Litigation and Lawsuits

Policy Information
Policy TitleLitigation and Lawsuits
Responsible OfficeCampus Attorney
Policy TypeLegal and Compliance
Policy Number903
Last Revision Date9/17/2026

Litigation brought against the State, the University, their employees and officials is handled by the University's legal counsel and the State Attorney General's office. The SUNY Procedures Manual #240, Small Claims Procedures, will be used for appropriate small claims ($0–5,000). All cases involving litigation will be handled in conformance with this procedure or based on proper legal advice.

  1. No statements concerning pending litigation should be provided by University employees or officials. Requests for information concerning pending litigation should be referred to the State Attorney General's office.
  2. Any non-approved contact from an attorney, including seeking information about a pending or anticipated legal matter must be forwarded to the University’s Chief Campus Counsel.  Discussions with the outside attorney may proceed upon approval of the University’s Chief Campus Counsel.
  3. Cooperation with the University’s Chief Campus Counsel’s office,  is required for all matters where the University is a defendant in a litigated case.  Upon receiving approval of the University’s Chief Campus Counsel, Employees must also cooperate with investigators, attorney and legal staff from the New York State Attorney General’s office
  4. Claims against the University can be served personally or by mail only on certain University officers or departments. For all such claims, the following departments are each authorized to accept service on behalf of the University: the office of the Chief Campus Counsel, University Police, and the Office of Risk Management and Administrative Compliance.  Any employee presented with documentation to be served against the institution should contact the University’s Chief Campus Counsel immediately.
  5. All claims received against the University or SUNY must be immediately forwarded to the University’s Chief Campus Counsel. It is extremely important that the University’s Chief Campus Counsel know the method of the service, i.e., personal delivery, mail.  Counsel must be provided with all legal documents, including the envelope(s). 
  6. If a service is being made for a claim against an individual employee of the institution personally for an activity, which is part of his/her job responsibility, they must be served individually. It is extremely important that the University’s Chief Campus Counsel  know the method of the service, i.e., personal delivery, mail.  Counsel must be provided with all legal documents, including the envelope(s). 
  7. If an employee is personally served, they will be required to issue a written request for defense and indemnification.  Details will be provided to said employee upon reporting knowledge of a lawsuit naming the employee as a party.
  8. Section 17 of the New York State Public Officers Law requires that University officials being sued individually notify the State Attorney General's office within five (5) days of service requesting defense by the Attorney General's office. The letter will be sent by the University Chief Campus counsel on behalf of the employee being sued.
Date Description Responsible Party
     
9/17/2026 Approved by Senior Officers Group on Thursday, September 17, 2026. Campus Attorney