Venue in matrimonial actions

Rule 515. Venue in matrimonial actions. (a) This rule applies to all actions wherein all or part of the relief granted is divorce, all actions brought in supreme court for custody or visitation, all applications to modify a supreme court order of custody or visitation, all actions wherein all or part of the relief granted is the dissolution, annulment or declaration of the nullity of a marriage, all proceedings to obtain a distribution of marital property following a foreign judgment of divorce, and all post-judgment proceedings following a judgment of divorce.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this article, the place of trial in an action subject to subdivision (a) of this rule shall be in a county in which either party resides or, if there are minor children of the marriage, the place of trial may also be in the county where one of such children resides; except that where any of the addresses of these residences is not a matter of public record, or where any of these addresses is subject to an existing confidentiality order pursuant to section 254 of the domestic relations law or section 154-b of the family court act, the place of trial designated by the plaintiff in any action specified in subdivision (a) of this rule may be as specified in section 509 of this article.

(c) In any action specified in subdivision (a) of this rule, the court may, for good cause shown, allow the trial to proceed before it, notwithstanding that venue would not lie pursuant to subdivision (b) of this rule. Good cause applications shall be made by motion or order to show cause.