In New York, divorce cases are handled by the Supreme Court, which is the state's highest trial court. Despite its name, the Supreme Court is the primary court for handling divorce proceedings in What Court Handles Divorce in New York and it has the authority to rule on family law matters including divorce, child custody, and asset division. The process begins when one spouse files a divorce petition, known as a "summons with notice" or a "summons and complaint," at the Supreme Court. This petition must be filed in the county where either spouse resides. Once filed, the other spouse must be served with the divorce papers and has a set period to respond.