Erie County Superior Court Case Search

Erie County does not have a Superior Court. Instead, the county has a Supreme Court in line with New York’s judicial structure. The Supreme Court has the same jurisdiction as a Superior Court, which allows it to handle matters of general criminal and civil jurisdiction. The Erie County Supreme Court functions as a trial court and not an appellate court.

Erie County Supreme Court records are publicly accessible through the County Clerk’s Office or via the mail. Requesters can submit requests with details of a case to search for a Supreme Court case. This search may require a fee, which depends on the complexity or volume of search requests. Requesters can also conduct free court case searches through the New York State Courts E-Filing platform. This website provides a search portal for quickly looking up Erie County Supreme Court cases.

Note: There is an Appellate Division where the court exercises a limited jurisdiction to hear appeals from lower courts. The Supreme Court handles cases involving family law, contract matters, criminal cases, and more. The court is presided over by several justices who are elected to serve by residents of the county. Unlike other jurisdictions, the Supreme Court’s decisions are subject to the Appellate Court’s decisions. This is because the Appellate Court functions as the court of final decision in New York.

What Kinds of Cases Are Heard in Erie Superior Court?

Erie County has a Supreme Court handling matters of a Superior Court. The Erie County Supreme Court has civil and criminal jurisdiction. It is the court from which cases originate. The public can approach this court to handle most matters of criminal or civil inclination.

Some of the cases handled by the Erie County Supreme Court include the following:

• Civil disputes: Civil cases are broad and can include contract disagreements, personal injury matters, business disputes, professional malpractice, property matters, and more.
• Criminal cases: Criminal matters are also broad as they cover felonies and misdemeanor offenses. Felonies are serious crimes such as assault, murder, kidnapping, and more. Other criminal cases handled by the Supreme Court include sex crimes, drug offenses, and property crimes.
• Family law cases include divorce, child custody, child support, guardianship, adoption, and more.
• Probate cases: Probate matters involve Wills and estate administration and will also include litigation over the administration of estates, Wills, or trusts.
• Mental health cases: This involves cases where mental health is material to the decision in the case.
• Juvenile cases refer to court cases in which minors are involved. In such cases, the minor's identity is protected through records sealing or redaction.

The Supreme Court also has limited jurisdiction to handle appeals through its Appellate Division.

Erie County Superior Court

Erie County has no Superior Court. However, the county operates a Supreme Court, which exercises the general jurisdiction of a Superior Court. The Supreme Court of Erie County is a trial court that hears matters of general civil and criminal jurisdiction. This court also hears matrimonial matters as it is the court of first instance for the local residents.

It is the central judicial authority of the county through which the rule of law is upheld and justice is served. Erie County Supreme Court has no appellate jurisdiction. The court consists of several justices who are elected by county residents. The public can access the Supreme Court’s services by using the following contact information:

Erie County Supreme Court
25 Delaware Avenue, Ground floor,
Buffalo, New York 14202
(716) 845-9301

Erie County Case Lookup

Erie County cases are maintained by the clerk of the court, who handles each case. These cases are public records that can be accessed and obtained using records requests. The public can look up court cases using records requests to search court records. Requesters can access these records using in-person, mail, or online requests addressed to the Clerk’s Office.

Online requests
The public can search Erie County cases online through the New York State Courts E-Filing website. This website offers access to all types of court cases in the county through the ‘Case Type’ drop-down menu.

Note: Basic case searches do not require fees or registration, but access to documents filed through the NYSCEF may require an account. Simply load the website and input the search information, such as the party name, attorney or firm name, and index number of the case of interest.

In-person requests
Walk-in requests can be made within business hours of the week. Requesters do not require appointments to make walk-in requests. However, the records custodian may request identification depending on the sensitivity or nature of the request.

Mail-in requests
Mail-in requests generally require the correct mailing address of the County Clerk’s office. Requesters are also required to submit case details like parties’ names and case numbers for a records search. The processing time differs as online access can give immediate access, while walk-in or mail-in look-up requests may require days to process, subject to the volume or complexity of the request.

Note: Sealed records may not be accessible through online resources. The fees for walk-in or mail-in look-up requests may also vary, subject to the particulars of the request.

Erie Superior Court Case Search by Name

Erie County Supreme Court cases can be searched using various options. Requesters can approach the Superior Court Clerk’s office to request a case search in person or on the phone. This office maintains the court records and entertains records requests through the recognized modes. For a name search, these requests must be submitted with some information about the case, such as parties’ names.

The records custodian will cross-reference the names provided with the content of the court’s archives to search and recover copies of case records. Requesters can also conduct name searches online through the NYSCEF platform. This website allows free case searches using the names of a party to the case or attorney on record. Name searches can be tricky to navigate where there are common names or different variations. This can be solved by using further details of the case, such as case number, to narrow down the search result.

Erie Superior Court Docket Search

Court dockets are chronological logs of a court case’s history. They contain an event timeline for a court case from the date of filing the case till the judge gives the final judgment. Court dockets are instruments that help inform the public on the progress of a case and important updates during the case. Requesters can search court dockets to access case information such as:

• Filing date
• Assigned judge
• Case name or title
• Case or index number
• Pleadings or filings
• Court appearance dates and time
• Disposition and judgments
• Liens and encumbrances

Erie County court dockets can be searched using in-person requests. The Erie County Clerk’s Office can be contacted or approached to request access to certain court dockets, while online resources such as the NYSCEF platform provide access to case search resources.

Lookup Erie County Superior Court Online

The Supreme Court of Erie County performs the functions of a Superior Court by exercising general civil and criminal jurisdiction. The Supreme Court is the trial court with all relevant court records. Requesters can access these records using online resources such as the NYSCEF website. This webpage provides links to various court records such as Appellate Court, Court of Claims, Criminal Court, Surrogate Court, Family Court, Supreme Civil Court, and more.

Requesters can use the relevant link to access the search portal, where you can search by Case Number, Index Number, party or attorney name, case type, and filing date. The public can also use third-party websites such as Newyorkcourtrecords.us to look up Erie County Supreme Court records. These websites offer archives of court records for fast and easy look-up. Unlike officially sourced court records, requesters cannot rely on third-party websites for the most accurate records.

Supreme Court vs. Superior Court

The Supreme Court of Erie County functions as the court of general civil and criminal jurisdiction. This court exercises the same jurisdiction as a Superior Court. It is the court where cases originate and not the highest court. The public can initiate cases involving criminal charges, civil disputes, family law matters, and more. The Supreme Court of Erie County is not an appellate court; rather, it is a trial court where judges preside over and juries deliberate on the facts in most cases.

In comparison, the New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the state. This court handles matters from the appellate Division of the Supreme Court. The New York Court of Appeals functions as the state’s Supreme Court with the final judicial decision. This Court consists of 7 judges who do not hold trials but review the decisions of lower courts.