Per Diem Attorney for Queens County Supreme Court
at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica

Per Diem Coverage at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, Queens

Queens County Supreme Court, Civil Branch sits at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica. The 11th Judicial District covers the most geographically diverse borough in New York City. Administrative Judge: Hon. Marguerite A. Grays.

Important: Our coverage is limited to the Jamaica courthouse at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard. We do not cover appearances at the Long Island City courthouse. If your matter is assigned to a part sitting in Long Island City, please confirm the location before booking. We also do not handle immigration court matters. Our per diem services are limited to New York State Supreme Court, Civil Branch.

For firms based in New York County, the commute via Van Wyck Expressway or Grand Central Parkway adds significant travel time to any appearance. This is one of the primary reasons firms retain per diem coverage for Queens matters rather than sending their own attorneys.

Queens County Trial Scheduling Part (TSP) Appearances

The Trial Scheduling Part sits in Courtroom 25 at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard. The part telephone is 718-298-1048 and the part e-mail is tsp@nycourts.gov. The published rules, which the court last updated on November 13, 2025, identify Hon. Joseph Risi and Hon. Frederick D. R. Sampson as presiding, with Court Attorney-Referee Gail A. Adams, Esq. Queens reassigned a number of justices during 2026, so treat the bench listing as the starting point and confirm who is actually sitting before the appearance. The procedures below are what has not changed.

There are two separate calendars Monday through Thursday, at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and in-person appearances are mandatory at the call of each one. The rules state plainly that the 11:00 a.m. calendar is not a second call of the 9:30 a.m. calendar. An attorney who treats it as one has missed the calendar.

Every case on the calendar is deemed ready for trial. All parties should be prepared for jury selection or to proceed to a non-jury trial, and only counsel fully familiar with the case and carrying authority to conference or settle it may appear. Failure to appear can result in dismissal or an inquest. If the case is not settled or otherwise disposed of during the conference, the parties are given a firm trial date.

Settlement discussions are expected. Come prepared with a clear summary of all offers, counteroffers, and the current impasse, and with copies of the pertinent orders and stipulations, including stipulations of settlement, summary judgment orders, and dismissal orders. Counsel must also tell the TSP clerks about any companion action, whether or not it has been joined for trial or a Note of Issue has been filed.

Only motions in limine are returnable in the TSP, and they must be made returnable in Courtroom 25 at 9:30 a.m. on the next appearance date. A motion noticed incorrectly is administratively adjourned, and it becomes the movant's job to notify every other party of the new date.

Adjournments of a firm trial date are a written application, not a phone call. The request goes by e-mail to QSCTRIALS@nycourts.gov at least ten business days before the trial date, must state whether it is on consent, and must copy all parties. Correspondence that does not comply is disregarded, and no request made by telephone will be considered. Inside ten business days, the application must be made in person at the call of the calendar on the trial date. An attorney actually engaged elsewhere must file a current Affirmation of Actual Engagement complying with 22 NYCRR 125.1(e)(1). Where the trial date was fixed at least two months in advance, 22 NYCRR 125.1(g) requires trial counsel to appear or to produce substitute trial counsel, and the court may impose sanctions if neither is ready.

Trial assignment. Cases with a firm trial date are assigned out of the TSP on the trial date to the next available justice, or to the first justice who becomes available after that.

Queens County Part Rules: Judge-by-Judge Intelligence

Queens judges maintain individual Part Rules that vary significantly. Some parts are fully virtual; others require hard copies and in-person appearances. Check the assigned judge’s Part Rules before every appearance.

Hon. Timothy J. Dufficy, Part 35. Requires hard copies of motion papers. This part may require additional submissions beyond e-filing.

Hon. Leonard Livote, Part 33. All motions are currently on submission. There is no oral argument unless requested by the Court. If eCourts shows “Courtroom” as the appearance type, check the Part Rules before making a trip to the courthouse. Part 33 may not require your presence even if the system suggests otherwise.

Hon. Mojgan Cohanim Lancman, Part 20. Motions are decided on submission. No appearance is required on the return date. However, if you want the court to consider any additional argument or authority, you must submit a letter to QSCPART20@NYCOURTS.GOV at least two business days before the return date. If you show up expecting to argue, you will have wasted a trip.

Fully virtual parts. Some Queens judges conduct all appearances virtually. If your case is assigned to a virtual part, the movant or party seeking an adjournment should contact the Part directly in advance of the return date to confirm procedures.

For individual Part Rules, see our Judge Intelligence Directory.

Queens County Compliance Conferences and Discovery Deadlines

Queens County operates a centralized compliance and discovery system. The procedures are familiar in broad strokes (CPLR, NYSCEF, Uniform Civil Rules), but the local customs and timeline expectations are distinct from New York County and Kings County. When you send a per diem attorney to a Queens compliance conference, they need to understand these differences before walking into the courtroom.

Queens County Preliminary Conference Coverage

Preliminary conferences in Queens set the discovery schedule for the entire case. The court expects counsel to come prepared with a proposed discovery timeline and any anticipated discovery disputes. Our per diem attorneys negotiate discovery schedules at preliminary conferences with the same attention as your own partners, because the deadlines set at this conference control everything that follows.

Discovery deadlines can be extremely compressed. In certain case types, all discovery, including depositions, must be completed within approximately 60 days. If your case is placed on an accelerated track, EBTs will need to be scheduled immediately. We flag these compressed timelines in our post-appearance report so you can act the same day.

Compliance conference stipulations. “On or before” dates in Queens stipulations must be specific and enforceable. Vague language about discovery deadlines will not be accepted. If you negotiate a stipulation in this courthouse, every date and every obligation needs to be spelled out clearly.

Certification orders. Required to guide cases toward the Note of Issue. These orders outline remaining discovery obligations and set firm deadlines. Missing a certification deadline in Queens creates administrative dismissal risk.

Affirmation of Good Faith. Required for all discovery motions. You must demonstrate that a good-faith effort was made to resolve the discovery dispute before bringing it to the court. Filing a discovery motion without this affirmation will result in the motion being rejected.

Queens County Motion Argument and Submission Rules

Queens has specific rules for motion submissions that differ from New York County and Kings County practice. If you are sending a per diem attorney to argue a motion in Queens, the first question is whether oral argument is even happening.

Oral argument. Do not assume motions are decided on papers. Some Queens judges require oral argument for substantive motions, including summary judgment and motions to compel. Other judges decide everything on submission. Check the individual Part Rules before your appearance.

Emergency applications (OSC). Available for immediate court intervention. Orders to Show Cause in Queens follow the standard CPLR procedure, but local requirements for notice and supporting papers should be confirmed with the Ex Parte clerk before filing.

Queens County EBT and Deposition Coverage

We handle depositions at the Queens courthouse and at nearby offices. Virtual depositions via Zoom and Microsoft Teams are available for matters where in-person attendance is not required.

All depositions are conducted with active advocacy: detailed notes, objection monitoring under CPLR 3115 to protect the record, and breaks when the witness needs them. We do not sit passively while opposing counsel takes improper testimony.

Every Type of Per Diem Appearance at Queens County Supreme Court

Conferences. Preliminary conferences, compliance conferences, status conferences, certification conferences, and TSP appearances. We negotiate discovery schedules, handle disputed items, and ensure your deadlines are protected.

Motions. Summary judgment, motions to dismiss, motions to compel, discovery sanctions. We come prepared with hard copies when the judge requires them and argue substantively when oral argument is granted.

Depositions/EBTs. In-person and remote. Defend and take depositions with preparation, not just presence.

Emergency/OSC. Same-day coverage available for Orders to Show Cause and TRO applications.

Out-of-State? We’re Your Queens County Local Counsel.

If you are litigating in Queens on a pro hac vice admission, you need local counsel who understands compressed discovery deadlines (as short as 60 days for everything including EBTs), which judges require hard copies, and how the Trial Scheduling Part operates. We serve as local counsel for out-of-state firms in Queens County and handle PHV motions, court appearances, and local procedural compliance.

Learn about our pro hac vice local counsel services →

Flat Rates. No Surprises.

Conferences and motion appearances are priced by half-day session (morning or afternoon). If your appearance runs past 1:00 PM, an additional session fee applies for the afternoon. Depositions, EBTs, and 50-H hearings are billed as flat engagements. Per diem services are for attorneys and law firms only. Rates are quoted on confirmation.

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.