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How do I access court records?

County Clerk (county level - most court records) / NYC Courts (five boroughs) / New York Courts (state level)
Step by Step

How to do it

  1. Identify what type of record you need and which court handled it
  2. Search online:
  3. NYSCEF (New York State Courts Electronic Filing): iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef - NY's statewide e-filing system for Supreme Court civil cases in participating counties; most Supreme Court civil records filed after 2012+ in NYC and participating counties; public access available
  4. NEW YORK STATE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM CASE SEARCH: iapps.courts.state.ny.us/crims - criminal case search for Supreme and County Court cases
  5. NYC COURTS: nycourts.gov - NYC has separate portals for Civil Court, Criminal Court, and Housing Court
  6. COUNTY CLERK RECORDS: County Clerk offices maintain Supreme Court records; many counties have online indexes; full document access varies
  7. For full case documents or certified copies: contact the County Clerk (for Supreme/County Court records), Surrogate's Court (estates), or specific court clerk
  8. In-person access: visit the courthouse; bring photo ID and case details
Details

What you need to know

Required Docs
  • Valid photo ID
  • Case number/index number or full legal name of parties
Fee
NYSCEF online: free for civil cases; certified copies from County Clerk: typically $1.25 per page; contact specific clerk for current schedule
Processing Time
Online searches immediate where available; same day or by mail for certified copies
Online Option
NYSCEF (iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef) for Supreme Court civil cases; criminal case search for criminal cases; county-specific portals
Where to Go
County Clerk for Supreme Court records; Surrogate's Court for estates; specific court clerk for other courts
County-specific variations apply

NYC courts (nycourts.gov) have separate portals for all NYC boroughs; extensive online access. Nassau and Suffolk County (Long Island) have their own well-resourced county clerk portals. Westchester, Monroe (Rochester), Erie (Buffalo), Onondaga (Syracuse), Albany County have large court systems. Small upstate NY counties may have very limited online access. Supreme Court indexing and digital access quality varies dramatically by county.

New York Notes

Important state-specific details

  • TERMINOLOGY CONFUSION: In NY, "Supreme Court" = the main trial court (NOT the highest court); "Court of Appeals" = the highest court. This confuses many people.
  • NYSCEF: excellent for Supreme Court civil cases in participating counties.
  • Criminal case search: iapps.courts.state.ny.us/crims.
  • NY Court of Appeals opinions: nycourts.gov/ctapps.
  • Criminal history background checks: NY Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) - criminaljustice.ny.gov; fee-based.
  • NY Sex Offender Registry: sor.community.ny.gov - searchable online.
  • NYC Department of Records: records.nyc.gov - historical NYC records including older court records.
Official Source

State office contact

State Office
NY Unified Court System - nycourts.gov | (800) 268-7869; NYSCEF: iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef; DCJS (criminal history) - criminaljustice.ny.gov | (518) 457-5837