SCPA § 505

Trial by the court 1 · as in force on May 31, 2026

§ 505. Trial by the court

1. The court shall decide all issues not required to be tried by a jury.

2. Upon a trial by the court without a jury:

(a) the court shall render a decision directing the order or decree to be entered which, except for such direction, need not contain either the facts found or the conclusions of law.

(b) the decision may be rendered orally and entered in the minutes by the court reporter and transcribed and filed, or may be made and filed by the court in writing.

Official sourcehttps://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/SCP/505

In plain English

The court tries every issue that does not have to go to a jury.

(1) The court decides all issues not required to be tried by a jury.
(2)(a) After a bench trial, the court renders a decision directing the order or decree to be entered; apart from that direction, the decision need not contain the facts found or the conclusions of law. ★
(2)(b) The decision may be given orally, entered in the minutes by the court reporter, transcribed and filed, or made and filed in writing by the court. ★

Marked in the text: penalties, time limits, sums of money. Editorial emphasis added by this edition; it does not appear in the statute as enacted.

In print

This provision appears in Volume 1 — The Surrogate's Court in Plain English; Volume 2 — The Surrogate's Court Procedure Act; Volume 5 — Your Career: Surrogate's Court in Plain English.