Lewis County Court Records

Lewis County court records in New York include the official files, documents, and data on court proceedings, including criminal and civil cases. Court clerks maintain these records as a way to preserve the official account of court proceedings in the county’s courts. They are primarily managed by the clerk of the courthouse where the case was heard and are generally available to the public unless otherwise determined by law or court order.

Are Court Records Public in Lewis County?

Yes. Court records are public in Lewis County per New York's Freedom of Information Law(FOIL). Most types of judicial documents produced by courts in Lewis County are accessible to interested members of the public. However, specific categories of arrest records are exempt from public disclosure by state laws or court orders. Individuals can also request that the Office of Court Administration (OCA) exempt certain records within a Lewis County court. Some of the factors that affect the decision to make court records exempt include:

• Whether trade secrets could be revealed by disclosure.
• If a person could suffer excessive harm as a result of disclosure,
• If disclosure could cause the lawyer-client relationship to suffer undue harm;
• Whether the client's privacy may be needlessly violated as a result of disclosure.

Generally, examples of Lewis County court records that are exempt from public disclosure include:

• Medical court record information
• juvenile court records
• Personnel records of public employees
• Attorney/Client court information
• Complainant, Victim, or Witness's personal information

Lewis County Court Records Search

Individuals can perform a Lewis County court records search through:

• The office of the Lewis County court clerk.
• Pubic access terminals at any Lewis County courthouse.
• New York State Unified Court portal.

Lewis County Courts

The Lewis County court system comprises four types of courts and 22 courts in total. The types of courts include (1) Lewis Supreme Court, (1) Lewis County Court, (1) family court, one surrogate court, and 17 town courts. In criminal and civil cases, the Lewis County Supreme Court has the broadest jurisdiction of any county trial court. It has the authority to hear almost any case except claims made against the state, which the Court of Claims must resolve. The location of all county courts in Lewis County is as follows:

Lewis County Supreme Court
Lewis County Courthouse
7660 North State Street,
Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 376-5366
Fax: (315) 376-4145

County Courts in Lewis County
Lewis County Court
7660 North State Street,
Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 376-5380
Fax: (315) 376-1656

Family Courts in Lewis County
Lewis County Family Court
7660 North State Street,
Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 376-5345
Fax: (315) 376-5189

Surrogate's Courts in Lewis County
Lewis County Surrogate's Court
7660 North State Street,
Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 376-5344

Town Courts and Village Courts in Lewis County

Croghan Town Court
9882 Route 126,
Suite B,
Castorland, NY 13620
Phone: (315) 346-1212 ext. 2

Denmark Town Court
3707 Roberts Road,
Carthage, NY 13619
Phone: (315) 493-3846 ext. 3
Fax: (315) 493-4809

Diana Town Court
5959 Old State Extension Road,
P.O. Box 271,
Harrisville, NY 13648
Phone: (315) 543-2312

Greig Town Court
P.O. Box 56, Glenfield, NY 13343
Phone: (315) 348-8272

Harrisburg Town Court
Harrisburg, Motague, Pinckney Court (H-M-P Court)
7886 Cobb Road,
P.O. Box 208,
Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 688-4303

Lewis Town Court
Lewis Town Library
5213 Osceola Road,
West Leyden, NY 13489
Phone: (315) 942-6813
Phone: (315) 599-7120

Leyden Town Court
3514 Mechanic Street,
P.O. Box 116,
Port Leyden, NY 13433
Phone: (315) 348-8181
Fax: (315) 348-4576

Lowville Town Court
5533 Bostwick Street, Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 376-8070
Fax: (315) 376-8924

Lowville Village Court
5535 Bostwick Street, Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 376-2834
Fax: (315) 376-2814

Lyonsdale Town Court
3364 Pearl Street,
P.O. Box 313,
Port Leyden, NY 13433
Phone: (315) 348-8666 (Town Office)
Phone: (315) 348-4139 (Justice)

Martinsburg Town Court
P.O. Box 16,
Martinsburg, NY 13404
Phone: (315) 377-3099

Montague Town Court
Harrisburg, Montague,
Pinckney Court (H-M-P Court)
7886 Cobb Road,
P.O. Box 208,
Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 688-4303

New Bremen Town Court
8420 State Route 812,
Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 376-3752
Fax: (315) 376-2242

Osceola Town Court
1426 Osceola Road,
P.O. Box 210,
Camden, NY 13316
Phone: (315) 599-8891

Pinckney Town Court
Harrisburg, Montague,
Pinckney Court (H-M-P Court)
7886 Cobb Road,
P.O. Box 208, Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 688-4303

Port Leyden Village Court
3514 Mechanic Street,
Port Leyden, NY 13433
Phone: (315) 348-8181
Fax: (315) 348-4576

Turin Town Court
6312 East Main Street,
P.O. Box 336,
Turin, NY 13473
Phone: (315) 348-6073

Watson Town Court
6971 Number 4 Road,
Lowville, NY 13367
Phone: (315) 376-3866 ext. 6

West Turin Town Court
4059 Cherry Street,
P.O. Box 703,
Lyons Falls, NY 13368
Phone: (315) 397-2786

Lewis County Criminal and Civil Records

Lewis County criminal records are publicly available documents that can be obtained from either the Lewis County Sheriff's office or the Lewis County Supreme Court. Persons can obtain criminal records from the Lewis County Sheriff's Office by requesting a local background check. Requests can be made in person or by mail. The request process involves completing an "Authorization for Release of Information" form and paying the records request fee of $10.Requesters must also provide a copy of the requester's valid New York State driver's license or another official form of identification.

Applicants must understand that a local background check is limited to records on file at the Lewis County Sheriff's Office. Records from other agencies will not be included. Individuals should go to the Division of Criminal Justice Services for a more extensive background check that covers all New York State law enforcement agencies.

Members of the public can visit the civil courthouse where a case was filed to obtain Lewis County civil court records. The county courthouse has a public access terminal where people can search for necessary documents. Alternatively, individuals can seek access to Lewis County Supreme Court Case Documents using the New York unified e-courts portal. The civil portal can be used to find most civil case records, including records from family court documents, small claims, tenancy disagreements, and domestic relations.

Individuals can search for Lewis County civil cases using the following keywords:

• Index number
• Case number
• Name of the presiding judge
• Name of the parties involved in the case
• Name of an attorney named in the civil case

People can also search for basic information using the New York Civil Case Calendar.

Lewis County Marriage Records

Lewis County marriage records are an essential part of Lewis County vital records maintained at the Lewis County clerk's office. The most requested mong marriage record is the lewis county marriage certificate, which is created to document every marriage that occurs within the county. Marriage records are confidential records that can only be requested by the spouse named on the record and persons with a documented judicial purpose or court order.

Eligible persons can visit the Lewis County clerk's office to request marriage records. Requesters must provide a valid photo ID or a letter stating the applicant's name and address from a government agency issued within the last six months. Requests can be mailed by completing and submitting a Lewis County marriage records request form. Lewis County marriage certificates cost $30. However, applicants may incur additional costs when making orders by mail.

Lewis County Divorce Records

Lewis County divorce records are documents used to record the dissolution of marriage process in Lewis County. These records are maintained at the Lewis County clerk's office. The clerk's office maintains two types of divorce records:

• Lewis County divorce decrees
• Lewis County divorce certificates

Lewis County divorce records are confidential documents that can only be obtained by:

• Either spouse named on the record
• Individuals with a court order from any New York County court.

Eligible persons can request divorce records in person or by mail from the Lewis County clerk's office. The request process involves providing the clerk's office staff with the information needed to search for records. Some required information includes the date when the divorce record was issued or the spouses' names.

Lewis County Birth Records

Lewis County Birth records are vital records found at the Lewis County Clerk's Office and the Lewis County Registrar of Vital Statistics office. Lewis County birth certificates prove that a person was born within the jurisdiction and are also used to confirm an individual's age. Interested persons can request Lewis County birth records in person, online, or by mail from the county clerk's office. Lewis County birth records can only be ordered by an eligible person; these include:

• The individual listed on the birth document.
• The parent of an individual named on the birth certificate. (The birth certificate must bear the name of the seeking parent.)
• A spouse, a kid, or others, but only with a New York State court's approval.

Requesters will need to come along with their valid ID to request a birth certificate.

Lewis County Death Records

Lewis County death records are vital records created to document every death within Lewis County. Death records are created and preserved at the Lewis County Clerk's Office and the Lewis County Registrar of Vital Statistics. However, the county clerk's office is the primary channel providing death certificates for Lewis County eligible individuals. Death records are private documents that can only be requested by the deceased's spouse, parent, child, sibling, or any individual with a recognized legal right or claim.

Eligible persons can visit the Lewis County clerk's office to request death records. The cost to obtain death records in Lewis County is $30.

Lewis County Probate Court Records

The Lewis County Surrogate Court handles probate matters in Lewis County. As per CHAPTER 59-A of New York's Surrogate's Court Procedure. The Lewis County Surrogate Court handles issues relating to:

• Administration of probate
• Conservatorships
• Small estates
• settlement of cases involving wrongful death

Most probate documents are public records and can be obtained by visiting the Lewis County probate court office. On-site research access to Lewis County Surrogate Court estate files is also provided. The public can see records on terminals at the Public Research Room on the second floor of the Lewis County Courthouse. Many Lewis County probate records are available online and can be viewed from a home computer through the Lewis County Web Surrogate portal.

However, a new section 207.64 of the Uniform Civil Rules of the Surrogate's Court was established that restricts public access to certain filings, meaning that only those interested in the decedent's estate may examine certain documents. To obtain restricted records, eligible individuals must visit the surrogate court and provide a valid ID to search for records.

Lewis County Property Records

The Lewis County Clerk's Office and the Lewis County property tax office create and maintain Lewis County property records. Records found at the clerk's office include property sales records, property ownership history, maps, parcels, and property renovation histories. The property tax office oversees records regarding property assessment and property tax data.

Almost every property record is a public record and can be requested by visiting the custodian's offices to make a request. Requests can also be sent through mail or by telephone. Requesters will need to provide the following information to search for Lewis County:

• Document ID
• Property address
• Property Tax number
• Name of the last owner of the property(if known)

Interested persons can also use the Lewis County real property search portal to search for and purchase property documents.

Lewis County Court Records Online

Third-party online resources like Newyorkcourtrecords.us may provide a valuable channel to obtain Lewis County court records. People who cannot physically visit the courthouse can save time and effort by using these platforms, which are easily accessible from any location with an internet connection. Additionally, third-party platforms might provide user-friendly interfaces that let users swiftly look for particular instances or people. However, these platforms function independently of any governmental organization. They might give out-of-date or incorrect content. Hence, comparing the information obtained from third-party websites with government sources is good practice, especially if the records will be notarized and used for official purposes.