Clay, New York, Syracuse's largest suburb, is in Onondaga County. The town was first settled in 1791 and was previously known as West Cicero, NY. In 1827, The Town of Clay was formed from the Town of Cicero. The north town line is the border of Oswego County, New York, marked by the Oneida River. The Seneca River marks the west town line. These rivers join into the Oswego River at a point known as Three Rivers and the Erie Canal follows these rivers around the borders of Clay.

A suburb of Syracuse, Clay is close to Syracuse's Hancock International Airport and US Routes 81 and 90. Vehicle and traffic cases from these two major area highways are heard at Clay Town Court, 4401 Route 31, Clay, NY. Town Court also has civil jurisdiction for disputes involving less than $3,000. Court sessions are held on Tuesday evenings and Thursday evenings. The Onondaga County Courthouse at 401 Montgomery St. in Syracuse, NY has jurisdiction over all criminal and some civil cases in the county, but typically only handles cases from Clay that are beyond the jurisdiction of the Town Court.

In Clay, NY, personal injury cases are heard in civil court, at the Town Court or County Court level. Civil cases typically heard by the Supreme Court, also in Syracuse, include general civil claims for more than $25,000. Cases heard by the Onondaga County Commercial Division of the Supreme Court include commercial class actions and certain malpractice cases.

In New York, the typical personal injury case is handled in Civil Court. Lawsuits seeking money damages of more than $25,000 are handled by the Supreme Court. Lawsuits seeking money damages up to $25,000 are handled in County Court. Small Claims (money damages up to $3,000) are handled in village and town courts. NY Court Help can help determine which courts handle specific civil legal problems.

In 2008, the Census Bureau estimated that Clay, NY had 59,786 residents. Residents have easy access to Syracuse hospitals: St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, the Upstate Medical University Hospital, and for veterans living in Clay, New York, the Syracuse VA Medical Center.

Clay, NY contains the major retail strip of Syracuse's northwesterly suburbs, along Route 31, including the Great Northern Mall. The nearby Shopping Town Mall in DeWitt is also a community destination for shopping. The Carousel Center Mall and downtown Syracuse also offer retail shopping.

Clay, New York is home to the Syracuse University Orange, known for NCAA men's basketball, football and lacrosse. Fans can watch their favorite Orange teams at the Carrier Dome, America's largest structure of its kind on a college campus. Other area colleges include Le Moyne College, Onondaga Community College, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and the Crouse Hospital School of Nursing for higher education.

There is always something for the residents of Clay to enjoy. Cultural attractions such as the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse and the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra are right next door. With affordable housing and safe streets, two rivers that are havens for fishermen and water sports, numerous golf courses, and all the cultural amenities of nearby Syracuse, it's no wonder that in 2008, the Town of Clay was rated 59th of America's best places to live by Money Magazine.