New York City Court Records

New York City court records span five boroughs and one of the largest court systems in the world. The city runs its own Civil Court, Criminal Court, Family Court, and Housing Court, all under the umbrella of the NYS Unified Court System. Each borough also has a Supreme Court for major civil and felony cases. You can search many New York City court records online through free state portals like WebCriminal and WebCivil Supreme. Whether you need a pending criminal case, a civil filing, or a small claims judgment, there are several paths to find court records in New York City.

Court Records Across Five Boroughs

New York City court records are spread across five boroughs, and each borough is also its own county. Manhattan is New York County, in the 1st Judicial District. Brooklyn is Kings County, in the 2nd Judicial District. The Bronx is Bronx County, in the 12th Judicial District. Queens is Queens County, in the 11th Judicial District. Staten Island is Richmond County, in the 13th Judicial District. Every one of these counties has a Supreme Court, a County Clerk, and a full set of local courts. That means court records in New York City are kept in five separate locations depending on where the case was filed. If you need a specific court record from the city, you first need to know which borough handled the case.

The County Clerk in each borough serves as the custodian of Supreme Court and County Court case files. Manhattan's County Clerk sits at 60 Centre Street, and you can reach them at 646-386-5955. Brooklyn's clerk is at 360 Adams Street, phone 347-404-9772. Queens is at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, phone 718-298-0601. The Bronx clerk is at 851 Grand Concourse, phone 718-618-3300. Staten Island's clerk is at 130 Stuyvesant Place, phone 718-675-7700. All five offices keep Supreme Court records, judgments, liens, and other filings that go back decades. Copies cost $0.65 per page with a $1.50 minimum, and certification adds $5.00 per document. Under Judiciary Law Section 255, each clerk must keep court records in order and make them open for public review.

How to Search New York City Court Records

The best starting point for criminal court records in New York City is WebCriminal. This free portal covers pending criminal cases with future court dates in all five boroughs. You can look up cases by defendant name, case number, or court calendar. The system shows the next court date, charges, and case status. It does not include sealed cases or matters with no future dates. WebCriminal updates nightly from the court systems.

For civil cases in Supreme Court, use WebCivil Supreme. Search by index number, party name, or attorney name. Cases appear after a Request for Judicial Intervention has been filed. The portal shows the judge assigned, case status, and court dates. If the case was e-filed through NYSCEF, you can pull up the actual documents online. NYSCEF is mandatory for attorneys in most Supreme Court case types across all five boroughs. Self-represented litigants can also use it.

The NYC Civil Court has its own eCourts system for looking up civil case information. This covers the Civil Court's general civil part, small claims, and commercial claims. Small claims in New York City go up to $10,000 for individuals and $5,000 for corporations. These are separate from Supreme Court civil cases, which handle matters over $25,000.

New York City Criminal Court Records

NYC Criminal Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, violations, and felony arraignments. Arraignment courts run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in all five boroughs. That is unusual for New York State. Most other courts only do arraignments during business hours. The Criminal Court information line is 646-386-4900. Court records from criminal cases in the city are tracked through WebCriminal while the case is active. Once a case is done, records transfer to the County Clerk's office in the relevant borough.

New York City also runs several specialized courts that create their own court records. Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Domestic Violence Court, and Gun Court all operate within the Criminal Court system. Community Courts in Midtown Manhattan and Red Hook in Brooklyn handle low-level offenses with a focus on alternatives to jail. Records from these specialized parts are still part of the Criminal Court system. Cases that result in a dismissal, acquittal, or other favorable outcome for the defendant can be sealed under CPL Section 160.50. Sealed records come off public databases and cannot be found through WebCriminal or the OCA search.

Housing Court and Family Court Records

NYC Housing Court is part of the Civil Court system. It handles eviction cases, housing code violations, and HP proceedings where residents ask the court to force a property owner to make repairs. Housing Court operates in all five boroughs. Court records from housing cases are kept by the Civil Court clerk. These records include petitions, stipulations, and court orders. Anyone can search for Housing Court case information, though some details may be restricted.

Family Court in New York City handles custody, visitation, child support, paternity, juvenile delinquency, and family offense cases. Each borough has its own Family Court location. Records from Family Court are largely confidential. Juvenile cases are sealed by law. Custody and support files are only open to the parties and their lawyers. You cannot walk into Family Court and ask to see another person's case file. Integrated Domestic Violence Courts operate in each borough and handle cases where there are overlapping criminal, family, and Supreme Court matters. Court-appointed attorneys and the Attorney for Children program help with legal representation in Family Court cases.

Statewide Criminal History Search

For a broader search beyond pending cases, the OCA Criminal History Record Search checks all 62 counties for $95 per name and date of birth. This covers open criminal cases and convictions across New York City and the rest of the state. Results come by email the next business day for online requests. The search is name-based, not fingerprint-based. It will not show sealed records or youthful offender cases.

If you need your own rap sheet, go through the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). That process requires fingerprinting at an IdentoGo location. The fee is $14.25 for New York residents. Processing takes 3 to 4 weeks, and results are mailed to you. The DOCCS Inmate Lookup is a free tool that shows people currently in state prison. It does not cover city or county jail inmates.

Access Rules for New York City Court Records

Court records in New York City follow the same access rules as the rest of the state. Most records are open to the public. You do not need to be a party to view a case file. Walk into any County Clerk's office and ask to see the records room. Matrimonial case files in Supreme Court are confidential, though. Only the parties and their attorneys can view those.

Sealed records are off limits. Criminal cases sealed under CPL 160.50 disappear from public view entirely. CPL 160.55 covers sealing of violation and traffic infraction convictions. CPL 160.59 allows sealing of some older convictions after 10 years under the Clean Slate Act. If you believe court records have been wrongfully kept from you, CPLR Article 78 lets you challenge the denial in Supreme Court within four months. The NYS Court Forms Repository has standardized forms for all court types if you need to file something or respond to a case in any New York City court.

New York City Borough Counties

Each borough in New York City is its own county. Court records are filed in the county where the case took place. Pick a borough below to find the County Clerk's office and court details for that area.

Nearby Cities

These cities border New York City or sit close by. Each one falls under a different county court system.