Mastering the DCM Matrix:
80 Centre Street Protocols.

Circle, Sign, and Check In.

Like most parts, the DCM Part uses a circle-and-sign arrival procedure:

1. Find the daily calendar posted on the wall outside the courtroom door.
2. Circle your firm’s name on the calendar.
3. Print your mobile phone number next to the circled name.
4. Once you and opposing counsel have both arrived and linked up, check in with the Part Clerk.

The clerk moves your case to the “Ready for Conference” queue once both sides have checked in. The order you are called depends on when both parties check in, not when you arrived. This means the faster you and your adversary find each other and check in together, the sooner your matter is heard.

Timing Is Everything in the DCM Part.

When you submit your conference order relative to the morning rush determines how long you wait.

Before 9:45 AM: Both parties submit their conference order and you are out within 5 to 15 minutes. This is the window you want.

After 10:30 AM: Your wait exceeds one hour. The queue backs up as more cases are called and the Law Attorney works through the stack.

The 11:00 AM default. If the opposing party has not appeared by 11:00 AM, the court generally grants an adjournment rather than entering a default. The DCM Part prefers to give parties multiple chances before imposing sanctions. This is more lenient than Kings County, where non-appearance consequences are swifter.

You Will Likely Deal with a Court Attorney, Not the Judge.

Most DCM matters are conferenced by Law Attorneys (Court Attorneys), not the presiding Judge. These attorneys are highly experienced and issue rulings on discovery schedules, extensions, and compliance disputes.

You have the right to request that the matter be heard by the Judge. In practice, this is rarely necessary unless there is a significant legal dispute that goes beyond scheduling. For routine discovery conferences, compliance matters, and consent stipulations, the Law Attorney handles everything.

The DCM Part is generally liberal on scheduling and extensions compared to Kings County CCP. Extensions are frequently granted if “good cause” is shown, such as witness unavailability or pending document production. This does not mean deadlines are optional, but there is more flexibility here than in Brooklyn.

Know Your Case’s Track.

Under Uniform Rule 202.19, DCM cases are assigned to one of three discovery tracks after the RJI is filed and a judge is assigned:

Expedited track: 8 months to Note of Issue.

Standard track: 12 months to Note of Issue.

Complex track: 15 months to Note of Issue.

The track assignment determines every deadline in your case. Know which track you are on before your first conference.

Three Conferences Before Preclusion.

The DCM Part requires three documented conferences before the court will entertain a motion for preclusion or a motion to strike. This is a built-in procedural buffer. If opposing counsel is not producing discovery, you need to document the issue at three separate conferences before you can seek sanctions.

Extensions are available between conferences for “good cause,” but each conference must reflect progress or a documented failure to comply. The third conference is the trigger point for enforcement.

This Guide Is for Attorneys Appearing in the DCM Part for the First Time.

If you are a national firm with a motor vehicle or general tort case in New York County, your discovery conferences will be in the DCM Part at 80 Centre Street. If you are a solo practitioner covering a Queens or Brooklyn case that was transferred to New York County, the DCM procedures may be new to you. If you are sending per diem coverage for a routine compliance conference, your attorney needs to know the circle-and-sign protocol and the 9:45 timing window.

We handle DCM appearances regularly. Frederic R. Abramson has over 27 years of experience in New York Supreme Court, including thousands of DCM conferences. Every attorney we send has more than 15 years of experience and knows this part well.

Out-of-State? The DCM Part Is Where PHV Attorneys Get Tripped Up.

The DCM Part at 80 Centre Street operates differently from almost every other court in the country. There is no formal calendar call. You circle your name on a posted calendar and wait. If you do not know the protocol, you will waste hours. We appear at DCM conferences for out-of-state firms admitted pro hac vice and handle the entire process.

Learn about our pro hac vice local counsel services →

Flat Rates. No Surprises.

$250 per half-day session (morning or afternoon). If your appearance runs past 1:00 PM, an additional $250 applies for the afternoon session.

Service	Rate
Conference (PC, CC, Status)	$250
Motion argument	$250
Order to Show Cause	Starting at $250
EBT (up to 3 hours)	$550
EBT (full day)	$800
50-H Hearing	$550
Interpreter surcharge	+$100

Confirmation within 15 minutes. Report by end of business day.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The Law Office of Frederic R. Abramson, 160 Broadway, Suite 500, New York, NY 10038. 212-233-0666.