A party may serve on any party a written notice demanding a verified statement setting forth the post office address and residence of the party, of any specified officer or member of the party and of any person who possessed a cause of action or defense asserted in the action which has been assigned. The demand shall be complied with within ten days of its service.
R 3118.Demand for address of party or of person who possessed an assigned cause of action or defense
Article 31. Disclosure · Last amended 1963 · Last verified July 21, 2026
In one sentenceCPLR 3118 lets a party demand a sworn statement of another party's post office address and residence, and the addresses of certain officers, members, or assignors, within ten days.
Full Text of CPLR 3118
Plain-English Summary
Sometimes the only thing you need from an opponent is where to find them, or someone connected to them. CPLR 3118 covers that narrow need. A written notice can demand a verified statement giving the post office address and residence of the party being served, along with the address of any specified officer or member of that party.
The rule reaches one more person: whoever held a cause of action or defense before assigning it to someone in the case. If a claim changed hands before suit was filed, the party who once owned it may hold information the current litigant does not, and this rule lets the other side track that person down.
The response window is short. Once served, the recipient has ten days to comply. There's no need for a motion or court order to trigger the demand — this is a self-executing notice, one of the CPLR's simpler disclosure devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a demand for address under CPLR 3118?
It's a written notice asking another party for a sworn statement listing their post office address and residence, plus the address of any specified officer or member of that party.
How long does a party have to respond to a CPLR 3118 demand?
Ten days from service of the demand.
Can I demand the address of someone who assigned a claim before the lawsuit started?
Yes. CPLR 3118 covers the address of any person who possessed a cause of action or defense asserted in the case before it was assigned to a current party.
Do I need a court order to serve a demand for address?
No. The demand is served directly on the other party without a motion or order.
What happens if a party ignores a CPLR 3118 demand?
Advisory Committee Notes
This rule derives from RCP 9-a, substantially unchanged.
Amendment History
Add, L 1962, ch 308, eff Sept 1, 1963.
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: demand for address New Yorkverified statement of address CPLRdemand address of party lawsuit New York