Search Buffalo Court Records

Buffalo court records are handled by multiple courts in the 8th Judicial District. As the county seat of Erie County, Buffalo is home to both the Erie County courts and its own Buffalo City Court. The Erie County Clerk keeps Supreme Court and County Court records, while Buffalo City Court handles civil cases up to $15,000, misdemeanor criminal cases, and housing matters. You can search many Buffalo court records online through free state portals, or visit the courthouse on Delaware Avenue for in-person access to case files and documents.

Buffalo Court Records at the County Level

Buffalo sits in Erie County, and the Erie County Clerk keeps Supreme Court and County Court records. The clerk is Michael P. Kearns, and the office is at 92 Franklin Street in Buffalo, NY 14202. Phone is (716) 858-8785. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The clerk took over Supreme Court and County Court records from the state in 1986. That means civil case files, criminal records from higher courts, judgments, liens, and related filings are all stored at this one office.

Erie County Supreme Court sits at 25 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. Phone (716) 845-9301. The chief clerk is Billie Jo Zakia. Supreme Court handles civil cases over $25,000, felony criminal matters, and divorce proceedings. It is part of the 8th Judicial District. A Commercial Division handles complex business disputes. E-filing through NYSCEF is available for civil cases filed after April 3, 2012. Under Judiciary Law Section 255, the County Clerk must keep all court records organized and open for public access, except those sealed by court order.

Copies of court records at the Erie County Clerk cost $0.65 per page with a $1.50 minimum. Certification is $5.00 per document. The clerk also offers a public record search portal online. This can cover judgments, liens, and recorded documents. For older cases, the office has maintained records going back decades.

Buffalo City Court Records

Buffalo City Court is at 50 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202. This is the court most Buffalo residents deal with for local matters. It handles civil cases up to $15,000, small claims up to $6,000 for individuals and $5,000 for corporations, commercial small claims for business disputes, misdemeanor criminal cases, violations, and felony arraignments. The court also runs a Housing Court for eviction proceedings and housing code violations.

Criminal arraignments at Buffalo City Court happen daily. That is not quite 24/7 like New York City, but the court maintains a regular arraignment schedule. Court records from City Court are separate from the County Clerk's records. You need to contact Buffalo City Court directly for records from cases filed there. If a case moves up to County Court or Supreme Court, the records transfer to the County Clerk. WebCriminal covers Erie County Court, so you can search pending criminal cases with future dates for free through that portal. Buffalo City Court cases may also appear depending on how they are tracked in the system.

How to Search Buffalo Court Records Online

Start with the free state tools. WebCriminal covers Erie County Court and lets you search pending criminal cases by defendant name or case number. You get the next court date, charges, and status. For Supreme Court civil cases, WebCivil Supreme lets you search by index number, party name, or attorney. Cases show up after a Request for Judicial Intervention has been filed. Cases filed through NYSCEF let you view the actual court documents online.

The Erie County Clerk has an online search portal too. It covers recorded documents including judgments and liens. The OCA Criminal History Record Search is a paid option at $95 that checks all 62 counties for criminal history information. Results come by email the next business day. This name-based search covers open cases and convictions but not sealed records. For your own rap sheet, go through the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), which requires fingerprinting and costs $14.25 for state residents.

Family Court and Surrogate's Court Records

Erie County Family Court sits at 1 Niagara Plaza in Buffalo. Phone (716) 845-7400. It handles child custody, visitation, child support, paternity, juvenile delinquency, and family offense cases. Most Family Court records are confidential. Juvenile cases are sealed by state law. Custody and support files are only open to the parties and their attorneys. You cannot walk in and ask to see someone else's file.

Surrogate's Court is at 92 Franklin Street, 2nd Floor, in Buffalo. Phone (716) 845-2500. This court handles probate, estate administration, guardianships, and adoption matters. Probate records are generally open to the public. You can view filed wills, estate accountings, and letters testamentary. Guardianship cases involving minors or incapacitated persons are restricted. Criminal records that end in the defendant's favor are sealed under CPL Section 160.50. Matrimonial files in Supreme Court are confidential. If access is wrongfully denied, CPLR Article 78 lets you challenge it in court.

Court Forms and Filing in Buffalo

The NYS Court Forms Repository has standardized forms for every court type in Erie County. Forms are in fillable PDF format. The NYS Unified Court System website lists court calendars, contact details, and procedural information for all courts serving Buffalo. The DOCCS Inmate Lookup is a free tool for checking on people in state prison. It does not cover county jail inmates or federal prisoners.

Erie County Court Records

Buffalo is the county seat of Erie County. For full details on the county court system, clerk contacts, and all search tools, visit the county page.

Nearby Cities

These towns and cities are near Buffalo in Erie County. Court records for each go through the same county system.