New York County Court Records

New York County court records are files, information, and documents related to the judicial proceedings of a court, and they include the following:

• Case information (the parties and their attorneys, name of judge who presided over the case, case number, case filing date, case depositions)
• Legal documents (complaints, petitions, motions, pleading, rulings)
• Evidence (exhibits, transcripts, witness testimony)
• Judgments and orders
• Sentencing and appeals

New York court records cover a variety of cases, such as civil claims, criminal cases, probate, and family proceedings, and are useful for background checks. They can also be used as legal precedents for upcoming rulings. In addition, court records ensure transparency and accountability in the judicial system. New York court records are available to the general public depending on the jurisdiction and particular case and can be accessed online and offline.

Are Court Records Public in New York County?

New York County court records are open to the public and may be accessed in most cases according to the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), Article 6 (Section 84-90). Nonetheless, access to some records may be subject to limitations or restrictions per CPL 160.50[1](j) and CPL 720.35(2). These include documents containing sensitive information, such as divorce, adoption, juvenile records, social security numbers, and financial account numbers or records protected by court orders or state laws.

New York County Court Records Search

New York County court records can be accessed online via the New York State Unified Court Case Search or the New York City Civil Court's Public Access Portal. Requesters can also make phone requests, mail requests, or an in-person visit to the courthouse or the Court Clerk's Office to search records. In addition, third-party online databases can be used to access certain New York County court records.

New York County Court Records Search by Name

A name-based search is a common method of locating court records in New York. It involves using a record owner's name as the search criterion to ease the search process. To search documents in the county by name, a requester may visit the County Clerk's Office and provide the name and any other relevant information on the request form. They can also mail their request to the New York County Clerk's Office. Add the name and other relevant details to facilitate a smooth search. In addition, a cheque or money order for the appropriate fee must be sent as the cost of searching and making copies of requested court records. Moreover, the select name options of the case search section of the New York State Unified Court System eCourt websites can be used. However, certain websites may require registration or subscriptions for requesters to access their databases.

New York County Courts

The court system in New York County is part of the New York State Unified Court System, which is a statewide system that comprises:

• Civil Courts of the City of New York: These courts handle most general civil claims of less than $25,000, small claims of less than $5,000, certain types of cases involving lien or mortgages, real property, rescission or reformation of certain transactions, commercial landlord-tenant, family, juvenile cases and other civil matters
• Criminal Courts of the City of New York: These courts handle misdemeanors, preliminary hearings for felonies, and lesser offenses. They also share jurisdiction with the family court over domestic violence, protection orders
• Family Court: This court handles cases involving juvenile matters, domestic relations cases, abuse prevention orders, and some other criminal cases
• Surrogate's Court: This court handles the administration of decedents' estates, wills, guardianships of the property of minors, and other probate matters

Listed below are the locations and contact information of the various courts in New York County:

Civil Courts of the City of New York

New York City Civil Court
111 Centre Street
New York, NY 10035
Phone: (646) 386-5600

New York City Civil Court-Harlem Community Justice Center
170 East 121st Street
New York, NY 10035
Phone: (646) 386-5200

New York City Civil Court-Housing Part
111 Centre Street
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (646) 386-5500
Fax: (212) 374-1623

New York City Civil Court-Small Claim Part
111 Centre Street
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (646) 386-5484

Criminal Court of the City of New York

New York City Criminal Court-Main Courthouse
100 Centre Street
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (646) 386-4511
Fax: (212) 374-5293

New York City Criminal Court Building
346 Broadway
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (646) 386-4511
Fax: (212) 374-5293

New York City Criminal Court-Midtown Community Court
314 West 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
Phone: (646) 264-1300
Fax: (212) 484-2791

Family Courts in New York County

New York County Family Court
60 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (646) 386-5200
Fax: (212) 748-5272

Surrogate's Courts in New York County

New York County Surrogate's Court
31 Chambers Street
New York, NY 10007
Phone: (646) 386-5000
Fax: (212) 374-3250

New York County District Court Records

New York County District Court records are official documents related to judicial proceedings within the county’s District Court. These records include documents generated during dispute resolution, case management, and distribution of estate assets, amongst others. They are separated by document type and case activity status. Records are located in the Open Record Room, Closed Records Room, and Sealed Document Management Department. All records may be requested from the Office of the Clerk of New York County, NY. On the other hand, requesters can access records online via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PASER) service.

New York County Criminal Records

New York County criminal records are records detailing a person's criminal activities and prosecutions in the county. They include New York County arrest, indictment, conviction, and sentencing information reported by the district attorneys’ offices, police departments, the courts, and other criminal justice agencies. New York State Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) maintains the state's criminal records, including those of New York County. Criminal records are available to the general public, except those sealed under specific conditions. A requester must have a court order, be the owner of the record, or law enforcement to access such records. The process requires the submission of fingerprints, a copy of a valid ID, and a means of payment of the applicable processing fee.

While criminal records may be available in courts, law enforcement agencies also maintain their own for investigation, prosecution, background checks, crime statistics, and analysis purposes. For copies of specific police or prosecution records concerning a criminal case that is not maintained in the court file, requests may be sent to the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Eligible requesters may also obtain records from the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision or visit the criminal record unit of the NYPD at:

NYPD Criminal Records Unit
375 Pearl Street
Suite 4, 16th floor
New York, NY 10038
Phone: (718) 610-8457

New York County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Looking up specific criminal cases, criminal court documents and other relevant information requires an exact name and date of birth match. Criminal records not restricted due to privacy concerns or legal requirements may be publicly available for a fee of $95 per record search. A Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) request may be submitted through the online Direct Access program or by mailing in an application form to:

NYS Office of Court Administration
Division of Technology and Court Research
Criminal History Record Search Unit
25 Beaver Street
8th Floor, Room 830
New York, NY 10004
CHRS@nycourts.gov

A self-addressed, stamped envelope must be included in the mail-in application. In addition, a person seeking access to criminal court documents may physically visit the office of the County Clerk or the Clerk of the Court to review publicly accessible New York County criminal records.

Get New York County Civil Court Records

Civil court records in New York County are court records of civil matters. They include records of contract disputes, torts, personal injury claims, small claims, name changes, property disputes, probate, and family-related issues. The New York City Civil Court is tasked with handling civil cases involving monetary disputes up to $50,000 and small claims up to $10,000. Requesters can access the county’s civil records through the New York City Civil Court Clerk in compliance with Section 255 of New York’s Judiciary Law. They may submit their requests to the clerk directly in the courthouse or via mail. However, requests must include specific information on the type of civil court record being sought or conforming with the court indexing system.

New York County Family Court Records

The New York County Clerk's Office maintains the records of family-related matters. These records include records of marriage, divorce, child custody and support, property distribution, adoption, juvenile delinquency, parental rights and responsibility, paternity, guardianship, and spousal support cases. Family Court records are open to public inspection. However, certain information may be redacted to protect the privacy of the records’ owners. New York County Family Court records are available in the record room of the courthouse where the cases are tried. Online access via the New York State Unified Court System E-court portal is another option to access criminal records within the county. All legal family matters are handled by the Family Court under the New York Family Court Act.

New York Dissolution of Marriage Records

Dissolution of New York County marriage records are official documents related to the termination of marriages. It includes divorce decrees, divorce certificates, marriage settlement agreements, and petitions for marriage dissolution. In New York County, copies of divorce judgments or other written orders in divorce cases are kept by the County Clerk. Only the parties involved or the attorney representing them can obtain them at the Record Room (Room 103B, in the basement) at 60 Centre Street. By statute, divorce records are confidential and, as a result, not open to public inspections. To obtain a certified copy of a filed document, a requester, who is a party in the matrimonial action or their attorney, must provide:

• An original notarized written request with the names of the parties in the matrimonial action, the index number, approximate year of divorce
• A fee of $8 per copy payable with a certified check, money order, or official bank check in U.S. currency to the New York County Clerk
• A copy of a valid photo ID, a stamped envelope with return address

For requesters who are not parties to the action, an original notarized letter indicating the document being requested from a party to the action granting them access to the file, in addition to the other requirements, must be provided. The international request fee is $16 per copy.

New York County Marriage and Divorce Records

Marriage and divorce records are official documentation of the legal union of two persons and the termination of marriages, respectively. These records are not open for public disclosure but can only be accessed under specific conditions. Marriage records are only open to the public if they are older than 50 years or both spouses are deceased. On the other hand, divorce records are considered confidential. Access to them is restricted to the parties named in the record, their attorney, or individuals with a court order. Persons interested in accessing New York County marriage and divorce records can place a direct order with the Vital Records Section of the New York State Department of Health. Also, in New York County, marriage records from 1950 to the present are available at the county office. To access these records, a completed application form must be mailed in, or a record seeker can make an appointment to visit the office. A marriage record for domestic use costs $15 for the first copy, while each additional copy costs $10. On the other hand, an extended record for overseas usage costs $35 inclusive of the cost of search, certification, and hand signature with a raised seal. For authentication, $3 must be paid to the County Clerk's Office to have the signature verified.

New York Birth and Death Records

New York birth and death records are the official documents that provide information about the birth and death of individuals within the county. These records are important for identity, demographic analysis, and policy formation purposes. Birth registrations and death certificates are issued by the New York City Health Department. These records are accessible by authorized persons. New York birth and death records can be accessed online and offline. To access these records online, take the following steps:

• Open the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website
• Click on order certificates and use the drop-down arrow to navigate, then choose the certificate and complete the ordering process

For offline access, interested individuals should do the following:

• Download a birth or death certificate application form from the New York County Vital Records page
• Fill it out, include a check or money order as access fees ($10 for a birth certificate while a certified death certificate costs $8), and mail it to:

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Gotham Center
42-09 28th Street
Long Island City, NY 11101-4132

For a New York County birth or death record request, an interested person is required to schedule an appointment online. These records are not open for public inspection according to the New York Health Law Section 4174. However, limited public access is allowed 75 years after birth and 50 years after the death of record owners.

New York County Probate Court Records

Probate court records in New York County are documents or information relating to the administration of decedents’ estates. These records encompass documents on guardianship, wills, testamentary trusts, assets inventory, and conservatorships. The New York County Surrogate Court handles probate cases in the county. To obtain probate court records, contact the New York Surrogate Court through mail or in-person visits to the courthouse. In addition, probate court records are available through the New York Unified Court System Search Portal. Search for records by name or file number.

All records from 1964 to the present are available and may be searched for free in person. Older records must be ordered and may take up to 3 weeks for them to arrive. However, adoption records are sealed and are inaccessible. On the other hand, to search a New York County probate court record by mail, a fee of $30.00 per estate if the decedent died within the past 25 years is charged. For a date of death over 25 years, the search fee is $90.00 per estate.

New York County Property Records

Property records and property ownership information in New York County can be obtained online, in person, or through phone calls. These records comprise deeds, zoning, liens, sales history, land documents, patent records, mortgages, plat maps, and tax records. Requesters can pay a visit to the property clerk's office to verify records of any property within the county. The Automated City Register Information System (ACRIS) also allows records seekers to search property records and view documents for New York from 1966 to the present.

New York County Court Records Online

New York County court records are maintained by the New York County Clerk's Office and the New York State Unified Court System. It is recommended to contact the court directly or visit the courthouse for certified or official copies of court records. Third-party online resources like newyorkcourtrecord.us are a convenient and efficient way to access court records in New York County. However, many third-party services charge fees for searches, copies, or subscriptions. Also, records may be outdated, incomplete, or incorrect. Some services may not comply with New York State laws or court regulations and pose data breaches or unauthorized access.