We do follow the first come-first served policy. Once you are called by a petition clerk, your petition will be prepared. In order to do this, the petition clerk will ask you specific questions about the reason for your petition, any change in circumstances, and the relief you are asking the Court to grant you. The petition will then be printed and you will be asked to review the petition and sign it in two places. This will conclude the interview process.
Petitions require the complete address of both parties and any attorneys.
Paternity petitions filed by the mother should include a copy of the birth certificate. If filed by the father or another party, a copy of the birth certificate should be provided if the party has a copy of same. If you seek to modify or enforce a Divorce Decree, Separation Agreement, Oral Stipulation, etc., a copy of the appropriate papers must be provided. If you seek to modify or enforce an order pertaining to an order of a Family Court other than Erie County, a copy of the order must be provided. Support petitions must state whether parties were married, an order of filiation has been entered, or a paternity acknowledgment has been entered.