New York Laws
Article 10 - The Criminal Courts
10.30 - Local Criminal Courts; Jurisdiction.

(a) Exclusive trial jurisdiction of petty offenses except for the
superior court jurisdiction thereof prescribed in paragraph (c) of
subdivision one of section 10.20; and
(b) Trial jurisdiction of misdemeanors concurrent with that of the
superior courts but subject to divestiture thereof by the latter in any
particular case.
2. Local criminal courts have preliminary jurisdiction of all
offenses subject to divestiture thereof in any particular case by the
superior courts and their grand juries.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one, a superior
court judge sitting as a local criminal court does not have trial
jurisdiction of any offense, but has preliminary jurisdiction only, as
provided in subdivision two.