New York Court Records Search by Name: eCourts, NYSCEF, WebCrims, WebSurrogate, CHRS, Copies & PACER
New York State court records are split across eCourts, WebCivil Supreme, WebCivil Local, WebCriminal, WebFamily, WebSurrogate, NYSCEF, Court-PASS, county clerks, local courts, OCA Criminal History Record Search and federal PACER. This guide helps you choose the correct official route before searching by name.
Public-Court-Records.us is independent. This website is not the New York State Unified Court System, Office of Court Administration, Court-PASS, NYSCEF, any County Clerk, any court, the New York State Police, PACER, a law firm, a government agency, a records vendor or a Consumer Reporting Agency.
Responsible-use warning: a name match does not prove identity. A complaint, petition, indictment, summons, ticket, warrant, judgment entry, docket event, appearance date or case listing does not prove guilt, liability or current status by itself. Do not use this guide for employment, tenant, credit, insurance or other FCRA-regulated screening decisions.
New York State court records are searchable, but not through one universal database
New York’s official online tools are useful, but they are divided by court type and record type. A Supreme Court civil case may route through WebCivil Supreme or NYSCEF Search as Guest. A local civil, small claims or landlord-tenant matter may route through WebCivil Local. A criminal court date may route through WebCriminal. A probate or estate matter may route through WebSurrogate. A Court of Appeals matter may route through Court-PASS.
Official court-record requests are also different from OCA FOIL requests. OCA FOIL is for administrative records held by the Office of Court Administration. Court records should be requested from the Clerk of the Court or County Clerk that has the record.
Use for supported civil, criminal, family, surrogate and tracking tools.
Current statewide criminal-history search fee listed by OCA.
Search certain e-filed Supreme Court cases and documents without an e-filing account.
OCA says court records should go to the clerk or county clerk with the records.
New York court-record route finder
Select the type of record you need. This tool runs only in your browser and does not ask for a name, date of birth, address, case number, index number, docket number, ticket number, Social Security number, driver license number or payment information.
Search by index number when available. For e-filed documents, open NYSCEF and choose Search as Guest. For official copies or archived files, contact the Clerk of the Court or County Clerk that has the record.
Which New York court-record system should you use?
Use this table before searching. It separates public case lookup, e-filed documents, Family Court privacy, Surrogate’s Court estate files, Court of Appeals materials, criminal-history reports and federal PACER records.
| Need | Correct official route | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court civil case, index number or civil docket | WebCivil Supreme / NYSCEF Search as Guest / County Clerk | Search by index number or party name. Use NYSCEF for e-filed documents where available. Use the clerk or county clerk for certified copies. |
| NYC Civil Court, City Court, District Court, Town/Village civil, small claims or landlord-tenant | WebCivil Local or the local court clerk | Use docket/index/case number if available, then confirm case type, court and disposition with the local court. |
| Criminal court date or selected pending criminal case information | WebCriminal / local criminal court clerk | Use defendant name or docket number where supported. WebCriminal is not a complete criminal-history report. |
| Statewide criminal-history search | OCA Criminal History Record Search | Use exact name and date of birth. Review CHRS limitations, $95 fee, non-certified status and sealed-record exclusions. |
| Family Court, child support, custody, paternity, juvenile or related family matter | WebFamily where supported / Family Court record room / party or attorney request | Do not assume public access. Family Court records are not open to indiscriminate public inspection. |
| Divorce, matrimonial or certified divorce decree | Supreme Court / County Clerk where the divorce was filed | Access can be restricted. Parties, attorneys or authorized requesters may need ID, notarized authorization or court order. |
| Probate, estate, will, administration or Surrogate’s Court file | WebSurrogate / county Surrogate’s Court | Search by name, file number, old index, index book pages or will search where available. Some records are restricted or not online. |
| Case against New York State | New York Court of Claims | Use Court of Claims records and filing resources, not ordinary county civil court records. |
| Court of Appeals case, record or brief | Court-PASS / Court of Appeals Clerk | Search by party name, argument date, decision date, appeal number, subject classification or citation where available. |
| Appellate Division case | Appropriate Appellate Division department / NYSCEF where applicable | Identify the department first. Trial-court files remain with the trial clerk or county clerk. |
| Federal civil, criminal, bankruptcy or federal appeal | PACER / relevant New York federal court | Use PACER Case Locator if the federal court is unknown. State eCourts does not hold federal case files. |
| Police report, prosecution file, jail record, deed, birth/death certificate or DMV record | Not a court-record search | Use the police department, district attorney, jail, county clerk/recorder, vital records office or DMV route as appropriate. |
How to search New York State court records without using the wrong database
Start from an official court, clerk or court-system website. Avoid private people-search pages and copied docket snippets because those may be stale, incomplete, wrongly matched or unsafe for legal use.
Decide whether the case is Supreme Court, County Court, NYC Civil Court, City Court, District Court, Town/Village Justice Court, Family Court, Surrogate’s Court, Court of Claims, appellate, federal district or bankruptcy.
Use eCourts for supported case lookup, WebCivil Supreme for many Supreme Court civil matters, WebCivil Local for local civil matters, WebCriminal for selected criminal matters, WebSurrogate for estate files and Court-PASS for Court of Appeals materials.
If the Supreme Court case was e-filed, open NYSCEF and use Search as Guest. You do not need an e-filing account to search guest-accessible e-filed cases and documents.
Use index number, docket number, case number, file number, summons number, ticket number, indictment number or appeal number before trying a broad name search.
Compare court, county, borough, case type, filing year, party role, attorney, judge, docket activity, appearance dates, disposition and document title before relying on a record.
For plain, certified, exemplified or archived copies, use the Clerk of the Court or County Clerk that has the record. Do not send court-file requests to OCA FOIL.
Family Court, adoption, sealed criminal, matrimonial, name-change, juvenile, mental-health, child-abuse, sexual-assault and domestic-violence-related records may require identification, authorization or court order.
Official New York court-record links and what to do after opening each one
Each link below includes a next-step checklist so this guide is useful for real searches, copy requests, clerk routing and court-level verification.
Use as the main hub for WebCivil Local, WebCivil Supreme, WebCriminal, WebFamily, WebSurrogate, eTrack, NYSCEF, traffic payments and EDDS links.
- Choose the tool that matches your case type.
- Use case number, docket number or index number first.
- Read each application’s disclaimer before searching.
- Contact the filing court if displayed information appears wrong.
Use when you do not know which court has the record.
- Filter by case type, court type and county.
- Turn on “Include Town & Village Courts” when needed.
- Save the court address, phone number and official page.
- Ask that court about record access and copies.
Use for many Supreme Court civil case searches and calendars.
- Search by index number when known.
- Select the county carefully.
- Use party-name search only after checking spelling variations.
- Use NYSCEF Search as Guest for e-filed documents where available.
Use for supported local civil court matters such as certain NYC Civil Court, city, district, town and village court civil records.
- Choose the correct court or county.
- Search by index/docket/case number if available.
- Verify small claims and landlord-tenant details with the court.
- Request certified copies from the responsible clerk.
Use for selected New York criminal court information, especially future appearance dates.
- Search by defendant name or docket number where supported.
- Confirm court, part, date and docket number.
- Use the criminal court clerk for official dispositions.
- Use OCA CHRS if you need a statewide criminal-history search.
Use for Supreme Court cases and documents e-filed in the New York State Courts Electronic Filing system where public guest access is available.
- Click “Search as Guest.”
- Search by index number, party name or county as available.
- Open only documents that are public and unrestricted.
- Use the clerk for certification, exemplification or official copies.
Use for estate proceedings and other public filings in New York Surrogate’s Courts.
- Complete the captcha and choose a search type.
- Search by name, file number, old index, index book pages or will search.
- Remember not all Surrogate’s Courts have all historical records online.
- Use the county Surrogate’s Court for certified copies or restricted access questions.
Use for an OCA statewide criminal-history search, not for civil, family or federal cases.
- Review the $95 statewide search fee.
- Use exact name and date of birth.
- Read non-disclosure, sealed-record and data-limit notices.
- Remember CHRS is not a nationwide or FBI background check.
Use before mailing or emailing a clerk request.
- Identify the Clerk of the Court or County Clerk that has the record.
- Reasonably describe the record sought.
- Provide index number, docket number or filing year when available.
- Confirm fees, payment method and copy type first.
Use for New York Court of Appeals public materials.
- Choose record/document search, browse or docket search.
- Search by party name, appeal number, decision date, argument date or citation.
- Remember motions are not available for public viewing on Court-PASS.
- Contact the Court of Appeals Clerk for official record questions.
New York court-record copies, certified copies and clerk requests
For official court records, request copies from the Clerk of the Court or County Clerk that has the record. OCA’s FOIL page explains that court records are not requested through OCA FOIL and that Supreme Court and County Court files may be archived with the County Clerk.
| Copy task | Official route / example | Practical instruction |
|---|---|---|
| Plain copy of a public court record | Clerk of the Court or County Clerk with the record | Provide the court, county, index/docket/case number, filing year, party names and exact document title. |
| Certified copy | The responsible court clerk or county clerk | Ask the receiving agency whether certification is required before paying certification fees. |
| Exemplified copy | County clerk or court clerk, depending on the record | Use only when a receiving court, agency or foreign jurisdiction specifically asks for exemplification. |
| Divorce decree or matrimonial file | County Clerk or Supreme Court where the divorce was filed | Access can be restricted. Parties, attorneys or authorized requesters may need identification, notarized authorization or a court order. |
| Family Court order | Family Court record room in the county where the proceeding was held | Certified and court-sealed copies of Family Court orders may be provided only in person or by regular mail. |
| Court transcript | Clerk of the court or the specific court reporter | Ask whether the transcript is already in the file. If not, the court reporter’s transcript rules and fees apply. |
New York copy-cost planning estimator
This estimator is not a statewide fee quote. New York clerk fees vary by court, county, record type and copy method. Always verify current fees with the actual clerk that has the record.
New York Court of Appeals and OCA record-routing details
20 Eagle Street
Albany, NY 12207
Clerk’s Office civil appeals: 518-455-7701
Clerk’s Office criminal appeals: 518-455-7702
Switchboard: 518-455-7700
Use for Court of Appeals matters, Court-PASS questions and appellate record routing at New York’s highest court.
NYS Office of Court Administration
Division of Technology and Court Research
Criminal History Record Search Unit
25 Beaver Street, Room 940
New York, NY 10004
The OCA CHRS page states there is no in-person service at 25 Beaver Street for CHRS. Use online Direct Access or mail-in application instructions.
Phone: 646-386-3033
Fax: 212-401-9146
Use for NYSCEF account, training and e-filing support. Search as Guest can be used for public guest-accessible e-filed cases and documents.
OCA FOIL is for administrative records maintained by OCA. It is not the route for ordinary court files, dockets, judgments, orders, divorce decrees or case papers.
Court-record requests should go to the Clerk of the Court or County Clerk that possesses those records.
New York eCourts tools: what each one is for
Use for many Supreme Court civil case searches and calendars. Search by index number when available and confirm the county before relying on a result.
Use for supported local civil matters, including many local civil, small claims and landlord-tenant records from courts that participate in the system.
Use for selected New York criminal courts with future appearance dates. It is not a complete criminal-history report and should not replace clerk verification.
Use only for supported Family Court case information. Family Court records have strong privacy limits and are not open to indiscriminate public inspection.
Use for estate proceedings, file history, public documents and historical Surrogate’s Court records where available. Restricted Surrogate’s records may not be accessible.
Use to receive notices of case activity in supported Local Civil, Civil Supreme and Criminal cases. It is a tracking tool, not a certified-copy service.
NYSCEF Search as Guest: finding e-filed Supreme Court documents
NYSCEF is the New York State Courts Electronic Filing system. The court system states that users can search Supreme Court cases and documents e-filed in NYSCEF even without an e-filing account by visiting NYSCEF and clicking Search as Guest.
Use the official NYSCEF login page, then choose Search as Guest instead of creating an account if you only need public guest search.
An index number and county are usually stronger than a broad party-name search for a Supreme Court civil matter.
Some e-filed documents may be confidential, restricted, sealed, redacted or unavailable to public guest users.
A downloaded NYSCEF PDF is not automatically a certified or exemplified copy. Ask the responsible clerk if official proof is required.
What New York court records may be private, sealed, redacted or unavailable online?
New York court guidance explains that court papers are generally public records, but some information must be redacted, some cases can be sealed by court order, and some records are private by law. A missing online result does not automatically mean no case exists.
- Adoption cases.
- Family Court proceedings not open to indiscriminate public inspection.
- Sealed criminal records.
- Matrimonial or divorce records with access restrictions.
- Name-change files sealed by court order.
- Juvenile, child abuse, neglect or dependency-related records.
- Mental-health, drug-abuse, sexual-assault and domestic-violence-sensitive filings.
- Contact the clerk of the court where the case was filed.
- Ask whether party status, attorney status or government ID is required.
- Ask whether a court order or notarized authorization is required.
- Ask whether a redacted copy, sealed copy or certified copy is available.
- Do not try to bypass sealed or confidential-record rules.
- Speak with a licensed New York attorney for legal advice.
New York court records are different from OCA Criminal History Record Search
A court docket search is not the same as a statewide criminal-history search. OCA Criminal History Record Search is a separate request process based on exact name and date of birth. It has important limits and should not be confused with eCourts case lookup, WebCriminal calendar lookup, sealed records, civil cases, Family Court records or federal PACER records.
| Need | Likely route | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| A criminal court date or selected pending case detail | WebCriminal or the local criminal court clerk | WebCriminal is not a full statewide criminal-history report. |
| Statewide New York criminal-history search | OCA Criminal History Record Search | CHRS is $95, exact name+DOB based, not certified, not nationwide and not an FBI search. |
| Civil, Family or Federal court information | eCourts, Family Court, Clerk, NYSCEF or PACER as applicable | OCA states CHRS does not include Family, Civil or Federal court case information. |
| Sealed, expunged or non-disclosed criminal information | Court order, authorized agency or legal counsel route | Sealed records and certain non-disclosed dispositions are not included in public CHRS results. |
WebSurrogate for New York probate, estate and will records
WebSurrogate provides information on estate proceedings and other filings within New York State Surrogate’s Courts. It is a free service for searching files, retrieving public documents and viewing historical records that are considered public information.
- Name Search: search Surrogate’s Court files by party name and narrow by date of death.
- File Search: find files by file number.
- Old Index Search: find historical records by file number or file name where available.
- Index Book Pages: browse available index book images.
- Will Search: find wills filed for safekeeping by testator name.
- Not all Surrogate’s Courts have all historical records online.
- Restricted documents are blocked under Surrogate’s Court access rules.
- Document-image links are generally for documents filed on or after February 19, 2014.
- Some older unrestricted documents may need public access computers inside the Surrogate’s Court.
- Wills filed for safekeeping are not available for public view.
New York appeals, Court-PASS, Appellate Division and federal PACER records
Use for New York Court of Appeals public access and search.
- Search by party name, appeal number, argument date, decision date, citation or subject matter.
- Use browse for pending and decided cases in the database.
- Use docket search for undecided-case snapshot information.
- Remember motions are not available for public viewing on Court-PASS.
Use when a trial-court decision moved to one of New York’s Appellate Division departments.
- Identify whether the appeal belongs to AD1, AD2, AD3 or AD4.
- Search the department’s public resources or NYSCEF where applicable.
- Use the appellate docket number when available.
- Contact the trial clerk or county clerk for the original trial-court file.
Use for federal appellate, district and bankruptcy court records.
- Register for PACER if needed.
- Use PACER Case Locator if the federal court is unknown.
- Search the specific New York federal court if known.
- Review PACER fee screens before opening reports or documents.
Use to locate Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western District of New York federal district and bankruptcy court PACER systems.
- Search “New York” in Court CM/ECF Lookup.
- Choose district court or bankruptcy court.
- Use court-specific PACER login and clerk contacts.
- Do not request federal records through New York State eCourts.
New York court records are different from police, jail, property, vital and background records
Many searches fail because the user opens the wrong public-record system. Court records, criminal-history reports, police reports, prosecution files, jail custody, deeds, vital records and DMV records are not the same thing.
| Need | Likely source | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Court case, docket, judgment, order, decree or certified court copy | eCourts, NYSCEF, court clerk or county clerk | This is the proper route for official case records and certified copies. |
| Statewide New York criminal-history search | OCA Criminal History Record Search | CHRS is separate from ordinary court docket lookup and has its own limitations. |
| Police report or prosecution file | Police department or district attorney’s office | OCA guidance says police or prosecution records may not be maintained in the court file. |
| Current jail custody or booking | Sheriff, jail, Department of Correction or detention agency | Custody status is not the same as a final court disposition. |
| Deed, mortgage, real estate record or recorded lien | County clerk, city register or recording office | Recorded land documents are not ordinary case dockets, even when a case involves real property. |
| Birth, death, marriage certificate or DMV record | Vital records office, city clerk, state health department or DMV | Vital and motor vehicle records are not ordinary public court case records. |
How to read New York court-record search results responsibly
Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, appellant, appellee, claimant, decedent, fiduciary, guardian, ward, respondent parent and juvenile-related labels are case roles. A role does not automatically prove wrongdoing.
Open, pending, disposed, dismissed, settled, sealed, transferred, appealed, vacated, satisfied or scheduled should be read in context. A future appearance date is not the same as a final disposition.
Complaint, petition, summons, indictment, information, motion, order, judgment, decision, disposition, warrant, appearance, conference, trial date or mandate entries are court events. They are not all final outcomes.
What to do if a New York court-record name search returns no result
- Wrong tool: WebCivil Supreme vs WebCivil Local vs WebCriminal vs WebSurrogate vs NYSCEF.
- Wrong county, borough, city, town or village court.
- Federal case searched in New York State eCourts instead of PACER.
- Criminal-history need searched as a docket instead of CHRS.
- Name spelling, suffix, middle initial, hyphen, maiden name or business-name mismatch.
- Case filed under an index number, file number, summons number or indictment number you did not search.
- Sealed criminal record.
- Family Court, adoption, juvenile or child-related restriction.
- Matrimonial/divorce or name-change access restriction.
- Document image restricted, confidential or not guest-accessible.
- Older paper, archive or county clerk file not exposed online.
- Record held by a police department, district attorney, county clerk or federal court instead of the court portal you searched.
Use New York State court records responsibly
- A summons is not automatically a judgment.
- A charge is not a final disposition.
- An indictment is not proof of guilt.
- A civil complaint does not prove liability.
- A docket may be incomplete, delayed or later corrected.
- A common name can match multiple people or businesses.
- Do not harass, threaten or retaliate against anyone.
- Do not republish unnecessary personal information.
- Do not try to bypass sealed, adoption, Family Court or confidential-record rules.
- Do not treat this page as legal advice.
- Do not use this page as a background-check report.
- Use official custodians for corrections and certified records.
Frequently asked questions about New York State court records
How do I search New York State court records by name?
Start with the court type and county. Use eCourts, WebCivil Supreme, WebCivil Local, WebCriminal, WebFamily, WebSurrogate, NYSCEF Search as Guest, Court-PASS, the local Clerk of Court or the County Clerk depending on the case. A name match is not proof of identity, so compare the court, county, case type, filing year, party role, docket activity and disposition.
Is there one statewide New York court records search for every case?
No. New York provides several official search tools, but coverage depends on court type, case type, county, filing method and access rules. eCourts is not available for all courts, NYSCEF covers certain e-filed cases and documents, WebSurrogate covers Surrogate’s Court records, Court-PASS covers Court of Appeals materials, and PACER covers federal cases.
Which New York eCourts search should I use?
Use WebCivil Supreme for many Supreme Court civil matters, WebCivil Local for local civil matters, WebCriminal for selected criminal courts with future appearance dates, WebFamily for supported Family Court case information, WebSurrogate for Surrogate’s Court estate records and eTrack if you want notices for supported Local Civil, Civil Supreme or Criminal cases.
What is NYSCEF Search as Guest?
NYSCEF is the New York State Courts Electronic Filing system. The court system says users can search Supreme Court cases and documents e-filed in NYSCEF even without an e-filing account by visiting NYSCEF and clicking Search as Guest. Access still depends on case type, court authorization and confidentiality rules.
How do I search New York criminal court records or criminal history?
For case lookup, use the correct criminal court route such as WebCriminal or the local court clerk. For a statewide criminal-history search, use the Office of Court Administration Criminal History Record Search, which currently costs $95 and is based on an exact match of name and date of birth. The CHRS report does not include Family, Civil or Federal court case information and is not a nationwide or FBI background check.
Are New York Family Court, divorce and adoption records public?
Do not assume they are public. New York court guidance says Family Court records are not open to indiscriminate public inspection, adoption cases are always sealed, and some records such as divorce or sensitive family-related records may require party status, attorney status, identification, court order or special access rules.
Where do I search New York probate, estate and will records?
Use WebSurrogate for Surrogate’s Court files, estate proceedings and public historical records where available. You can search by party name, file number, old index, index book pages or wills filed for safekeeping. Not all Surrogate’s Courts have all historical records online, and restricted documents may not be accessible.
How do I request certified New York court records?
Request certified records from the Clerk of the Court or County Clerk that has the record. Provide the index number, docket number or case number, party names, approximate filing year, court, county, document title and whether you need a plain, certified or exemplified copy. Fees and payment methods vary by clerk.
Where do I search New York appeals and federal cases?
Use Court-PASS for New York Court of Appeals public materials and the appropriate Appellate Division route for intermediate appeals. Use PACER for federal district, appellate and bankruptcy court records. Federal cases are separate from New York State Supreme, County, City, District, Town, Village, Family and Surrogate’s Court records.
Can I use this page for employment, tenant, credit or insurance screening?
No. Public-Court-Records.us is not a Consumer Reporting Agency, and this guide is not an FCRA-regulated background-check product. Do not use this article to make employment, housing, credit, insurance or tenant-screening decisions.
Source review and publishing checklist
This guide was reviewed against official and authoritative resources for the New York State Unified Court System, eCourts, WebCivil Supreme, WebCivil Local, WebCriminal, WebFamily, WebSurrogate, NYSCEF Search as Guest, Getting Court Records and Case Information, Court Locator, Court Records by Court, Privacy of Court Cases, Confidential Records, NYC Family Court Records, OCA Criminal History Record Search, OCA FOIL guidance, Court-PASS, Court of Appeals public search, New York Official Reports, New York County Clerk copy/certification examples, Kings County Clerk copy/certification examples, PACER Find a Case and PACER pricing. Review date: September 2, 2026.