New York Nassau County Court Records Search: Civil, Criminal, Probate, Family & Certified Copies
Nassau County does not use one public search for every court case. Supreme Court, County Court, District Court, Family Court, Surrogate’s Court, local City and Justice Courts, state appeals and federal cases use different clerks and search systems.
Start with the court, not just the person’s name
The phrase New York Nassau County court records can refer to several independent record systems. A felony case, landlord-tenant case, divorce, probate estate and federal lawsuit do not follow the same search route.
Independent-site notice: Public-Court-Records.us is not the Nassau County Clerk, New York State Unified Court System, a court, law firm, law-enforcement agency, PACER or Consumer Reporting Agency. Court filings are not proof that allegations are true, and this guide must not be represented as an FCRA-compliant employment, housing, credit, insurance or tenant-screening product.
Choose what you need
Which Nassau County court-record system should you use?
This helper only identifies a search route. It does not search names, collect personal information or send information anywhere.
Use WebCivil Supreme and, for eligible electronically filed cases, NYSCEF. The Nassau County Clerk is the key records custodian for Supreme Court document requests.
Nassau County court records by case type
| What you need | Court / custodian | Best starting search |
|---|---|---|
| Higher-value civil lawsuit, foreclosure, Article 78 or similar Supreme civil matter | Nassau County Supreme Court / Nassau County Clerk | WebCivil Supreme; check NYSCEF when the case is electronically filed. |
| Divorce, separation or annulment | Supreme Court Matrimonial / Nassau County Clerk | Use the Supreme Court case route, but expect strong matrimonial-record access restrictions. |
| Felony criminal prosecution | Nassau County Court | WebCrims for eligible public case information; County Court maintains its own records. |
| Misdemeanor, violation, infraction or preliminary felony matter | Nassau County District Court | WebCrims for covered public criminal information; contact District Court for the official file. |
| Civil claim up to $15,000 | Nassau County District Court | WebCivil Local; District Court civil clerk maintains the record. |
| Small claim up to $5,000 | Nassau County District Court Small Claims | WebCivil Local or District Court clerk, depending on record availability. |
| Landlord-tenant / eviction proceeding | Nassau County District Court | WebCivil Local, then verify directly with the District Court when status is time-sensitive. |
| Custody, visitation, support, neglect or juvenile Family Court matter | Nassau County Family Court | Contact Family Court. Do not assume sensitive Family Court files are open to general online inspection. |
| Probate, estate administration, will or Surrogate proceeding | Nassau County Surrogate’s Court | WebSurrogate; contact the Surrogate Records Department for copies and certifications. |
| Town, village or city traffic / local criminal case | Issuing City, Town or Village Court | Follow the return court printed on the ticket or summons and use the NY Courts locator. |
| State appeal | Appellate Division, Second Department | Search the Second Department’s official resources; later Court of Appeals review uses a separate docket. |
| Federal civil, criminal or bankruptcy case | U.S. District / Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York | PACER rather than Nassau County or New York State court databases. |
How to search Nassau County court records by name
No responsible Nassau search workflow starts by putting a name into every available database. First identify the type of case, then use the matching official system.
Separate Supreme civil, County criminal, District civil/criminal, Family, Surrogate, local Justice Court, appellate and federal matters.
An index, docket, indictment or file number is normally more precise than a common-name search.
Use Nassau County and the party or index-number search options presented by the official system.
NYSCEF can provide the electronic docket and eligible public document images for cases filed electronically.
Confirm Nassau District Court and the correct case category before relying on the search result.
WebCrims is a public case-information tool, not a complete statewide criminal-history report. Sealed and restricted cases do not become public merely because a name is searched.
A complaint, indictment, petition or motion is a filing. Look for later orders, dismissal, plea, judgment, sentencing or other disposition information.
A screenshot, docket page or downloaded image does not automatically replace a Clerk-certified copy.
New York court portals that matter for Nassau County
Use for eligible Supreme Court civil case information.
- Select Nassau County.
- Use index number when known.
- If searching by party, verify the complete caption and filing year.
- Check NYSCEF if you need available e-filed documents.
Use for New York State electronically filed cases and eligible public documents.
- Choose the search/inquiry option.
- Search by index number or other supported fields.
- Open the document list.
- Remember that sealed or restricted papers remain unavailable.
Use for eligible Nassau District Court civil and landlord-tenant case information.
- Select Nassau County / Nassau District Court.
- Choose the correct civil case type.
- Search by the available case or party information.
- Contact District Court if a time-sensitive case is missing.
Use for eligible public criminal case information in covered New York courts.
- Search the defendant or case identifier.
- Limit to the correct Nassau court when possible.
- Verify next appearance and court location.
- Contact the criminal clerk for an official disposition or unavailable file.
Who actually keeps Nassau Supreme Court files?
The Nassau County Clerk serves as Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts. For court-record research, however, Nassau has an important local custody distinction: Supreme Court document requests generally originate with the County Clerk, while Nassau County Court, District Court, Family Court and Surrogate’s Court maintain separate court records.
240 Old Country Road
Mineola, NY 11501
Phone: 516-571-2660
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., excluding holidays.
- Supreme Court court-file requests.
- Legal document copies and certifications.
- Judgments and related legal filings.
- Divorce-document requests subject to access restrictions.
- Older Supreme Court file retrieval.
After opening this link:
- Confirm the current operating procedures before visiting.
- Open the Legal Fees section if ordering copies.
- Have the index number and exact document title ready.
- If the case is older, ask whether off-site retrieval is required.
- Confirm plain, certified or exemplified copy requirements before paying.
Nassau County Clerk court-record copy and search fees
The following figures come from the Nassau County Clerk’s current Legal Fees page. They apply to County Clerk services; do not automatically apply the same fee to District, Family, Surrogate or federal court requests.
| Service | Published fee | Before paying |
|---|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.65 per page; $1.30 minimum | Identify the exact document so you do not order the entire file unnecessarily. |
| Certified copy | $1.25 per page; $5 minimum | Ask the receiving agency whether certification is actually required. |
| Certify a prepared copy | $0.65 per page; $5.20 minimum | Confirm whether this copy type satisfies the recipient’s requirements. |
| Exemplification | $10 plus certification | Exemplification is additional authentication; do not order it unless needed. |
| Court-record name search | $5 per name for each consecutive two-year period or fraction | Finding the index number yourself can reduce unnecessary staff-search periods. |
| Divorce / annulment judgment search | $5 | Matrimonial access restrictions still apply. |
After opening this link:
- Find “County Clerk Copy & Search Fees.”
- Match the fee to the exact service.
- Check the minimum charge.
- Confirm payment method before mailing a request.
- Recheck the page immediately before paying because statutory fees can change.
Nassau County divorce files are not ordinary unrestricted civil files
New York matrimonial records receive stronger privacy protection than ordinary civil filings. A divorce being publicly known does not mean the complete pleadings, affidavits, settlement papers and judgment are freely inspectable by anyone.
101 County Seat Drive, 3rd Floor
Mineola, NY 11501
The former Matrimonial Center at 400 County Seat Drive permanently closed in May 2025.
Nassau County Clerk
240 Old Country Road
Mineola, NY 11501
The Clerk provides eligible divorce-document copies under applicable access restrictions.
After opening this link:
- Confirm you are legally eligible to receive the document.
- Enter the index number if known.
- If the index is unknown, review the current search-fee instruction.
- Name the exact document you want.
- Select certified or non-certified.
- Follow the notarization, payment and mailing instructions on the current form.
Nassau County felony, misdemeanor and criminal-history searches are different
Use for Nassau felony criminal matters and related County Court records.
262 Old Country Road, Mineola
Phone: 516-493-3710
Handles misdemeanors, violations, infractions, preliminary felony jurisdiction and criminal traffic matters within its authority.
99 Main Street, Hempstead
Phone: 516-493-4200
A court docket search is not the same as an Office of Court Administration or state criminal-history search. Use the correct service for the question you are actually trying to answer.
Nassau District Court has its own record route
Nassau District Court is not simply a lower section of the County Clerk’s Supreme Court database. It maintains its own records and handles several high-volume local case categories.
| Case category | Current court scope | Search route |
|---|---|---|
| General civil | Money claims up to $15,000 | WebCivil Local / District Court civil clerk |
| Small claims | Claims up to $5,000 | WebCivil Local / Small Claims clerk |
| Commercial small claims | Claims up to $5,000 | District Court |
| Landlord-tenant | Housing proceedings and evictions | WebCivil Local plus District Court verification |
| Criminal | Misdemeanors, violations, infractions, preliminary felony matters and criminal traffic | WebCrims / District Court criminal clerk |
The courthouse is generally open Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; the court states that business must be commenced by 4:30 p.m. Verify holiday schedules before visiting.
Nassau Family Court moved in June 2025
Older websites and documents may still show a Westbury address. That information is outdated for current appearances.
Family Court handles matters such as child custody and visitation, child support, abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency and related family proceedings. These files can contain highly sensitive information, and general public electronic access is not equivalent to ordinary Supreme Court civil access.
Search Nassau County Surrogate’s Court through WebSurrogate
Nassau County Surrogate’s Court handles estate proceedings, probate, administration, small estates and other Surrogate matters. The court is located at 262 Old Country Road, third floor, Mineola.
Main: 516-493-3800
Chief Clerk: 516-493-3805
Records Department: 516-493-3821
- Name Search
- File Search
- Old Index Search
- Index Book Pages
- Will Search
After opening this link:
- Complete the CAPTCHA.
- Choose Name Search if you know the decedent or party name.
- Choose File Search when you already have the file number.
- Select Nassau County.
- Review file history and eligible public document links.
- For copies, certifications or older records, contact Nassau Surrogate’s Records Department.
Nassau County court and record locations
240 Old Country Road
Mineola, NY 11501
516-571-2660
Mon–Fri: 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Supreme Court record requests, legal copy/certification services and related County Clerk functions.
100 Supreme Court Drive
Mineola, NY 11501
516-493-3400
Supreme civil matters, guardianship and related proceedings.
262 Old Country Road
Mineola, NY 11501
516-493-3710
Important Nassau felony criminal court; County Court maintains its own court records.
99 Main Street
Hempstead, NY 11550
516-493-4200
Mon–Fri: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
District civil, landlord-tenant, small claims and lower-level criminal matters.
101 County Seat Drive
Mineola, NY 11501
516-493-4000
Current location effective June 2, 2025.
262 Old Country Road, 3rd Floor
Mineola, NY 11501
516-493-3800
Records: 516-493-3821
Probate, estates, administration and Surrogate records.
The Supreme Court, County Court, Surrogate’s Court, County Clerk and new Family/Matrimonial complex are concentrated in the Mineola court-government area. District Court is separately located in Hempstead. Confirm the correct office before traveling.
What if the Nassau court record is too old to view online?
“Not online” does not mean “no record exists.” Nassau’s courts and Clerk use a mix of electronic files, paper files, microfilm, microfiche, archived records and off-site storage.
Even if document images are unavailable, an index number or file number can make an archive request much faster.
Do not ask the County Clerk for a District, Family or Surrogate record merely because all are in Nassau County.
For example: complaint, judgment, order, certificate of disposition, probate decree or letters testamentary.
Older Supreme Court paper records can require retrieval from the County Clerk Record Center.
Do not assume an archived file can be retrieved, copied and certified immediately on the same visit.
Nassau County appeals use a separate court record
Nassau County is within New York’s Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department. An appeal creates appellate activity that should not be confused with the underlying Nassau trial-court docket.
After opening this link:
- Use the court’s case, calendar or decision resources.
- Compare the appellate case to the Nassau lower-court index or docket number.
- Review later appellate orders and decisions.
- Return to the original Nassau clerk for the underlying trial record when necessary.
After opening this link:
- Use this only if the matter reached New York’s highest court.
- Locate the appeal by docket or party information.
- Check decisions and calendar material separately.
- Do not expect the Court of Appeals docket to replace the original Nassau case file.
Nassau County federal cases are in the Eastern District of New York
Nassau County is within the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Federal district and bankruptcy records do not appear in Nassau County WebCivil, County Clerk or Surrogate searches.
Central Islip Courthouse
100 Federal Plaza
Central Islip, NY 11722
The Eastern District covers Kings, Nassau, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk Counties.
Central Islip
290 Federal Plaza
Central Islip, NY 11722
The bankruptcy court covers Nassau County along with Kings, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk.
After opening this link:
- Use Case Locator when you do not know the federal court.
- Search directly in EDNY when you already know the district and case number.
- Use a case number instead of a common party name when possible to reduce billable search pages.
- Review the docket before opening multiple paid documents.
After opening this link:
- Open Case Info for district-court record resources.
- Use PACER/CM-ECF for federal docket access.
- Check the Central Islip location when a courthouse visit is necessary.
- Use the bankruptcy court separately for bankruptcy cases.
Do not mistake a filing for the final result
| Term | What it generally indicates | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint / petition | A party started a proceeding or asserted claims. | That the allegations were proven. |
| Defendant / respondent | A person’s or entity’s role in the case. | That the party committed wrongdoing. |
| Motion | A party requested a court ruling. | That the requested relief was granted. |
| Order | A court ruling or direction. | That no later order modified it. |
| Judgment | A judgment was entered. | That it remains unpaid, unsatisfied, unappealed or unvacated. |
| Indictment / charge | A criminal accusation or prosecution event. | That the defendant was convicted. |
| Dismissed | A case or claim was dismissed. | The reason without reading the relevant order or docket entry. |
Why a known Nassau County case may not appear online
- Wrong court type.
- Supreme case searched in District Court.
- District civil case searched in WebCivil Supreme.
- Probate searched outside WebSurrogate.
- Federal case searched in a state system.
- Town or village case searched as a county-level case.
- Sealed criminal matter.
- Restricted matrimonial record.
- Family or juvenile confidentiality.
- Older paper or microfilm record.
- Off-site archive retrieval needed.
- Recently filed case not yet reflected in the public interface.
How to request an official Nassau court record
Save the full index, docket, indictment or Surrogate file number.
Do not ask for “the whole court record” when you only need a judgment, order, disposition or decree.
Supreme Court requests generally go through the County Clerk; District, Family, County and Surrogate records can use different court offices.
A plain copy, certified copy and exemplified copy are not interchangeable.
This is especially important for divorce, Family Court, adoption, juvenile, guardianship and sealed records.
Do this immediately before sending payment or traveling to Mineola or Hempstead.
Frequently asked questions about New York Nassau County court records
What is the official way to search Nassau County New York court records?
There is no single Nassau County search that contains every court record. Supreme Court civil matters can be researched through New York court services such as WebCivil Supreme and NYSCEF, covered District Court civil cases through WebCivil Local, criminal matters through WebCrims and the appropriate criminal clerk, and probate or estate matters through WebSurrogate.
Can I search Nassau County court records by name?
Yes, several official New York court tools support party or defendant name searching, but the correct system depends on the court and case type. A matching name alone does not prove identity; compare the court, case number, filing date, party role and docket activity.
Who keeps Nassau County Supreme Court records?
The Nassau County Clerk serves as Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts and is the primary starting point for Supreme Court document requests. Nassau County Court, District Court, Family Court and Surrogate’s Court also maintain records through their own court offices.
How much does the Nassau County Clerk charge for court-record copies?
The County Clerk’s current legal-fee schedule lists plain copies at $0.65 per page with a $1.30 minimum, certified copies at $1.25 per page with a $5 minimum, and exemplification at $10 plus certification charges.
Where are Nassau County criminal court records searched?
Nassau County Court handles felony criminal matters and District Court handles misdemeanors, violations, infractions and preliminary felony proceedings. WebCrims can provide public information for covered criminal cases, but sealed or otherwise restricted matters will not be available as ordinary public records.
Where do I search Nassau County probate and estate records?
Use WebSurrogate and select Nassau County. Nassau County Surrogate’s Court is at 262 Old Country Road, third floor, Mineola. WebSurrogate only provides document-image links for eligible documents filed on or after February 19, 2014; older unrestricted documents may require courthouse public-access computers.
Where is Nassau County Family Court now located?
Since June 2, 2025, Nassau County Family Court has operated at 101 County Seat Drive in Mineola. The previous Westbury courthouse at 1200 Old Country Road closed permanently in May 2025.
Can anyone obtain a Nassau County divorce file?
No. New York matrimonial records have significant access restrictions. Divorce-document requests generally require an eligible party or attorney, and the Nassau County Clerk’s mail request instructions require the index number or a search fee, identification of the requested document and compliance with the Clerk’s access rules.
Where do I search an appeal from a Nassau County case?
Nassau County is within the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department. Use the Second Department’s official court resources for an appeal and the New York Court of Appeals when a matter reaches the state’s highest court.
Where do I search federal court or bankruptcy records connected with Nassau County?
Nassau County is in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Federal district and bankruptcy records use PACER rather than Nassau County or New York State court portals.
Official sources reviewed for this Nassau County guide
Information was checked against the New York State Unified Court System’s Nassau 10th Judicial District pages, Nassau Supreme Court, County Court locator, District Court, Family Court location information, Nassau Surrogate’s Court, WebSurrogate, Nassau County Clerk office pages, current operating procedures, Legal Fees, divorce copy instructions, historical New York court-record guidance, Appellate Division Second Department, Eastern District of New York, EDNY Bankruptcy Court and PACER.