Monroe County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Monroe County in 2026
Members of the public seeking court records in Monroe County may access publicly available case information through several official channels. MonroeNYRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to court records, property records, and other government documents maintained in Monroe County, New York. The records available through such resources reflect what has been filed with or issued by courts of competent jurisdiction and may include, depending on case type and applicable access rules:
- Civil case filings and judgments
- Criminal case dockets and disposition records
- Family court orders (where not sealed or restricted)
- Probate and surrogate's court filings
- Traffic and small claims case information
- Supreme Court and County Court records
Court records in Monroe County may be searched through several practical methods, each with distinct access conditions and limitations.
1. Clerk of Court or Court Records Office. The Monroe County Clerk maintains official court filings for the New York State Supreme Court and Monroe County Court. Members of the public may visit the office in person to request case files, certified copies, or index searches. A valid case number, party name, or approximate filing date assists staff in locating records efficiently.
2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals. Public access computer terminals are available at the Monroe County Clerk's office, allowing members of the public to search case indexes and view docket entries without charge during regular business hours.
3. Online Court Search. The New York State Unified Court System operates the eCourts Case Search portal, which provides online access to civil Supreme Court case information statewide, including Monroe County. Criminal case information may be subject to additional restrictions under applicable law.
4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools. The New York State Unified Court System's WebCriminal tool allows searches of criminal case information filed in participating courts. Access to certain records may be limited based on sealing orders or statutory restrictions under N.Y. Criminal Procedure Law § 160.50.
5. Written or Mail Requests. Members of the public who cannot appear in person may submit written requests to the Monroe County Clerk's office. Requests should include the party name, approximate filing date, case type, and any known case number. Fees for copies and certified documents apply and must be submitted with the request.
Monroe County Clerk
39 W. Main St., Room 101
Rochester, NY 14614
Phone: (585) 753-1600
Monroe County Clerk
Are Court Records Public In Monroe County
Court records in Monroe County are subject to the public access provisions of New York State law, which establish a presumption of openness for judicial proceedings and filed documents. Under N.Y. Judiciary Law § 255, clerks of court are required to permit inspection of court records by members of the public during regular business hours. The New York State Unified Court System further affirms that court records are presumptively open unless a specific statutory or judicial authority requires restriction.
Records that are generally public include:
- Case dockets and index entries
- Party names and case numbers
- Filed pleadings, motions, and orders in civil matters
- Judgments and final dispositions
- Hearing dates and court calendars
- Sentencing records in non-sealed criminal matters
Records that may be confidential, sealed, restricted, or redacted include:
- Juvenile delinquency and person-in-need-of-supervision (PINS) proceedings
- Adoption records, which are sealed by statute
- Family offense and certain family court matters
- Mental hygiene and involuntary commitment proceedings
- Records sealed pursuant to N.Y. Criminal Procedure Law § 160.50 following dismissal or acquittal
- Records sealed under CPL § 160.55 following certain convictions
- Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers
A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While many records are available for in-person inspection at the clerk's office, not all documents are available through online portals. As noted by the Monroe County Clerk's office regarding court filings, members of the public do not have access to any sealed records without a court order for unsealing.
What Are Court Records in Monroe County?
Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court or its clerk in connection with a judicial proceeding. In practical terms, a court record encompasses everything that has been filed with, issued by, or entered into the official record of a case from the moment of initial filing through final disposition and any subsequent appeal.
A docket entry is a chronological log of all actions taken in a case, while a full case file contains the actual documents associated with those entries, including pleadings, motions, exhibits, and orders. These are distinct components of the same record. Civil court records document disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document proceedings initiated by the state against an individual accused of a crime. Filed pleadings are the initial documents that establish the claims and defenses in a case, whereas final judgments represent the court's ultimate resolution of those claims.
Public filings are documents available for inspection by any member of the public, while sealed or restricted filings have been removed from public access by court order or statute. Trial court records originate in courts of first instance such as the Supreme Court, County Court, or Family Court, while appellate records are maintained by the Appellate Division and reflect proceedings on appeal from lower court decisions.
In Monroe County, the Monroe County Clerk maintains the official records of the New York State Supreme Court and Monroe County Court. The New York State Unified Court System's Office of Court Administration oversees records management across all state courts. Records are created at the time of filing, updated with each subsequent action, and retained according to applicable judicial retention schedules.
What's Included in a Monroe County Court Record?
A court record in Monroe County may contain a range of documents and data entries depending on the case type, court, and applicable public access rules. The following categories of information may appear within a court record:
- Case identification: Case number, court name and division, filing date, and case type
- Party information: Names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and attorneys of record
- Case status: Current disposition, pending status, or closed designation
- Docket entries: A chronological log of all filings, hearings, and court actions
- Hearing information: Scheduled and past hearing dates, continuances, and adjournments
- Filed documents: Complaints, petitions, answers, motions, notices, affidavits, stipulations, and supporting papers
- Court orders and judgments: Interim orders, final judgments, decrees, custody rulings, probate orders, and sentencing entries
- Outcome information: Dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, acquittals, and appellate decisions
- Administrative and financial data: Filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed
Records commonly excluded or restricted from public access include sealed filings, expunged matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, protected personal identifiers, and certain exhibits that have been withdrawn or placed under protective order. The presence or absence of specific documents within a case file depends on the procedural history of the individual case and the access rules applicable to that court and case type.
Types of Courts in Monroe County
Monroe County is served by several courts operating within the New York State Unified Court System. The New York State Unified Court System maintains a hierarchical structure in which different courts exercise jurisdiction over distinct categories of cases.
The principal courts serving Monroe County at present include:
- New York State Supreme Court (7th Judicial District): A court of general jurisdiction that hears major civil cases, felony criminal matters, and matrimonial proceedings. The Monroe County Clerk serves as the clerk of the Supreme Court for Monroe County.
- Monroe County Court: Hears felony criminal cases and certain civil matters. Records are maintained by the Monroe County Clerk.
- Monroe County Surrogate's Court: Handles probate, estate administration, and adoption proceedings. The Surrogate's Court Clerk maintains these records.
- Monroe County Family Court: Hears matters involving child custody, support, juvenile delinquency, family offenses, and child protective proceedings. Many Family Court records are subject to confidentiality restrictions.
- Monroe County Court of Claims: Hears civil claims against New York State.
- City Court of Rochester: A court of limited jurisdiction handling misdemeanor criminal cases, civil matters up to $15,000, and traffic violations within the City of Rochester.
- Town and Village Justice Courts: Handle local criminal, traffic, and small claims matters within their respective jurisdictions.
Monroe County Surrogate's Court
Hall of Justice, 99 Exchange Blvd., Room 541
Rochester, NY 14614
Phone: (585) 371-3289
New York State Courts - Monroe County
Monroe County Family Court
Hall of Justice, 99 Exchange Blvd.
Rochester, NY 14614
Phone: (585) 371-3540
New York State Courts - Monroe County
How to Search Monroe County Court Records for Free?
Several methods for searching Monroe County court records are available at no cost, while others involve fees for copies or certified documents.
Free access methods include:
- In-person inspection at the Monroe County Clerk's office, where members of the public may review case indexes and files during regular business hours at no charge
- Courthouse public access terminals located at the clerk's office, which allow free index and docket searches
- eCourts online case search through the New York State Unified Court System, which provides free access to civil Supreme Court case information
- WebCriminal online search for criminal case information in participating courts, available at no charge through the state judiciary website
Fees apply for the following:
| Service | Approximate Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy of a court document | $0.65 per page |
| Certified copy of a court document | $5.00 per document plus $0.65 per page |
| County Clerk search fee | $5.00 per two-year period searched |
| Exemplified copy | $10.00 per document |
Fee schedules are established under N.Y. County Law § 909 and applicable court rules. Members of the public seeking copies by mail must include payment with their written request to the Monroe County Clerk.
How Long Does Monroe County Keep Court Records?
The retention of court records in Monroe County is governed by the New York State Archives and Records Administration schedules applicable to the New York State Unified Court System. Retention periods vary by case type and court, and certain categories of records are retained permanently.
Under the judicial records retention schedules maintained by the New York State Archives, the following retention principles apply:
- Felony criminal case files are retained for a minimum of 25 years following final disposition; records involving life sentences or capital matters are retained permanently.
- Misdemeanor and violation case files are retained for a minimum of 10 years following final disposition.
- Civil case files are retained for varying periods depending on the nature of the action, with major civil judgments retained for 20 years or more.
- Probate and surrogate's court records are retained permanently in many instances due to their ongoing legal significance.
- Family court records are subject to confidentiality and specific retention rules that differ from general civil and criminal schedules.
- Docket books and minute records are retained permanently as the official chronological record of court proceedings.
Paper files may be destroyed following imaging, microfilming, or transfer to archival storage, provided that the record content is preserved in an accessible format. Destruction of a physical file does not constitute expungement or sealing; the record remains accessible in its preserved form. Expungement and sealing are distinct legal processes that restrict access to a record regardless of its physical format or storage location. Older records from the 19th and early 20th centuries may exist only in paper or microfilm form and may be held by the Monroe County Clerk, the New York State Archives, or the county's own archival collections.
How To Find a Court Docket in Monroe County
A court docket is the official chronological log of all actions, filings, and proceedings in a specific case. It differs from the full case file in that it records what happened and when, rather than containing the actual documents filed. A docket entry notes the filing of a motion, for example, while the full case file contains the motion itself.
Dockets for Monroe County Supreme Court civil cases are accessible through the New York State Unified Court System's eCourts Case Search portal. To locate a docket through this system, a user may search by party name, attorney name, or index number. The system returns a list of matching cases, and selecting a case displays the docket entries associated with that matter.
For criminal cases, docket information may be accessed through the WebCriminal portal operated by the New York State Unified Court System, subject to applicable sealing and confidentiality restrictions under N.Y. Criminal Procedure Law § 160.50.
A court docket entry may contain:
- Filing date and document type for each action taken
- Hearing dates, adjournments, and continuances
- Motion practice entries and return dates
- Minute entries reflecting court appearances
- Status updates and case disposition entries
A docket does not contain the full text of filed documents, sealed entries, confidential attachments, or physical exhibits. Hearing calendars and daily court rosters are separately maintained by individual court parts and may be posted at the courthouse or available through the court's administrative office. Members of the public seeking docket information for cases in Town and Village Justice Courts must contact those courts directly, as justice court records are not uniformly available through statewide online systems.
Monroe County Clerk – Court Records Division
39 W. Main St., Room 101
Rochester, NY 14614
Phone: (585) 753-1600
Monroe County Clerk – Court Filings