325. Grounds for removal. (a) By supreme court for mistake in choice of court. Where a mistake was made in the choice of the court in which an action is commenced, the supreme court, upon motion, may remove the action to the proper court, upon such terms as may be just.
(b) From court of limited jurisdiction. Where it appears that the court in which an action is pending does not have jurisdiction to grant the relief to which the parties are entitled, a court having such jurisdiction may remove the action to itself upon motion. A waiver of jury trial in the first court is inoperative after the removal.
(c) On consent to court of limited jurisdiction. Where it appears that the amount of damages sustained are less than demanded, and a lower court would have had jurisdiction of the action but for the amount of damages demanded, the court in which an action is pending may remove it to the lower court upon reduction of the amount of damages demanded to a sum within the jurisdictional limits of the lower court and upon consent of all parties to the action other than a defendant who has interposed no counterclaim and over whom the lower court would have had jurisdiction if the action had originally been commenced there. A waiver of jury trial in the first court is inoperative after the removal.
(d) Without consent to court of limited jurisdiction. The appellate division, if it determines that the calendar conditions in a lower court so permit, may by rule provide that a court in which an action is pending may, in its discretion, remove such action without consent to such lower court where it appears that the amount of damages sustained may be less than demanded, and the lower court would have had jurisdiction but for the amount of damages demanded. If the action is so removed, then the verdict or judgment shall be subject to the limitation of monetary jurisdiction of the court in which the action was originally commenced and shall be lawful to the extent of the amount demanded within such limitation. A waiver of jury trial in the first court is inoperative after the removal.
(e) From supreme court to surrogate's court where decedent's estate affected. Where an action pending in the supreme court affects the administration of a decedent's estate which is within the jurisdiction of the surrogate's court, the supreme court, upon motion, may remove the action to such surrogate's court upon the prior order of the surrogate's court. The right of jury trial shall be preserved in the subsequent proceedings.
(f) To supreme court where county judge incapacitated. Where a county judge is incapable of acting in an action pending in the county court, the supreme court may remove the action to itself. An objection to jurisdiction that might have been taken in the county court may be taken in the supreme court after the removal.
(g) From one local court to another. Where it is unlikely that an action or proceeding pending in a district court, town court, village court or city court will be disposed of within a reasonable period of time because of (i) death, disability or other incapacity or disqualification of all the judges of such court, or (ii) inability of such court to form a jury in such action or proceeding, a judge of the county court of the county in which such lower court is located, may, upon motion of any party to such action or proceeding, order that it be transferred for disposition by the lower court to any other district court, town court, village court or city court in the same or an adjoining county, provided that such other court has jurisdiction of the subject matter of the action or proceeding and jurisdiction over the classes of persons named as parties.
Last modified: February 3, 2019