Commercial claims defined

§ 1801-A. Commercial claims defined.

(a) The term "commercial claim" or "commercial claims" as used in this act shall mean and include any cause of action for money only not in excess of the maximum amount permitted for a small claim in the small claims part of the court, exclusive of interest and costs, provided that subject to the limitations contained in section eighteen hundred nine-A of this article, the claimant is a corporation, partnership or association, which has its principal office in the state of New York and provided that the defendant either resides, or has an office for the transaction of business or a regular employment, within the county in which the court is located. In a city court having a basic monetary jurisdiction in civil matters of less than one thousand dollars, the commercial claims jurisdiction of such court shall be equal to its basic monetary jurisdiction.

(b) Consumer transaction defined. The term "consumer transaction" means a transaction between a claimant and a natural person, wherein the money, property or service which is the subject of the transaction is primarily for personal, family or household purposes.