New York County Courts

New York County, one of New York State's 12 original counties, is home to nearly 1.6 million residents and represents approximately 8% of the total population of New York State, which is nearly 19.87 million. It is coextensive with Manhattan, a New York City borough, and New York City is its county seat.

An average of 167,145 cases are filed annually in New York County, consisting of 44,201 criminal cases, 89,704 civil matters, 23,677 Family Court proceedings, and 10,193 Surrogate's Court case filings.

The New York County court system comprises various trial courts, including the Supreme Court, Family Court, Surrogate's Court, Criminal Courts, and Civil Courts. The courts' jurisdictions and the typical cases they hear are outlined as follows:

• New York County Supreme Court has general criminal jurisdiction over felonies, civil claims over $25,000, divorces, annulments, complicated commercial suits, and reviews for small claims tax assessment.
• New York County Family Court hears cases relating to domestic violence, child support and custody, adoptions, child abuse and neglect, and parental rights termination
• New York County Surrogate's Court handles wills and trust proceedings, guardianships, trusts, and estate administration.
• The Civil Court of the City of New York oversees civil claims below $50,000, small claims suits, and landlord-tenant matters.
• The Criminal Court of the City of New York hears misdemeanor suits, felony preliminary hearings, and cases of non-criminal violations.

New York County's trial courts are all located within different Manhattan neighborhoods.

How To Access New York County Court Records

According to the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), most New York County court records are generally open to the public and may be inspected and/or copied. Court records sealed by court order, however, are prohibited from public access. Some other records, such as divorce, juvenile, and mental health records, are also restricted from public inspection and copying, and may only be accessed by authorized parties. To facilitate court record searches, a record seeker should provide a valid photo ID to verify their identity, along with the case number of the court record they seek.

Online

Interested persons may use the New York State Courts Electronic Filing (NYSCEF) portal to access New York County court records online. Although requesters are required to register before performing court records lookups, Supreme Court and e-filed records may be accessed without registration by using the Search as Guest option. Various case information from the Civil Supreme and local Civil Courts may also be accessed for free through eCourts, the New York State Unified Courts System's case search portal.

Also, individuals may access current court records from all counties across the United States, including New York County, through CourtCaseFinder. Additionally, the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) case locator offers interested persons access to court records from federal cases tried in the county.

In-Person

Individuals may visit the New York County Clerk's Office in person to access non-confidential court records. The New York County Clerk's Office is the official custodian of court records, including the Supreme Court records. They may also visit the clerks' offices of the courthouses where their cases were filed to request court records.

Interested persons may also use the public access terminals located at various courthouses in the county to view digitized court records at their convenience. While viewing court records is free, requesters may incur certain fees when copying court records. For instance, a criminal records search costs $95, but divorce records are searched for $5 for a two-year search, copied at the rate of $0.25 per copy, and certified for $8 per copy.

Old and Archived Court Records

In New York County, record seekers may visit the New York State Archives in person to access old court records archived there. They can look up case files of historic court proceedings, which are generally not available online or at the county clerk's office. Pre-1847 dockets, court minute books, probate and estate case files, along with other records older than 50 years, may be retrieved by visiting the State Archives at:

How To File a Case in New York County

Individuals in New York County may file their cases in person at the county clerk's office, by mail, or electronically (through the NYSCEF). However, per Chapter 184 of the 2012 New York Law, electronic filing is mandatory for all civil cases and New York attorneys, including attorneys in New York County. Self-litigants are generally exempt from this rule and may file their cases in person or by mail.

To start the filing process, interested persons should contact the New York County Clerk for assistance in identifying the court where their cases will be heard. They should also be prepared to pay the applicable filing fees, based on the case type and the specific court involved. For instance, filing a motion/cross-motion costs $45, while the filing fee for a Request for Judicial Intervention costs $95.

Furthermore, fee waivers (also called poor person's relief) are available for financially disadvantaged individuals who can demonstrate their eligibility for the relief. Such persons are required to file an Application to Waive Court Costs, Fees, and Expenses with the New York County Clerk, along with supporting documents that prove they:

• Earn a low income
• Receive public benefits
• Cannot adequately provide for their households or afford court fees

Based on the New York County Attorney's review and recommendation, their requests may be granted or denied by the relevant court.

These steps should be followed to file a case in New York County:

• Determine the case type and the court authorized to hear it
• Prepare and organise all relevant documents required, such as:
• A Complaint(for civil suits), a Petition (for family or Surrogate's Court cases), or a small claims application
• Supporting documents, including exhibits and affidavits
• Summons (for civil cases) or a note of petition (for special proceedings)
• File the documents and pay the associated filing fees
• Serve the opposing parties or respondents with a copy of the filed documents, adhering to the service of process guidelines

Legal Help and Self-Help Resources

Across the United States, county court systems play a crucial role in delivering access to justice. Legal help and self-help resources are foundational to this access, particularly for self-represented litigants navigating civil, family, probate, or small claims matters. These resources vary by jurisdiction but commonly include self-help centers, online portals, legal aid organizations, and court-affiliated assistance programs.

Low-income Individuals, whose legal options are generally limited and who cannot pay for attorney services, may find legal help and self-help resources through the county courthouse, local legal aid societies, and the local bar association pro bono panels.

Typical legal help centers and resources available in the county courthouse and across New York County include:

• Small Claims Court Action Center (SCCAC) offers legal counseling for various consumer issues, including dispute resolution tips and information on navigating the small claims court process
• The New York City Family Court Volunteer Attorney Program provides free legal consultations by volunteer lawyers on such legal matters as guardianship, child custody/visitation, and family offense
• The New York City Bar Association offers free legal counseling and low-priced lawyer referral services for a pre-specified duration
• NYC Legal Aid Society offers legal representation covering a wide range of legal matters, for free or reduced fees
• Legal Services NYC offers free legal assistance, representation, and education for various legal problems

The following are some state-based self-help and legal help resources and institutions:

• NYS CourtsHelp offers various legal self-help education, guides, and other resources online to the New York public
• LawHelp.org provides a searchable online database of free or low-cost legal services to New Yorkers
• Family Legal Care Services offers self-litigants (parents and caregivers) legal assistance and guidance required to handle the New York State Family Court procedure

Types of Courts in New York County, New York

The New York County trial court system consists of various courts that serve the county residents, including the Supreme Court, Family Court, Surrogate Court, Criminal Courts, and Civil Courts. The details of each court's jurisdiction and contact information are as follows:

New York County Supreme Court -

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - This court, which has original and unlimited jurisdiction, handles all cases beyond the authority of the lower courts. It hears felonies, civil cases for amounts in controversy exceeding $25,000, annulments, mortgage foreclosures, separations, complicated commercial cases, and injunctions
• Address /Contact Information - The different locations of the New York County Supreme Court include:

New York County Supreme Court - Civil Branch

New York County Supreme Court - Civil Branch

New York County Supreme Court - Civil Branch

New York County Supreme Court - Civil Branch

New York County Supreme Court - Criminal Term

New York County Supreme Court - Criminal Term

New York County Family Court

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - Family and children-related matters are heard in this court. Typical cases handled include child support, child custody and visitation, foster care approval and review, parental rights termination, persons in need of supervision, and adoption and guardianship
• Address /Contact Information -

New York County Surrogate's Court

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - This court is authorized to hear cases relating to decedents, such as wills, estate administrations, adoptions, lifetime trusts, and guardianships

Address /Contact Information

The Civil Court for the City of New York

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - Cases involving civil claims up to $50,000, landlord-tenant suits, small claims for amounts less than $10,000, housing code violations, and other cases transferred to it by the Supreme Court are heard in this court
• Address /Contact Information - The locations for the New York City Civil Court include:

New York City Civil Court

New York City Civil Court - Harlem Community Justice Center

New York City Civil Court - Housing Part

New York City Civil Court - Small Claims Part

The Criminal Court for the City of New York

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - This court oversees cases involving crimes punishable by fine or imprisonment of less than one year, lesser-included offenses, felony initial hearings, and traffic violations
• Address /Contact Information - Here are the following locations of the Criminal Court:

New York City Criminal Court

New York City Criminal Court

New York City Criminal Court - Midtown Community Court

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - This court hears federal civil and criminal cases and suits relating to the Federal Constitution and the United States Government
• Address/Contact Information -

United States Bankruptcy Court Southern District of New York

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - This Court handles all bankruptcy-related cases in the county
• Address/Contact Information -

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About New York County Courts