Ulster County Court Records

Ulster County court records are kept by the County Clerk in Kingston, one of the oldest cities in New York. The county is part of the Third Judicial District and has courts that process civil, criminal, family, and estate cases. Kingston City Court also handles local matters in the county seat. You can search some Ulster County court records through free state portals, while others need to be pulled in person at the clerk's office. This page covers where to find court records in Ulster County and how to get copies.

Ulster County Clerk and Court Records

The Ulster County Clerk maintains Supreme Court and County Court records at the county office building in Kingston. The clerk stores case files, judgments, liens, and other court documents. Staff can pull records for you during regular business hours. Copies cost $0.65 per page with a $1.50 minimum. Certified copies add $5.00 per document. Under Judiciary Law Section 255, the clerk keeps these records in order and allows public inspection.

Ulster County is part of the Third Judicial District. That district also covers Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schoharie, and Sullivan Counties. The clerk took over Supreme Court and County Court records from the state, so all those files sit in one place. The clerk's office also handles land records and business filings, but court records have their own section.

For mail requests, call the clerk's office first to confirm fees and what details they need. You will typically send a check or money order with the case name and index number. Turn around time depends on staff workload.

Ulster County Court System

Ulster County Supreme Court handles civil cases over $25,000, felony criminal matters, and all divorce filings. Cases are searchable on WebCivil Supreme once a Request for Judicial Intervention is on file. Search by index number, party name, or attorney. E-filing through NYSCEF is available for many civil case types. Attorneys must use it in most situations.

County Court hears felony criminal cases and civil disputes up to $25,000. Appeals from local Town and Village Courts go here too. The grand jury meets in County Court. Records from both courts are kept by the County Clerk.

Family Court in Ulster County deals with custody, support, paternity, juvenile delinquency, PINS, and domestic violence. Records are confidential for most case types. Only parties and their attorneys can access them. Surrogate's Court covers wills, probate, estates, and guardianships. Most probate files are open to the public. Guardianship records for minors have restricted access.

Searching Ulster County Court Records Online

WebCivil Supreme is the primary free tool for civil case lookups in Ulster County. It covers all 62 counties. For criminal records, Ulster County is not in the WebCriminal portal. You will need to use other search methods.

The OCA Criminal History Record Search covers all 62 counties for $95 per search. It returns results by email the next business day. This is name-based and won't show sealed records. For your own criminal history, go through DCJS at an IdentoGo location. The fee is $14.25 for residents. Results take 3 to 4 weeks.

The DOCCS Inmate Lookup is a free tool for checking on state prison inmates. It shows facility, sentence, and parole dates. It does not include county jail inmates or people on federal charges.

Kingston City Court Records

Kingston City Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and civil matters up to $15,000 including small claims. The court serves the city of Kingston, which is the county seat of Ulster County. Records from Kingston City Court are separate from the County Clerk's files. You need to contact the court directly for those records.

Criminal cases that end in the defendant's favor are sealed under CPL Section 160.50. Once sealed, those records are removed from public databases. Cases that get elevated to County Court or Supreme Court have their records transferred to the County Clerk. The NYS Court Forms Repository has standardized forms for all court types in Ulster County.

Court Records Access in Ulster County

Most Ulster County court records are open to the public. You do not need to be involved in the case to view a file. Just visit the clerk's office and ask. Sealed records, matrimonial files, and most Family Court cases are the exceptions. If records are wrongfully withheld, CPLR Article 78 provides a way to challenge the denial in Supreme Court within four months.

Keep in mind that FOIL does not apply to court records. Courts operate under Judiciary Law. FOIL applies to government agencies, not the judicial branch. The Office of Court Administration can receive FOIL requests for administrative records, but actual case files go through the court clerk.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Ulster County. Each has its own County Clerk and court records system.