N.Y. Surr. Ct. Proc. Act § 206

§ 206. Non-domiciliaries; jurisdiction and venue\n 1. The surrogate's court of any county has jurisdiction over the\nestate of any non-domiciliary decedent who leaves property in the state,\nor a cause of action for wrongful death against a domiciliary of the\nstate. The proper venue for proceedings relating to such estates is the\ncounty (a) where the non-domiciliary decedent left property, or (b)\nwhere personal property belonging to the non-domiciliary decedent has\nsince his death, disappearance or internment come into and remains\nunadministered, or (c) of the domicile of the person against whom a\nnon-domiciliary left a cause of action for wrongful death.\n 2. Where venue may lie in more than one county under the provisions of\nsubdivision one, the court where a proceeding is first commenced with\nproper venue shall retain jurisdiction, and matters relating to the\nestate of the non-domiciliary decedent pending in the surrogate's courts\nof other counties shall be transferred to it.\n 3. A surrogate shall transfer any proceeding to the surrogate's court\nof the proper county either on his own motion or on the motion of any\nparty.\n