Search Yonkers Court Records

Yonkers court records come from two main sources: Yonkers City Court and the Westchester County courts in White Plains. As the fourth largest city in New York State, Yonkers has its own City Court that handles civil disputes up to $15,000, criminal misdemeanors, housing matters, small claims, and traffic cases. For more serious cases like felonies and civil matters over $25,000, Westchester County Supreme Court and County Court take over. You can search many of these court records online through state portals, or visit the courthouse in person to pull case files.

Yonkers City Court Records

Yonkers City Court is part of the Ninth Judicial District. The court sits in Yonkers and handles a wide range of cases. Civil matters up to $15,000 go through this court, along with small claims cases. Criminal cases at the misdemeanor level start and end here. The court also runs a Housing Part for disputes between parties in housing cases, plus a Traffic Part for vehicle and parking violations.

Court records from Yonkers City Court are kept by the court clerk. You can contact the clerk's office to check on a case, get copies of filings, or find out when a case is set for hearing. Standard copy fees apply. If you need records from a criminal case that was dismissed or ended in acquittal, those records may be sealed under CPL Section 160.50. Sealed records do not show up in any public search.

Small claims cases in Yonkers City Court are capped at a set dollar amount. The process is simpler than a full civil case. You file a claim, pay a filing fee, and the court sets a hearing date. Records from small claims cases are public, just like other civil court records in Yonkers.

How to Search Yonkers Court Records Online

Several free state portals let you look up Yonkers court records from home. The WebCriminal system covers pending criminal cases with future court dates in the 9th Judicial District, which includes Westchester County and Yonkers. You can search by defendant name, case number, or court calendar. The system is free and updated nightly. It does not include sealed cases or cases with no future dates.

For civil cases in Supreme Court, use WebCivil Supreme. This portal covers all 62 counties, including Westchester. Search by index number, party name, or attorney name. Cases appear after a Request for Judicial Intervention has been filed. You can see case status, the assigned judge, and upcoming court dates. If the case was filed through NYSCEF, you can also view the actual documents online.

The OCA Criminal History Record Search is a statewide tool that costs $95 per name search. It checks all 62 counties and returns results by email the next business day. This is a name-based search, not fingerprint-based. It covers open criminal cases and convictions but leaves out sealed records and youthful offender adjudications.

Westchester County Courts Serving Yonkers

Yonkers residents who face felony charges or file civil cases over $25,000 go to Westchester County courts in White Plains. The Westchester County Supreme Court handles the bigger civil matters, divorce proceedings, and felony criminal cases. The County Clerk in White Plains keeps the case files, judgments, and other court documents. You can search these records through the IQS online system or visit the clerk's office in person.

Westchester County Court also handles felony criminal cases and civil disputes up to $25,000. Family Court covers custody, support, paternity, and juvenile matters. Surrogate's Court deals with wills, estates, and guardianships. Each of these courts creates its own set of records, and access rules depend on the case type. Family Court records are mostly confidential. Probate records from Surrogate's Court are generally public.

Under Judiciary Law Section 255, the County Clerk must keep court records organized and available for public inspection. The main exceptions are sealed criminal cases and confidential matrimonial files. If you need a certified copy of a Yonkers court record from Supreme Court or County Court, the clerk charges $0.65 per page with a $1.50 minimum, plus $5.00 for certification.

Criminal Court Records in Yonkers

Criminal cases in Yonkers start at City Court for misdemeanors and violations. Felony arrests may also see an initial arraignment at City Court before the case moves up to County Court. The court records from each stage stay with the court that handled that part of the case. If a felony case starts in Yonkers City Court and moves to Westchester County Court, you may need to check both courts for a full picture of the record.

For your own criminal history, the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) keeps the official rap sheets. You need to get fingerprinted at an IdentoGo location. The fee is $14.25 for New York residents and $44.25 for out-of-state residents. Results come by mail in 3 to 4 weeks. The DOCCS Inmate Lookup is a separate free tool for checking on people in state prison. It does not cover county jail or federal inmates.

Yonkers Court Records Access and Privacy

Most Yonkers court records are open to the public. You do not need to be a party to the case to view them. Walk into the court clerk's office during business hours and ask to see a file. No reason needed. That said, certain records are restricted by law.

Criminal cases sealed under CPL 160.50 are removed from public view. Family Court records in Westchester County are confidential for most case types. Juvenile cases are sealed. Matrimonial files in Supreme Court are also kept private. If you believe court records have been wrongfully withheld, you can challenge the denial through a CPLR Article 78 proceeding in Supreme Court. You have four months from the date of denial to file.

Court records are not covered by FOIL in New York. Courts fall under Judiciary Law, not Freedom of Information Law. For administrative records from the Office of Court Administration, you can submit a FOIL request, but actual case files must be obtained through the court clerk directly.

Court Records Forms and Resources

The NYS Court Forms Repository has forms for all case types handled in Yonkers and Westchester County courts. Whether you need to file a small claims case in Yonkers City Court or start a civil action in Supreme Court, the forms are there in fillable PDF format. Instructions come with most forms. E-filing through NYSCEF is available for many Supreme Court case types, and attorneys must use it in Westchester County.

Westchester County Court Records

Yonkers is in Westchester County. For full details on the County Clerk, Supreme Court, County Court, Family Court, and Surrogate's Court, see the main county page.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Yonkers and share some of the same county court resources.