Email: mailto:[email protected]
Phone: (646) 386 – 5942
Location: 60 Centre Street, Room 103B, New York, NY 10007
Accessing Court Records
The Records Department is the repository for all Supreme Court records. To obtain court records, you may visit our office at the address above during our hours of operation. Please provide an index number (e.g. 12345/1985 or 123456/2010) for the case file you would like to view for the fastest and most efficient way for the clerk to assist you. Upon arrival, please fill out a requisition form located at the front counter in a tray. Include name of the one who started the matter (Plaintiff/Petitioner), the one who is responding to the matter (Defendant/Respondent), case index number, your name, telephone number, type of identification provided to the clerk and email address. To exam certain records, the clerk will temporarily hold your identification card (State or Country issued) while you have the record in your possession.
The clerk will retrieve file(s) based on the year the action was commenced. Records from 1955-1984 are found on microfiche. Using the microfiche machine requires quarters. To make copies of the record, it will cost $0.25 per page. The County Clerk does not provide change for the machines. Records from 2014 to present are digitized, and a clerk may direct you to the computer station for access to the case file. To make copies of the record it will cost $0.25 per page. There are instructions posted at each station to transmit the transaction to the cashier for payment. Payment will be made in the adjacent room 141B, at the cashier’s booth. Payment can be made in cash, or by certified check, attorney check, credit card, money order or official bank check in U.S. dollars payable to the New York County Clerk. The New York County Clerk’s Office does not accept personal or company checks. After payment is made, please take your receipt to the Certification Department window to pick up your document(s).
You may also request records by mail. Please refer to the law & equity mail tab for further information.
For availability questions or requests please feel free to email us at: [email protected]
All files must remain in our office and shall not be removed. Tampering or altering documents is prohibited pursuant to section 175.25 of the Penal Law.
Divorce Records
Divorce records are confidential, pursuant to Section 235 of the Domestic Relations Law. However, the parties, attorney of records and any person with an original notarized authorization letter may access the record. The letter must include the name of the parties to the action (Plaintiff vs Defendant), index number or approximate year the divorce was commenced. The attorney of record may also give a written authorization letter to an employee, which must be on an official attorney letterhead and include the name of the individual picking up the divorce, the names of the plaintiff and defendant, and the index number or approximate year the case was commenced. The individual picking up the divorce on behalf of the litigant or attorney on record must show valid photo State or Government identification. For in person divorce record requests, please speak with the clerk at front counter to gain access. You may need a certified copy of your divorce records to get remarried, citizenship appointment, social security benefits or change your name on official documents (Passport, Driver’s License etc.). Payment can be made in cash, or by certified check, attorney check, credit card, money order or official bank check in U.S. dollars payable to the New York County Clerk in the amount of .25 cents per page plus $8.00 per certification. The New York County Clerk’s Office does not accept personal or company checks.
Pursuant to Domestic Relations Law, Section 235 after 100 years from the initial filing date, these records become public records for inspection. Pursuant to Domestic Relations law, Section 235 divorce records are confidential, non-parties may request a certificate of disposition issued by our Judgement Clerks in the adjacent room 141B.
All files must remain in our office and shall not be removed. Tampering or altering documents is prohibited pursuant to section 175.25 of the Penal Law.
Guardianship
Article 81 cases of the Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) are submitted to the Supreme Court to ask a judge for guardianship necessary to meet an incapacitated person’s needs. This may include a person’s property/finances, personal needs or both. The most comprehensive way to access these types of records are to go the courthouse where the case was filed. The Records Department has all guardianship records that were filed based in New York County. Records from 1985-1997 may need to be ordered from our off-site facility, by filling out a requisition form located on the counter in a gray box. Files ordered from our off-site facility takes place every Friday. Please allow 2-3 business days for the file(s) to become available. Once the file is in our office, a staff member will call you to retrieve the record for review.
There are privately owned copy machines for public use in our office. The copying machine accepts cash, credit/debit at $0.35 per page.
All files must remain in our office and cannot be removed. Tampering or altering documents is not allowed pursuant to section 175.25 of the Penal Law.
Obtaining an Order for a Name Change
Name Change records are typically filed in the county in which the party resides. Records in New York County can be found at various locations, The New York Supreme Court (60 Centre Street) or The New York Civil Court (111 Centre Street). As these files can be sealed by court order pursuant to New York Civil Rights Law section 64-a (1), only a person who is party to the matter or attorney on record may have access to these sealed records. To obtain access to Name Change records from 1848-1934, please see our Archives Department for further assistance (Insert Archives Dept Link – Restricted Files Section). If your Name Change took place during your Naturalization, you may find these records at the Federal Court located at 26 Federal Plaza or 500 Pearl Street. You may also check online for information at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
To obtain your name change record, please provide the clerk with your former name, new name and approximate year that the name change occurred to help staff locate the record more efficiently.
Obtaining a Name Change for Non-Parties
To request a copy of a Name Change Order on behalf of someone else, you must have an original notarized letter that includes the former first and last name, and an index number or approximate year the matter began. This will enable the clerk to retrieve the record. Please be advised, the Name Change Order must be certified for all official document changes/corrections. Payment can be made in cash, or by certified check, attorney check, credit card, money order or official bank check in U.S. dollars payable to the New York County Clerk in the amount of .25 cents per page plus $8.00 per certification. The New York County Clerk’s Office does not accept personal or company checks.
All files must remain in our office and cannot be removed. Tampering or altering documents is prohibited pursuant to section 175.25 of the Penal Law.
Files located at 60 Centre Street
1955-1984 are on microfiche
1985-1997 are on microfilm (divorces only)
2004,2005,2006,2008,2011,2012 and 2013 (Hard copy files on site)
2007,2009,2010 and 2014 (partial) files please see a clerk for further assistance if the record is not found on the public computer terminal.
2015 - Current case files are accessible on the public computer terminals for your convenience. You may print from the computer for $0.25 per page by following the instructions posted at each station.
*1998-2003, please refer to our Archives Dept
Off-Site Files
To request files from 1910-1954, please fill out a Requisition Form at front counter and submit to a staff member. Files are ordered every Friday Only. Please allow 2-3 business days for requests to be fulfilled. Once the files are received, you will be given a call to come and review the file(s). There are privately owned copy machines for public use in our office. The copying machine accepts cash, credit/debit at $0.35 per page.