An Order to Show Cause is a court order in New York that requires a party in a landlord-tenant proceeding to appear in court and explain why a default judgment should not be granted. In New York, an Order to Show Cause is typically requested when a tenant has failed to appear in court or respond to a landlord's complaint. In such a situation, the landlord may be entitled to a default judgment, meaning that the court will grant whatever relief the landlord is requesting without hearing the tenant's side of the argument. The tenant must respond to the Order to Show Cause explaining why the default judgment should not be granted. If the tenant can show that he or she had a valid reason for not appearing in court or responding to the landlord's complaint, the court may vacate the default judgment and allow the tenant to make a defense against the landlord's claims. There are two commonly used types of Order to Show Cause in New York landlord-tenant proceedings: an Order to Show Cause for Money Judgment and an Order to Show Cause for Possession. An Order to Show Cause for Money Judgment is commonly used when a tenant has failed to pay rent or owes money to the landlord. An Order to Show Cause for Possession is commonly used when a tenant has failed to comply with the terms of the lease and the landlord are seeking possession of the premises.