How to Search Westchester County Court Records
No single site holds every Westchester court record. The court type sets the tool. For Supreme and County Court legal records, judgments, and liens, the County Clerk runs Westchester Records Online. For statewide civil Supreme Court cases, use WebCivil Supreme. WebCriminal lists pending criminal cases with future court dates. WebFamily shows active Family Court calendars. NYSCEF holds e-filed documents and lets the public search as a guest. Probate files live in WebSurrogate. Pick the right one, then search by name or case number.
Have a few details ready first. A party name, a case or index number, or a rough filing date will speed any search. Criminal cases in the Clerk's online system carry the letters "DA" before the index or indictment number.
The official Westchester court overview gives the courthouse address, phone lines, and judge list that anchor most searches.
Use the NYCOURTS Westchester Supreme and County Court page to confirm where a case sits before you search.
That page lists the civil office on the ninth floor and the criminal office on the second floor of the White Plains courthouse.
- Open the portal that matches the court, such as Westchester Records Online for Clerk legal records.
- Enter a party name or the case, index, or indictment number.
- Narrow by court type, case type, or filing date.
- Review the docket entries, parties, and case status.
- Request a certified copy from the County Clerk if you need one for legal use.
The Westchester County Judicial System
Westchester sits in the Ninth Judicial District, which also covers Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, and Rockland counties. The Supreme Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction. It hears higher-value civil suits, divorce and other matrimonial actions, foreclosures, commercial disputes, tax certiorari, and similar matters. County Court conducts felony trials and shares some misdemeanor authority with the city and town courts.
Appeals from Westchester trial courts go to the Appellate Division, Second Department. The New York Court of Appeals is the state's highest court. Family Court and Surrogate's Court handle their own narrow subjects, which keeps those records separate from the main Supreme and County Court files.
Case flow: City or Justice Court › County Court › Supreme Court › Appellate Division, Second Department › Court of Appeals
| Court | Jurisdiction | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court | General trial court | Civil over the lower limits, divorce, foreclosure, commercial, tax certiorari |
| County Court | Felony and limited civil | Felony trials, some misdemeanors, civil up to $25,000 |
| Family Court | Family matters | Custody, support, paternity, juvenile, neglect, family offense |
| Surrogate's Court | Estates | Wills, estate administration, guardianship-related probate |
| City Courts | Local | Local civil, criminal, traffic, small claims |
Supreme Court vs County Court vs City Court
People often mix up these three. Each one keeps its own records and uses its own search path. The table below sums up the split for Westchester County court records.
| Supreme Court | County Court | City Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Limit | No set ceiling | Up to $25,000 | Up to $15,000 |
| Criminal | Rare felony parts | Felony trials | Misdemeanors, violations |
| Divorce | Yes | No | No |
| Where Records Sit | County Clerk | County Clerk | Each city court |
Types of Court Records Available in Westchester County
Westchester courts produce many kinds of records. Civil Supreme Court files hold pleadings, motions, orders, and judgments. County Court keeps felony files, indictments, and certificates of disposition. Family Court records cover custody, support, and similar matters, but those have tighter access rules. Surrogate's Court holds wills and estate files. The city and town courts handle traffic and minor cases.
Which court made the record decides where you look and who can see it. Most legal records are public unless a statute or a judge seals them.
- Criminal records - felony files and certificates of disposition from County Court.
- Civil records - suits, foreclosures, and money judgments from Supreme Court.
- Family and divorce records - divorce is a Supreme Court matter; other family cases sit in Family Court.
- Probate records - wills and estate files from Surrogate's Court.
- Traffic records - tickets and local cases from city and town courts.
What Westchester County Court Records Show
A court file is built from set fields. Once you know the parts, a record is easy to read. Most Westchester civil and criminal files share the same basic layout, shown below.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Index / Indictment Number | The case identifier; criminal cases use "DA" before the number in the Clerk's online system. |
| Court | Supreme, County, city, Family, or Surrogate's Court. |
| Parties | Plaintiff and defendant, or petitioner and respondent. |
| Filing Date | When the case or document was filed. |
| Docket Entries | Summons, motions, orders, and judgments in date order. |
| Disposition | The outcome: judgment, plea, conviction, or dismissal. |
Westchester County Criminal Case Search Fields
WebCriminal is the state tool for pending criminal cases with future court dates. The Westchester courts in its dropdown include County Court, Supreme Court, and the Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Peekskill, Rye, White Plains, and Yonkers city courts. The search fields are short and simple.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Name | Text | Yes | Enter at least the first two letters. |
| Last Name | Text | Yes | Enter at least the first two letters. |
| Court | Dropdown | No | All courts, or pick a Westchester court. |
| Output | Radio | Yes | Show on the page or as a PDF. |
Public Access Laws for Westchester County Court Records
Court records are not handled like other government files. New York's Freedom of Information Law covers agency records, but court files are reached under the Judiciary Law instead. The County Clerk says legal records are open to the public unless a statute or court order seals them. Matrimonial files are the big exception.
Key Statutes:
New York Judiciary Law § 255 - clerks must search files and give copies when the record is open and the fee is paid.
New York Domestic Relations Law § 235 - keeps divorce and other matrimonial files closed to all but the parties or their lawyers.
New York CPL § 160.50 - seals criminal cases that end in the accused person's favor.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Some Westchester court records stay closed. Matrimonial files are sealed under Domestic Relations Law § 235. Family Court records are not open to broad public viewing under Family Court Act § 166. Adoption files, juvenile delinquency records, and many sealed criminal cases are also off limits. A person can ask the court to seal certain convictions after ten crime-free years.
To view a sealed file, you usually need to be a party, an attorney of record, or hold a court order. The Clerk asks for proper photo ID before releasing a divorce decree.
The state guide below explains how conviction sealing works.
Read the NYCOURTS guide to CPL 160.59 sealing for the rules and forms.
It lists who qualifies, which offenses are excluded, and the certificate of disposition you need first.
Specialty Courts and Parts in Westchester County
Westchester Supreme and County Court runs several specialized parts. The Foreclosure Part handles home foreclosure cases and settlement conferences. The Medical Malpractice Part manages malpractice suits. There is also an Environmental Claims Part and a Tax Certiorari and Condemnation track for property-tax challenges. The Matrimonial ADR Program helps divorcing couples settle without a full trial.
The county jail also runs a criminal-justice program called Lives Forward, which trains residents toward peer specialist credentials.
A 2025 county release covers the latest on that jail program.
See the county release on the Lives Forward jail program for details.
The release notes the program is in its second year and ties into reentry and recovery work.
Westchester County Sheriff and Jail Information
Westchester does not run a standard elected sheriff's office. The old Sheriff's Department merged into the Department of Public Safety in 1979. Public Safety now handles county police work, civil enforcement, and the Warrant Watch list. The jail is run by a separate office, the Department of Correction, on the Grassland Campus in Valhalla. The jail holds people awaiting trial and those serving short local sentences.
For the full roster details, see Westchester County inmate records, and check warrant records for active warrants. The District Attorney prosecutes criminal cases countywide.
Marriage, Divorce, and Surrogate's Court Records
Marriage licenses come from town and city clerks, and the state Health Department keeps marriage records. Divorce is a Supreme Court case, and the file sits with the County Clerk. Estate matters go to Surrogate's Court. For more, see marriage and divorce records and Surrogate's Court records.
- Testator
- The person who made a will.
- Executor
- The person named to carry out a will.
- Administrator
- The person the court names when there is no will.
Westchester County Court Records Fees
The County Clerk charges set fees for searches and copies. Most are small. Online image access through Westchester Records Online is the main exception, since it runs on a paid subscription model.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certificate of criminal disposition (certified) | $5.00 |
| Legal record search with no index number | $10.00 |
| Each added legal record by mail | $5.00 |
| WRO image access, one day | $20.00 |
| WRO image access, one year | $1,200 |
How to Interpret Westchester County Court Records
Court files use shorthand. A docket might list an RJI, a note of issue, or a satisfaction of judgment. An arrest is not a conviction. The charge tells you what was filed, while the disposition tells you what happened. In the Clerk's online system, criminal cases stand out because "DA" comes before the index or indictment number. If a term is unclear, the Clerk and the court help centers can explain it.
Accuracy, Updates, and Record Limits
Online records can lag behind the courthouse. WebCriminal warns that case updates are sometimes delayed, so a missing detail may just be slow to post. The Clerk's office terminals show document images from 2002 to the present, while older cases may need an off-site archive pull. Always confirm a key fact with the office that made the record.
Note: Confirm any name, date, or outcome with the County Clerk or the court before you rely on it for a legal or financial choice.
The District Attorney and Public Cases
The Westchester County District Attorney prosecutes felony and misdemeanor cases across the county courts. The office posts press releases on major cases, with the standard note that a charge is only an accusation until proven. Those releases can point you to the court and index number for a high-profile case.
The DA's release page is a useful starting point for recent prosecutions.
Browse the Westchester County District Attorney press releases for case names and outcomes.
From a case name you can then run a full search in WebCriminal or with the County Clerk.
History of Westchester County Courts
Westchester is one of New York's oldest counties, and the County Clerk is one of its oldest record offices. The court complex grew over many buildings in White Plains before settling around the Richard J. Daronco courthouse. A big shift came with technology. The Clerk moved legal and land records into Westchester Records Online and joined the statewide NYSCEF e-filing system, which cut delays and put many records within reach online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search Westchester County court records online?
There is no single site. Use Westchester Records Online for County Clerk legal records, WebCivil Supreme for civil Supreme Court cases, WebCriminal for pending criminal cases, WebFamily for Family Court calendars, NYSCEF for e-filed papers, and WebSurrogate for estate files. The court type sets the tool, so confirm where the case sits before you start.
Are Westchester County court records public?
Many are, but not all. The County Clerk says legal records are open unless sealed by law or court order. Matrimonial files, most Family Court records, juvenile and adoption files, and sealed criminal cases stay closed to the general public.
Where is the main courthouse?
The main courthouse is at 111 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in White Plains. It holds Supreme and County Court, White Plains Family Court, Surrogate's Court, jury services, and the law library. The County Clerk is reached through the same courthouse entrance.
More on the Westchester County Court Records FAQ page.