What is the Surrogate's Court?

The Surrogate's Court is the court in New York where all matters relating to Wills and Trusts are determined. The Surrogate is the title of the judge in this particular court, and each county in New York has at least one Surrogate (New York County, covering Manhattan, has two).

The Surrogate's Court handles, among other matters, the probate of Wills and appointment of Executors, the appointment of Administrators who serve in the role of Executors for the estates of people who die without a valid Will, and any disputes over the validity of a Will or the administration of a trust or a decedent's estate. The Surrogate's Court Clerk can provide an Executor with many forms necessary for an estate administration and can be a valuable source of information for a first time Executor. For information on Surrogate's Court procedures an Executor may contact the Surrogate's Court in the borough or county in which the deceased person last resided.

Bronx County:

Chief Clerk - Surrogate's Court
 851 Grand Concourse
 Bronx, NY 10451
 (718) 590-3625

Kings County (Brooklyn):

Chief Clerk - Surrogate's Court
 2 Johnson Street
 Brooklyn, NY 11201
 (718) 643-4336

New York County: (Manhattan)

Chief Clerk - Surrogate's Court
 31 Chambers Street
 New York, NY 10007
 (212) 374-8236

Queens County:
 Chief Clerk - Surrogate's Court
 88-11 Sutphin Blvd.
 Jamaica, NY 11435
 (718) 520-3132

Richmond County: (Staten Island):

Chief Clerk - Surrogate's Court
 County Court House
 St. George, NY 10301
 (718) 390-5400

Nassau County:

Chief Clerk - Surrogate's Court
 Supreme Court Building
 Mineola, NY 11501
 (516) 571-2082

Suffolk County:

Chief Clerk - Surrogate's Court
 320 Center Drive
 Riverhead, NY 11901
 (516) 852-1745

Westchester County:

Chief Clerk - Surrogate's Court
 140 Grand Street
 White Plains, NY 10602
 (914) 285-3725

Robert Adler, Esq. is an attorney who focuses his practice on wills, trusts and estates. He can be reached at 212-843-4059 or 646-946-8327.