Batavia, Nueva York 14020
(585) 201-5717
Niagara County Family Court
Angelo Delsignore Civic Building
775 Third Street
Niagara Falls, NY 14301
(716) 371-4050
Orleans County Family Court
Courthouse Square
1 South Main Street, Suite 3
Albion, NY 14411-1497
(585) 283-6622
Wyoming County Family Court
147 North Main Street
Varsovia, Nueva York 14569
(585) 228-3200
¿Adónde voy cuando llego a la corte?
To bring a case regarding any of the topics covered by Family Court, find the location of your local Family Court as set forth above, and go to the Family Court Clerk’s office to get started.
¿Qué pasa después?
1. The clerk will give you a form to fill out and return. Traiga un bolígrafo para poder completar el formulario. You must fill out the forms.
2. Please note that the clerk has to let you file your case. Only a judge can make a decision about whether or not the court has jurisdicción (joo r-is-DIK-shuhn) over your case. Jurisdiction means having the power to make a decision in a case.
Cuando regrese a la corte, ¿adónde debo ir?
Ve a la parte. The part is the courtroom. Every judge has a part. The part number may be on the papers you received on the day you started the case.
You may see a court officer near the part for your judge. Sometimes the officer is inside the part. Do not go into the part – wait for the officer to come out. Sometimes the officer will come out and tell everyone in the waiting room to “check in for part [#].” If this happens, and you have not already checked in, you should get in line. When you get to the front of the line, tell the officer that you are there and that you are ready. This is called registrándose. Si el oficial no llama, puede acercarse al oficial. Permanezca en la sala de espera hasta que llamen a su caso.
Si no sabe adónde ir, pregúntele a un funcionario judicial.
Cuando regrese a la corte, ¿qué debo llevar?
Bring a copy of your petition and, if applicable, the notarized Affidavit of Service. Also, bring any other documents that may be important to your case, such as birth certificates, old court orders, photographs, police reports, receipts, bank statements, and school records.
¿Puedo traer un abogado?
Sí. Si no tiene dinero para un abogado, es posible que pueda conseguir que el tribunal le designe uno de forma gratuita. Por lo general, el tribunal no nombrará un abogado cuando usted acuda al tribunal por un caso de manutención infantil.
¿Qué pasa si no puedo asistir a mi cita en la corte?
You should bring a letter that explains why you cannot attend BEFORE the scheduled court date. Take the letter to the office of the clerk. You will have to check the court file or contact the court after that date to find out what happened. If you cannot bring a letter, call the court and ask how you can let the judge know that you will not be able to attend the court date.
If you do not show up for your court date, and the court does not know why, the judge can issue an order anyway. If you are the person who filed the petition, the judge may close the case.
¿Qué sucede cuando llaman a mi caso?
When your case is called, you will go before the judge. Be prepared to explain your case simply and clearly. To help remember what you want to say, write it down before you go to court. Try not to speak for a long time. Speak only about the topic being discussed. Judges want you to get right to the point. When you talk, the judge may break in to ask a question or make a comment.
Cuanto más evidencia you have to support your statements, the better. Evidence is the information presented to prove a case. If you have witnesses (people who can support what you are saying), bring them. The judge may let them speak. Keep in mind that this is not the actual trial. If the judge does not let your witnesses speak, they may be able to testify (speak) at the trial, if there is one. Sometimes you have to go to court many times before there is a trial.
No se sorprenda si el juez no toma una decisión de inmediato. La mayoría de los casos en los tribunales de familia tardan muchos meses en finalizar.
¿Qué sucede cuando el caso está completo?
El juez podrá dictar una orden. Una orden es una decisión tomada por el tribunal. Debe hacer copias del pedido y guardarlas en un lugar seguro. Si le emiten una orden de protección, es posible que desee conservarla consigo en todo momento.
¿Qué pasa si no sigo una orden judicial?
You must obey court orders. Before you leave court, make sure you understand exactly what is expected of you so you can cumplir con el pedido. Cumplir significa hacer lo que dice la orden. Puedes ser retenido en desacato al tribunal – and even arrested – for violando (VY-o-lay-ting) a judge’s order. Violate means not follow the rules.
¿Cuánto dura el pedido?
si es un Orden final, it stays in effect until a new case is brought to court that changes the order or a specific date or an event occurs that ends it. If it is a orden temporal, es válido hasta cierto momento, generalmente hasta la próxima fecha en la corte.
¿Qué pasa si no estoy de acuerdo con la decisión del juez?
If you disagree with a judge’s decision, you may appeal. An appeal is when you ask to have a higher court review (look at) your case. For more information on appealing a court decision, go to the office of the Clerk at Family Court.
Este documento no debe reemplazar una consulta con un abogado. Family Legal Care alienta a todas las personas involucradas con los sistemas de tribunales penales y de familia a consultar con un abogado.