Find Court Records in Albany

Albany court records are held by Albany City Court, the Albany County Clerk, and several county-level courts. As the state capital and county seat of Albany County, the city is home to the Third Judicial District courts. Albany City Court handles civil cases up to $15,000, criminal misdemeanors, traffic violations, and small claims. Major civil and felony criminal cases go to Albany County Supreme Court and County Court. You can search these court records online or visit the courthouses on Eagle Street and Lodge Street to review files in person.

Albany City Court Records

Albany City Court runs three separate parts, each at a different location. The Civil Part is at Albany City Hall, Room 209, 24 Eagle Street. Phone (518) 453-4640. It handles civil cases up to $15,000, small claims, and similar disputes. The Criminal Part is at the Public Safety Building, 1 Morton Avenue. Phone (518) 453-5520. It processes misdemeanor cases, violations, and arraignments. The criminal part stays open on weekends and holidays for arraignment duty. The Traffic Part is in the basement of City Hall at 24 Eagle Street. Phone (518) 453-4630.

Six judges serve on the Albany City Court bench: Hon. William G. Kelly, Hon. Marisa Franchini, Hon. Joshua Farrell, Hon. John Reilly, Hon. Holly Trexler, and Hon. Gary F. Stiglmeier. The Chief Clerk is Anthony Mancino. Records from each part of City Court are kept by the clerk's office for that part. If you need a record from a criminal case, contact the Criminal Part. For civil matters, call the Civil Part. The parts operate somewhat independently.

Albany City Court records are separate from what the County Clerk holds. City Court cases that involve felony charges may start with an arraignment at City Court but then move up to County Court. In that case, the County Clerk would have the records from the County Court stage. To get the full picture of a case that moved between courts, you may need to check both.

How to Search Albany Court Records Online

The state runs several free portals that cover Albany court records. WebCivil Supreme lets you search civil cases in Albany County Supreme Court by index number, party name, or attorney name. Cases show up after a Request for Judicial Intervention has been filed. The portal shows case status, judge assignment, and upcoming court dates. For e-filed cases, NYSCEF lets you view the actual court documents.

The Albany County Clerk runs an online search through the IQS system. It covers deeds, mortgages from 1980 onward, judgments, liens, and some other court-related documents. This is a useful starting point for court record searches, though it does not have everything. For a full case file, you may still need to visit the clerk's office at 16 Eagle Street.

The OCA Criminal History Record Search covers all 62 counties for $95 per name search. Results are emailed the next business day. It is a name-based search that includes open criminal cases and convictions. Sealed records and youthful offender adjudications do not appear. The WebCriminal portal covers pending criminal cases with future court dates, though Albany is not among the courts it currently covers.

Albany County Supreme Court and County Court

Albany County Supreme Court sits at the Albany County Courthouse, Room 102, 16 Eagle Street. Phone 518-285-8989. It handles civil cases over $25,000, felony criminal matters, and divorce proceedings. The court is part of the Third Judicial District, which covers Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties. Under Judiciary Law Section 255, the County Clerk must maintain these records and make them open for public inspection, subject to certain exceptions.

Albany County Court is at the Albany County Judicial Center, 6 Lodge Street, Room 113. Phone 518-285-8777. It covers felony criminal cases and civil disputes up to $25,000. The court also hears appeals from City, Town, and Village Courts. Grand jury proceedings happen here for felony indictments. Records from both Supreme Court and County Court are held by the Albany County Clerk.

Copy fees at the Albany County Clerk are $0.25 per page for standard copies. Certification adds $5.00 per document. The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can also request copies by mail with a check or money order. Matrimonial case files are confidential and limited to the parties and their attorneys.

Family Court and Surrogate's Court

Albany County Family Court is at 30 Clinton Avenue. Phone 518-285-8600. It handles custody, visitation, child support, paternity, family offenses, neglect and abuse cases, juvenile delinquency, and adoptions. Most Family Court records are confidential. Juvenile cases are sealed under state law. Only parties and their attorneys can view most Family Court files.

Surrogate's Court sits at the Albany County Courthouse, 16 Eagle Street. Phone 518-285-8580. It covers probate, estates, guardianships, and adoptions. Probate records are generally public. You can get certified copies of wills and letters testamentary for the standard fee. Guardianship files involving minors or incapacitated persons are confidential.

Criminal History Court Records

The Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) maintains the official criminal history rap sheets for New York. To review your own record, get fingerprinted at an IdentoGo location. The fee is $14.25 for state residents or $44.25 for out-of-state applicants. Results come by mail in 3 to 4 weeks. These records include arrests, charges, convictions, and sentences from courts across the state.

The DOCCS Inmate Lookup lets you check on people in state prison. It is free and shows facility, sentence, and parole details. It does not include county jail inmates or federal prisoners. Cases sealed under CPL Section 160.50 are removed from all public search tools. If you need to challenge a record or get a denial overturned, CPLR Article 78 provides the legal process for that.

Court Forms and Filing in Albany

The NYS Court Forms Repository provides standardized forms for every court type in Albany County. Forms come in fillable PDF format with instructions. E-filing through NYSCEF is mandatory for attorneys filing in Albany County Supreme Court for most civil case types. Self-represented litigants may use e-filing but are not required to. If you need help with a case, Albany has several legal aid organizations, and the court system runs a Help Center for self-represented litigants.

Albany County Court Records

Albany is the county seat of Albany County. For full details on the County Clerk, Supreme Court, County Court, and all other courts, see the main county page.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Albany in the Capital District region.