New York Consolidated Laws, Family Court Act - FCT § 511. Jurisdiction

Except as otherwise provided, the family court has exclusive original jurisdiction in proceedings to establish paternity and, in any such proceedings in which it makes a finding of paternity, to order support and to make orders of custody or of visitation, as set forth in this article.  On its own motion, the court may at any time in the proceedings also direct the filing of a neglect petition in accord with the provisions of article ten of this act.  In accordance with the provisions of section one hundred eleven-b of the domestic relations law, the surrogate's court has original jurisdiction concurrent with the family court to determine the issues relating to the establishment of paternity.