New York County, New York Court Records
New York County court records are official documents created, entered, filed, and maintained by a court or custodian in connection with a case in the county. These records explain what was filed in a case, when hearings or conferences took place, and what decisions the court made, including orders, judgments, and other official paperwork. Typically, the trial-level clerk (through its clerk) is the custodian of court records, especially for Supreme Court civil cases. The County Clerk of New York County is responsible for filing documents and maintaining the official case files.
New York County court records are produced through party filings (summons or complaints, petitions, motions) and court actions (docketing, orders, judgments) and are preserved under the state’s court rules and clerk procedures. Notably, access to court records is governed by Judiciary Law § 255 and not subject to FOIL.
Even though court records are related to public records, they are not the same. The New York State Department of Health, Vital Records Section, handles vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates) for events that occurred statewide (excluding New York City). In contrast, law enforcement typically maintains arrest and booking records, which may not appear in a court document unless filed with the court. Federal case files for New York County are filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and are accessible through the clerk’s office and PACER.
Are New York County Court Records Public?
Most New York County court documents are considered public records. However, access to these records is regulated by New York’s court-access rules (not FOIL), statutes, and court rules that may classify certain records as confidential, sealed, or restricted.
Requesters should note that access to New York court records is governed by Judiciary Law § 255, not the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). This law controls how court clerks search for and provide copies and certifications of records.
Most adult civil and criminal case files in trial courts, such as the Supreme and Criminal Courts, are typically available to the public for inspection or copying, unless a statute, rule, or court order limits access. In civil cases, records may be sealed only under limited conditions. Under Title 22 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR), a court cannot seal a record unless it makes a written finding of "good cause" that balances public and party interests.
According to New York’s official CourtHelp guidance, commonly restricted case types and records include adoption proceedings, matrimonial (divorce) records and details, family court records, juvenile delinquency affairs, and sealed or impounded records.
What Information is Available in New York County Court Records?
What the public can view in a particular case depends on the court and case type (civil, criminal, family, surrogate’s, matrimonial, etc.) and whether anything is sealed or confidential.
The following section outlines the typical components of a New York court record:
- Case identifying information: Case name, caption (party names and counsel appearance), court and county, case type, index or docket number, and judge/part assignment (where applicable).
- Docket history: chronological entries showing filings received, appearances, conferences, hearings, and court actions.
- Initiation papers: Depending on the case, this often includes - civil (summons and complaint) and complaints (or summons with notice), petition, notice of petition, etc; criminal - accusatory instruments (complaint, information, indictment, depending on stage and court); Family/Surrogate’s - petitions, citations, and related initiating filings.
- Filed papers and exhibits: pleadings (e.g., complaint, petition, and answer), motions, affidavits or affirmations, notices, stipulations, and supporting exhibits (varies by case type).
- Court decisions and outcomes: Interim orders (e.g., scheduling, protective, or compliance orders), written decisions, judgments, and entered orders.
- Proofs of service and other "process" documents often found in the file include affidavits of service (showing how and when papers were served), notices required by rule or statute (varies by case type), stipulations filed with the clerk (e.g., adjournments, discontinuances)
- Hearings and trial materials (Depending on the court and the proceeding): Minutes or notations of appearances, verdict sheets or findings (bench trials), trial exhibits lists and marked exhibits (availability varies), transcripts (often ordered separately from the court reporter, but filings referencing transcripts may appear in the docket)
New York County Court Records Search
Online access
- NYSCEF (New York State Courts Electronic Filing) : For cases started in NYSCEF and later converted to e-files, users may search and examine the case file documents online using NYSCEF’s Case Search. However, court-sealed documents are not visible on this platform.
- eCourts (case status and appearances): Interested parties may use New York’s eCourts tools to look up case information (status, appearances, basic docket activity) for Supreme Court civil cases and certain other courts, depending on what is available for that court/case type.
- Criminal history searches: Individuals who need a statewide criminal history search may conduct one through the New York State Unified Court System’s Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) for a fee ($95.00).
In-person access
Requesters may visit the New York County Clerk’s Record Room to access Supreme Court and County Clerk-maintained records, especially older files or items that have not been digitized.
Generally, court clerks may assist by providing public case information, describing court records and their availability, and guiding requesters to the appropriate place to request records.
Mail and Phone Requests
For mail-in requests, applicants seeking certification or exemplification of copies of public court records are expected to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) and the necessary payment (in the accepted form) with their record request. Accepted payment types include certified or attorney checks, money orders, official bank checks, and, for in-person transactions, credit cards or cash.
Given that fees and accepted payment methods may vary by record type, it is advisable to call the relevant clerk’s office to confirm the exact fee and accepted payment method before mailing. To expedite a mail or phone request, the applicant is typically expected to include case identifiers (index or docket number, party names, court, document name or date, if known), specify the requested format (plain, certified, or exemplified copy), and provide a return address.
Note: Existing cases might be inaccessible to the public for certain matters that are part of sealed records and other restricted categories.
Fees for Court Records in New York County
In New York County, the County Clerk’s Office (the Clerk of the Supreme Court and County Court) is primarily responsible for setting fees for obtaining court records. Consequently, the clerk’s office provides an official Fee Schedule that outlines the costs for copies, certifications, searches, and other services related to obtaining court records.
Copy, Certification, and Exemplification Fees
According to the Clerk’s official fee schedule, plain copies of court documents cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $8.00 per certification plus $0.25 per page (copy fee). In contrast, exemplified copies attract a charge of $33.00 per exemplification in addition to $0.25 per page. Exemplification of certain court records costs $10.00
Record Searches
Requests for local criminal history searches cost $5.00 per name, per two years searched. This is a scenario in which a requester asks the Clerk to conduct a search rather than provide exact case identifiers.
Online Access and Subscription
New York County offers online access to eligible court records for free through the NYSCEF/eCourts portal. Consequently, the general public may view and download publicly available court records free of charge.
The fees for related vital records from custodians other than the County Clerk are as follows:
NYC Department of Health
- Birth or death certificate: $15.00 per certificate
- Mail processing fee: $7.50 (plus $15 certificate)
- In-person processing fee: $2.75 (plus $15 certificate)
NYC City Clerk
- Marriage record (domestic/short certificate): $15.00 first copy; $10.00 each additional copy
- Marriage license: $35.00
New York County Courthouse Locations
Listed below are the different court locations of the primary New York trial courts sitting in New York County and the type of cases they typically handle:
Supreme Court - Civil Term (civil cases)
Main facility
60 Centre St
New York, NY 10007
Phone: 646-386-3600
Satellite facilities
80 Centre St
New York, NY 10013
Phone: 646-386-3685
111 Centre St.
New York, NY 10013
71 Thomas St
New York, NY 10013
Phone: 646-386-3770
The Supreme Court handles civil matters (including major civil litigation and other civil jurisdiction).
Supreme Court - Criminal Term
100 Centre St and 111 Centre St.
New York, NY 10013
A key clerk point for finished Supreme Court criminal files is the Central Clerk’s Office at 100 Centre St (Room 1000) - 646-386-4000.
New York City Criminal Court, New York County
100 Centre St
New York, NY 10013
Phone: 646-386-4500
Handles misdemeanors and violations and conducts arraignments and preliminary proceedings in felony matters (felonies proceed to the Supreme Court).
New York City Civil Court, New York County
111 Centre St
New York, NY 10013
Civil Court covers lower-dollar civil matters (including Housing Court and Small Claims, which operate under the NYC Civil Court structure).
Family Court, New York County
60 Lafayette St
New York, NY 10013
Phone: 646-386-5223
Handles many family and juvenile-related matters (e.g., custody and visitation disputes, support, family offense, juvenile delinquency/PINS), subject to confidentiality rules for Family Court records.
Surrogate’s Court, New York County
31 Chambers St
New York, NY 10007
Phone: 646-386-5000
Handles probate/estate matters (wills, administrations, related estate proceedings).
Criminal Records Access in New York County
In New York County, inquirers may request their New York State criminal history record for review through the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). The DCJS is the custodian of statewide criminal history records (also known as a "rap sheet"), not New York County courts. However, New York also offers a separate statewide name-and-date-of-birth criminal history search through the Office of Court Administration (OCA) "Criminal History Record Search" service (CHRS).
On the other hand, local New York County criminal case records (dockets, orders, and dispositions) are maintained by different courts and clerk offices (custodians) depending on the stage and seriousness of the case. For instance, the New York City Criminal Court (Manhattan) handles most misdemeanor cases and arraignments. It provides case information via the Unified Court System’s criminal case tools. The Supreme Court, Criminal Term, New York County, hears felony cases. The records of this court are maintained by Supreme Court clerk offices, including the Central Clerk’s Office, which holds many completed criminal case files.
Online portals: Where a case is e-filed in the Supreme Court, requesters may use the NYSCEF Guest Search to view available public documents, subject to sealing and access rules. They may also use the Unified Court System’s eCourts/WebCrims tools to obtain information on case status, appearance dates, and basic docket information across criminal courts. However, coverage varies by court, case type, and filing status.
In-person searches/copies: Under Judiciary Law § 255, a court clerk is required to search files or dockets upon request and provide copies and certifications after payment of the necessary fees.
New York County Probate Records
New York County probate records comprise court files and office records used to administer a deceased person’s estate and to protect people who need help making decisions. In New York County, the New York Surrogate’s Court handles these matters.
Probate-related estate records often include wills and probate filings (proving a will), estate administrations (appointing an administrator when there is no will or no executor can serve), trust proceedings, and guardianship proceedings. Information seekers may obtain newer filings online via court systems such as NYSCEF (for Surrogate’s Court e-filing where applicable) and WebSurrogate (a free Surrogate’s Court file search and document-retrieval tool for records considered public information).
Historical records and exhibits may require an in-person visit to the clerk’s office. Requesters should note that certain probate-related matters or documents may be restricted by law or sealed by court order (e.g., adoption record, maintained by the Surrogate’s Court). Likewise, confidential materials are not publicly viewable.
New York County Family Court Records
In New York County, the New York County Family Court handles most family-law matters. These include custody and visitation disputes, child support, paternity and parentage, family offense (orders of protection), guardianship, juvenile delinquency, and child protective cases. However, divorce is usually a Supreme Court "matrimonial" case type, not a Family Court case. Therefore, divorce case files are generally managed through Supreme Court procedures.
Family Court proceedings and records are not open to indiscriminate public inspection under Family Court Act § 166. The court may, however, exercise its discretion and permit inspection.
Under the Domestic Relations Law §114, some cases are expressly restricted. They include juvenile cases and sealed or confidential files, and adoption records.
Online portal availability
New York City Family Court now allows NYSCEF e-filing for certain case types. This means parties in cases such as custody or visitation, guardianship, paternity, or child support, and parentage matters (including assisted reproduction and surrogacy) may be able to file documents and access e-filed papers online, depending on the case and eligibility rules.
Users may use eCourts to view current and disposed case information, including future appearance dates for Family Court matters where available.
In-person access
Given that Family Court documents are restricted, the best approach for a party or authorized person is to visit the Record Room or the clerk’s area to request access to permitted documents or copies. This means that individuals directly involved who wish to obtain a copy of an order may request it from the Record Room where the case was heard, provided they are ready to provide proof of their identity.
Federal Court Records in New York County
New York County is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). This federal trial court handles most federal civil and criminal court proceedings that originate from the county. These cases include Federal-question cases (claims under the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, federal regulations), diversity jurisdiction civil cases (state-law disputes between parties of different states with the required amount in controversy), and federal criminal prosecutions brought by the United States.
Inquirers may access federal court records through PACER. The portal provides public access to federal court dockets and filings. To access documents on the platform, users must register for a PACER account. Since each federal court maintains its own case information, users unsure of specific case details may use the PACER Case Locator to find it.
For assistance locating a specific case, obtaining copies, or viewing actual documents, inquirers may contact or visit SDNY clerk operations at its Manhattan courthouse locations.
An effective way would be to use the PACER to locate the case number and docket. Subsequently, one may contact the SDNY Clerk’s Office for copy or certification procedures (where necessary).
