The state administrator shall have the power to adopt, amend and rescind an appendix of forms. Forms adopted pursuant to this section shall be sufficient under the civil practice law and rules and shall illustrate the simplicity and brevity of statement which the civil practice law and rules contemplate.
§ 107.Appendix of official forms.
Article 1. Short Title; Applicability and Definitions · Last amended 1974 · Last verified July 21, 2026
In one sentenceAuthorizes the state administrator of the courts to adopt, amend, and rescind an official appendix of CPLR forms meant to model the plain, concise style of pleading the code calls for.
Full Text of CPLR 107
Plain-English Summary
CPLR 107 hands the state administrator of the courts the job of maintaining an appendix of official forms — templates for summonses, pleadings, and other papers used under the CPLR. The administrator can adopt new forms, amend existing ones, or withdraw ones that no longer fit current practice.
The section's second sentence explains why the forms exist at all: they're meant to be sufficient on their own under the CPLR, and to show, by example, the brevity the code expects from every pleading. New York's procedural reform in the 1960s pushed away from the padded, formalistic pleading style of the nineteenth century, and an official set of forms gives lawyers and self-represented litigants a working model instead of a guess.
Because the forms are official, a pleading that tracks one is presumed to meet the CPLR's pleading requirements. That doesn't mean every case fits a form exactly — most don't — but the appendix remains a reference point for what “enough” looks like under the code's simplified pleading standard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the official CPLR forms mandatory?
The forms adopted under CPLR 107 are sufficient to satisfy the CPLR when used, and they're meant to illustrate the simple, concise style of pleading the code expects, though most cases still require papers tailored to their own facts.
Who creates the official forms referenced in CPLR 107?
The state administrator of the courts has the power to adopt, amend, and rescind the appendix of official forms under this section.
Why does CPLR 107 exist if pleadings don't have to follow the forms exactly?
The forms give lawyers and self-represented litigants a working model of the brevity and simplicity the CPLR calls for in pleadings, even though most cases require details the standard forms don't cover.
Can the official CPLR forms be changed over time?
Yes. CPLR 107 lets the state administrator amend or rescind forms as practice changes, not just adopt new ones.
Does using an official CPLR form guarantee my pleading is proper?
A form adopted under CPLR 107 is deemed sufficient under the CPLR, but most cases involve facts and claims a general form doesn't fully address, so the form works as a starting point rather than a complete substitute for tailored pleading.
Amendment History
Add, L 1967, ch 646, § 1; amd, L 1974, ch 615, § 12, eff May 30, 1974.
Source & verification. Provision text, History, and Advisory
Committee Notes are reproduced verbatim from the Consolidated Laws of New York.
Last verified July 21, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: official New York civil practice formsNew York court appendix of formssimple pleading forms New York civil case