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1. Where do I send hearing request?

Bureau of Administrative Adjudication
65 Niagara Square, Room 215 City Hall
Buffalo, NY 1402

For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.

2. Can hearing request be made by phone?

No, hearing request can be made:

• By mail (post marked date on envelope is Hearing Request Date)
• In person in Room 215 City Hall

For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.

3. When is my hearing request due to avoid late penalties?

• 10 calendar days from date of copy of summons is mailed by first class mail to respondent and/or owner of property
• 10 calendar days from date copy of summons is signed for, if service is made by certified mail

For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.

4. I requested a hearing, why did I receive a notice?

• Copy of summons is automatically sent to the respondent and/or owner of property. Hearing requests are processed after the summons is entered into our system and mailed to the respondent and/or owner.
• Hearing request crossed in the mail with your late notice. Allow two to three weeks to process hearing request. If your hearing request was made timely, late fees will be removed when we process your hearing request based on the post marked date of your hearing request.
• Hearing request did not reach our office. If more than two weeks have elapsed since you requested a hearing and you recieved a late notice, contact our office at 716-851-4046.

For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.

5. I requested a hearing, buy have not heard anything yet. Why?

We do not send out hearing notices until approximately three weeks prior to your scheduled hearing date. Hearing requests are processed in the order they are received and may take months to schedule depending on the volume of hearing requests pending. For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.

6. Who can request a hearing?

• Anyone can request a hearing, however, Hearing Notice will be sent to owner of property or person cited, if different.
• Written notarized consent is required for representative to appear at a hearing. Refer to Hearing Notice for further information. Authorization form is contained at bottom of Hearing Notice.

For instance, if tenant requests a hearing, property owner will be notified of hearing date and will have to give written notarized consent to tenant to appear. For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.

7. Can I reschedule my hearing?

Hearings can be rescheduled only once upon showing of good cause. Request must be made in writing postmarked before the scheduled hearing date. Refer to Hearing Notice for further information. For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.

8. Can I cancel my hearing and make payment instead?

Yes, you can cancel hearing and make payment at any time prior to the scheduled hearing date. If Hearing Request was not made timely, payment must include original fine amount and applicable late penalties. For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.

9. I received a Notice of Failure to Appear at my hearing, what do I do now?

• To avoid judgement, you must make immediate payment of the balance due as indicated on the notice.
• You may make application in writing to open the default citing good cause for missing your hearing and your defense to the violation.

For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.

10. What if I cannot afford to prepay the fine amount to appeal?

You may make written request to waive the prepayment of the fine amount. You must provide verifiable proof of income. The $10 application fee cannot be waived. For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.

11. What if I cannot afford to pay the fine amount by the due date on the Hearing Disposition?

• You are given 30 days at the hearing to pay or appeal a guilty verdict. Absolutely no extensions are granted. Failure to pay by the due date will result in the summons going to the maximum amount as indicated on the hearing disposition and entry of a judgement.
• If you cannot pay and would like to enter into a payment plan, please contact our office at 716-851-4046 prior to the due date to determine if you are eligible. If eligible, you will be required to make your initial payment prior to the due date. 

For more information, please call the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 716-851-4046.