In early Fall 2021, the VOLS Microenterprise Project team began working with the Fordham Law Small Business Society on a project intended to meet a discrete but pressing need of small businesses in NYC. As the pandemic has worn on many small businesses have fallen behind on their commercial rent and eviction for non-payment – though stalled for a time by the NYS eviction moratorium, which officially expired on January 15th, 2022 – will require many small business owners to interact with the court system for the first time. In addition, prior to and during the pandemic, New York City Civil Courts transitioned all Landlord/Tenant court filings to electronic filing through the New York State Courts Electronic Filing (NYSCEF) – a system which has been in place for contractual matters in NYS Supreme Courts for many years. Accordingly, VOLS and the Fordham Law Small Business Society determined it was necessary to assist small business owners in navigating this e-filing system by creating a guide. The guide below outlines some of the preliminary processes of e-filing for pro se respondents and defendants within NYSCEF.
Unfortunately, small business entities such as corporations and LLCs will not be able to represent themselves as under New York State law, business entities are required to be represented by counsel in court. VOLS is committed to advocating for giving small businesses the right to represent themselves in court proceedings if they cannot afford an attorney.