Public Access to Court Records

The Unified Court System provides electronic access via the Internet to a wide range of court information in the areas of judicial decisions, calendars and other case information, and case files. Hon. Judy Harris Kluger and Ronald Younkins, the Chief of Operations for the Office of Court Administration, oversee initiatives relating to public electronic access with the goal of providing enhanced service to litigants, lawyers and the public.

Decisions
The website contains decisions in both civil and criminal cases from trial-level courts, as well as from the Court of Appeals and Appellate Divisions.

Calendars and Case Information
The Unified Court System makes available case and calendar information such as the schedules and topics of court appearances, the name of the presiding judge in each case, court part, attorney assignments, case type, docket number and other items depending on the court providing the information.

Court Records
Under the leadership of Judge Judy Harris Kluger and Ronald Younkins, the Unified Court System is beginning to place case files on the Internet through two pilot projects, one in Supreme Court, New York County ("Scroll") and one in Supreme and County Courts in Broome County. The projects will make images of non-confidential documents in case files available to the public. Following a period of operation and research, UCS will explore how to proceed with making court files around the state available online.

The court system’s recent efforts to enhance electronic access to court records originated with the 2004 report and recommendations of the Commission on Public Access to Court Records, appointed by Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye in early 2003. The Commission had been charged with examining the sometimes competing interests of privacy and open access relating to information in court records. Following research, discussion and testimony, the Commission recommended that New York State’s court system begin to make court records available electronically over the Internet, while at the same time putting in place protections to avoid the disclosure on the Internet of confidential or highly sensitive information.