Orange County Supreme Court Case Search

In most jurisdictions, a Superior Court serves as a trial court with general jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters. However, in Orange County, New York, there is no Superior Court. Rather, the Supreme Court, the County Court, the Family Court, the Surrogate’s Court, and the Court of Claims collectively provide trial services in the County.

Records from these courts include case files containing documents that reflect the various formal actions taken throughout the proceedings of an active or disposed court case. These include notices, pleadings, claims, summons, motions, indictments, evidence tendered, rulings on issues, and the final verdict rendered in the case.

What Kinds of Cases Are Heard in the Orange Supreme Court?

While the Supreme Court presides over civil cases, criminal matters are handled by the County Court. The Family Court hears domestic-related disputes, including guardianship, adoption, foster care approval and review, family violence, juvenile delinquency, support, child abuse and neglect, and custody and visitation.

In comparison, the Surrogate’s Court oversees matters relating to the administration of a deceased person's estate, the validity of wills, as well as custody and visitation. The Court of Claims manages civil actions instituted for monetary claims against the State of New York, including government institutions such as the City University of New York, the New York State Power Authority, and the New York State Thruway (this involves cases related to the taking of real estates only).

Each of these courts offers certain programs, including accommodations for those with Disabilities, Alternative Dispute Resolution, the Assigned Counsel Program, the Attorney Disciplinary Program, the Attorney for the Child, and Children's Centers.

Orange County Supreme Court

In Orange County, the Supreme Court, the County Court, the Family Court, the Surrogate’s Court, and the Court of Claims are collectively responsible for administering free and fair trials. Multiple divisions within these courts ensure the efficiency and effective management of each court's caseload. These include administrative judges who are responsible for managing caseloads and providing administrative functions such as personnel management and budget administration.
The Court Interpreting Services ensures that individuals with limited English proficiency get all the assistance necessary for effective participation in any court case that they might be involved in.

The County Clerks serve as clerks of both the Supreme and County courts, performing non-judicial functions within the court system, including managing case filings, record keeping, and other crucial court-related functions. The Supreme Court has an Appellate Division divided into four judicial departments. The Appellate Division exercises appellate jurisdiction over civil and criminal appeals from other trial courts.

In Orange County, the Supreme, County, Family, and Surrogate courthouses are situated at the following address:

Orange County Supreme Court
285 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924
Phone: (845) 476-3500
Fax: (845) 291-2525

Orange County Court
285 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924
Phone: (845) 476-3500
Fax: (845) 291-2525

Orange County Family Court
285 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924
Phone: (845) 476-3520
Fax: (845) 291-3054

Orange County Surrogate's Court
30 Park Place, Goshen, NY 10924
Phone: (845) 476-3655
Fax: (845) 291-2196

Orange County Case Lookup

Records from these courts are typically easy to find when an interested party knows where to look. For case information related to the Supreme Court, the County Court, the Family Court, and the Surrogate’s Court, individuals can freely refer to eCourts, the case information service for the New York State Unified Court System.

To access court records:

• Visit the nycourts.gov website
• Navigate to and click "Research: Data and Stat".
• Click E-Courts at the top of the page
• This will transition the user to the eCourt homepage.
• On the homepage, the user has multiple options to choose from, depending on the case and court type.

• For Civil Court cases, locate and click the "WebCivil Supreme" hyperlink

  • Select "Party Search" from the list of search options
  • The user will be prompted with a case search dialogue box
  • Follow the prompt and input the required criteria accordingly (do not forget to select a court from the drop-down list to narrow results to the Supreme Court or the County Court)
  • Once done, click "Find Case(s)" to initiate a search.

• To find criminal cases:

  • Click the "WebCriminal" hyperlink on the eCourts homepage
  • Choose the most convenient option amongst the available search options (Case Number/Summons number, Defendant name, or Court Calendar)
  • The case information system will prompt the user with a corresponding dialogue box
  • Input the name or number, indicate the court, and indicate the document format for the retrieved record
  • Click "Search" to facilitate a database query.

• For Family Court cases, the system displays only active cases with a future appearance date.

  • Locate and click the "WebFamily" hyperlink
  • Click "File/Docket Searches"
  • Follow the prompt and provide either the file number or single docket number in the corresponding textbox.
  • Before initiating the search, click the drop-down button above the search field and indicate the court.
  • Navigate to the bottom of the page and click "show future appearance" to initiate a search.

If a user is certain that a record exists but it's not online, they can check with the courthouse where the case was heard.

Orange Supreme Court Case Search by Name

When searching for court records, individuals should always be prepared to provide details that sufficiently identify the case. The search engine utilizes this information to find the case. The case search dialogue box typically requires users to provide either the case number or party name along with other relevant details such as the case status and the date range. While case numbers offer precise identification, users who do not know the case number can perform searches using a party’s name. To avoid a "no records found prompt," ensure that the information provided is accurate. If unsure of the spelling, users must enter at least two letters of the first and last name.

Orange Supreme Court Docket Search

A court docket is a comprehensive record of all events, filings, and rulings associated with a specific court case. It provides a detailed timeline of the case's progress, including upcoming hearings, motions filed, and rulings made. In Orange County, accessing the Supreme Court docket can help individuals stay informed about court dates, track case progress, and make informed decisions.

To access the court docket:

• Click either WebCivil Supreme, WebCriminal, or WebFamily on the eCourts homepage
• Click "Calendar"
• Select a city from the drop-down list
• The date range
• Indicates the document output format
• Click search to initiate the search

Lookup Orange County Supreme Court Online

eCourts is the official platform for accessing Orange County court records. However, aggregate third-party sites, including Newyorkcourtrecords.us, may provide a platform for accessing Orange County court records. While the records provided are generally reliable, these sites do not make any express or implied warranties regarding the quality, content, completeness, accuracy, or adequacy of the data produced. Individuals are advised to be cautious when placing faith in these records. The website will not be liable for any damages resulting from their use.

NY County Supreme Court vs Federal Supreme Court

In the State of New York, the Court of Appeals is the highest appellate court, not the Supreme Court, as in most states. The Court of Appeals decisions are binding on lower courts and serve as precedents for other courts to follow. Although the state has a Supreme Court, this court, alongside the County Court, the Family Court, and the Surrogate’s Court, are trial courts. They collectively handle all civil, criminal, family, and probate disputes in the various counties of the State of New York, including Orange. As trial courts, they focus on fact-finding—hearing witness testimony, weighing evidence, and rendering verdicts. However, their decisions in most legal matters are not final. Dissatisfied litigants can always appeal to the intermediate Appellate Court or the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court and ultimately to the Court of Appeals.