Common Questions About Westchester County Court Records
How do I search Westchester County court records online?
There is no single site. The court type sets the tool. Use Westchester Records Online for County Clerk legal records, WebCivil Supreme for civil Supreme Court cases, and WebCriminal for pending criminal cases with future dates. WebFamily shows active Family Court calendars. NYSCEF holds e-filed papers and lets you search as a guest. Probate files live in WebSurrogate. Confirm where the case sits first, then search by name or number. For a full walkthrough, see court records or browse court dockets for calendar data.
Are Westchester County court records public?
Many are. Not all. The County Clerk says legal records are open unless sealed by law or a court order. The general rule comes from New York Judiciary Law § 255. Matrimonial files, most Family Court records, juvenile and adoption files, sealed criminal cases, and some probate documents stay closed. Access turns on the record type and the court that made it. More on what is open and what is not is set out under public records.
Is FOIL the way to request court records?
Usually no. NYCOURTS explains that court-record access runs under Judiciary Law § 255, not the Freedom of Information Law. FOIL covers agency files, such as county-department administrative records. The Westchester Clerk sends court-file requests to the Legal Division rather than through a normal FOIL request. So pick your path by record type. Read more about the split on the public records page, or start a Clerk request through the County Clerk.
Where is the main courthouse?
The main courthouse is at 111 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, White Plains, NY 10601. It holds Supreme and County Court functions, White Plains Family Court, Surrogate's Court, jury services, and the Supreme Court Law Library. The County Clerk is reached through the Richard J. Daronco Courthouse entrance. You can confirm the address and phone lines on the NYCOURTS Westchester court page. For the full court profile, see Supreme Court.
How do I get a divorce decree?
Contact the Westchester County Clerk Legal Division. You must be a party or an attorney of record. Bring proper photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport, and request the record in person or as the office allows. Divorce and other matrimonial files are sealed under Domestic Relations Law § 235, so the public cannot pull them. Steps and forms are covered on the marriage and divorce records page.
Can I get a criminal Certificate of Disposition?
Yes, if the conviction was in Westchester County Court. Request it from the County Clerk in person or by mail. The certified Sentence and Commitment, or Certificate of Disposition, fee is $5.00. Add a $5.00 mail search fee if you do not know the indictment number. This document shows the charge and the outcome. See the County Clerk page for how to order one, and arrest records for the broader criminal picture.
How do I find an inmate in the county jail?
Use the official Westchester inmate lookup or call 914-231-1000. The Department of Correction FAQ notes that not every person in custody appears online, for security or custody-type reasons. The phone line can give bail status and amount, the arresting agency, and visiting details. The jail sits on the Grassland Campus in Valhalla. Full roster help, booking fields, and contact methods are on the inmate records page.
How do I post bail at the jail?
Bail can be posted in person 24/7 at the jail, by phone, or online. In-person posting needs a valid government photo ID with a current address, and the poster must be at least 18. Call 914-231-1020 first for the JID, court, docket, charges, and bail amount before a phone or online payment. The official steps are on the Department of Correction bail page. More jail detail sits on the inmate records page.
Does the jail accept bail bonds?
No. The Westchester DOC bail page says the jail does not accept bail bonds. A bond must be posted directly with the court of record instead. The jail does take cash and certain credit-card bail payments under its own rules. Know which path your case needs before you go. For roster lookups, fees, and visit rules tied to a person in custody, see the inmate records page.
Can inmates receive phone calls or mail?
Inmates cannot receive phone calls or messages. In a family emergency or a death in the family, contact the shift supervisor. Families can set up collect-call accounts through the phone vendor. Mail goes to the inmate's name, PO Box 10, Valhalla, NY 10595, and the jail uses a direct print service for photos and letters. Images showing the facility, nudity, gang signs, or illegal activity are not delivered. See inmate records for the full contact rules.
How do I know when an inmate is released?
You can sign up for release alerts through VINE, the victim notification service the county uses. The phone line at 914-231-1000 can also confirm custody status. Not every record shows online, so a call may be the fastest check. Setting up notice ahead of time means you hear about a change without watching the roster each day. For alert sign-up, state and federal locators, and the registry, see released inmates.
Where are probate records searched?
Use WebSurrogate and the Westchester Surrogate's Court. WebSurrogate supports searches by name, file, old index, index book, and will. Public document access is limited by CPI privacy rules and by date, so older documents may need the in-court public access computers. Estate files cover wills, administration, and related matters. The court details, fees, and definitions are on the Surrogate's Court page.
Where do I get a marriage certificate?
For New York marriages outside New York City, request the certificate from the town or city clerk that issued the license, or from the state Health Department. The NYS Department of Health marriage page holds records since 1881 for licenses bought outside the city. A marriage license and a certified marriage record are not the same document. The application steps and fees are laid out on the marriage and divorce records page.
Does Family Court handle divorce?
No. The Westchester Family Court page says divorce, separation, and annulment are not handled there. Those must be brought in Supreme Court. Family Court handles custody, visitation, support, paternity, juvenile, neglect, and family-offense matters. So the court you need depends on what you are asking for. The full breakdown of what Family Court covers, plus its three county locations, is on the Family Court page.
How do I search for Westchester County warrants?
Use official court and public safety sources, not aggregator sites. Westchester County Public Safety keeps a Warrant Watch list of most-wanted fugitives and runs a Warrant-Fugitive Unit at 914-864-7868. For a bench warrant in a specific case, contact the issuing court or speak with an attorney. The county lists this on its Public Safety Warrant Watch page. Warrant types and what shows up are covered under warrant records.
Can a New York criminal record be sealed?
Some can. CPL § 160.50 seals cases that end in the accused person's favor. CPL § 160.59 lets a person apply to seal certain convictions after ten crime-free years. CPL § 160.57 provides automatic Clean Slate sealing for some convictions. Serious and sex offenses may be left out. Sealed files are not open to the general public. The arrest-versus-conviction split and sealing rules are explained on the arrest records page.
What if a record is from before 2002?
The County Clerk says office terminals show document images from 2002 to the present. For a case started before 2002, staff can order the documents from an off-site archive and give you the next scheduled delivery date. So an older file is not lost, it just takes longer to pull. Plan an extra trip or call ahead. The Clerk's request methods and the WRO image-access fees are detailed on the County Clerk page.
Still Have Questions?
For the right office, see County Clerk. For broader access rules, see public records. For records by topic, browse court records, arrest records, inmate records, warrant records, marriage and divorce, or Surrogate's Court. You can also confirm court details on the official NYCOURTS Westchester page.