Chautauqua County Court Records
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Chautauqua County occupies the southwestern corner of New York State and falls within the 8th Judicial District. The county's court system includes the Supreme Court, County Court, Family Court, and Surrogate's Court, all located in or near the county seat of Mayville. Numerous town and village justice courts handle local matters across the county's communities. The Chautauqua County Clerk files records for both the Supreme and County Courts, while the Surrogate's Court and Family Court each maintain their own case files through their respective clerks.
If you're looking for New York court records, NewYorkCourts.us can help you find publicly available case information. The New York State Unified Court System also offers several web-based databases — each dedicated to specific case types — that let the public view docket information and, in many instances, case documents at no charge.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Chautauqua County?
Your best approach depends on the case type and whether you need a simple docket lookup or certified copies of filed documents.
Online Search Tools
The New York State Unified Court System operates several free portals:
- WebCivil Supreme — search civil cases heard in the Supreme Court by index number, party name, attorney, justice, or filing date. Select Chautauqua as the county to narrow results.
- NYSCEF (New York State Courts Electronic Filing) — the mandatory e-filing system for most Supreme Court filings. Members of the public can search as guests by case number, party name, or filing date and view documents directly.
- WebCriminal — look up criminal case information from Supreme, County, and City courts by defendant name, case number, or court calendar.
- WebFamily — access Family Court case records by file number, docket number, attorney name, or calendar date. Access to certain case types is restricted.
- WebSurrogate — view Surrogate's Court case information for probate and estate matters.
County Clerk Online Portal
The Chautauqua County Clerk offers a paid subscription service through SearchIQS for online access to recorded documents and court filings. Subscription fees are:
| Subscription Type | Quarterly Fee |
|---|---|
| Account activation (one-time) | $50.00 |
| Chautauqua County residents | $150.00 |
| New York State residents (outside Chautauqua) | $450.00 |
| Out-of-state residents | $600.00 |
In-Person and Mail Requests
You can inspect records and request copies at the County Clerk's office during regular business hours.
Chautauqua County Clerk
Address: 1 North Erie Street, P.O. Box 170, Mayville, NY 14757
Phone: (716) 753-4331 (recordings/copies); (716) 753-4873 (court filings)
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Copies of recorded documents and court filings cost $1.00 per page, with a $4.00 minimum for filings. All fees are payable to the Chautauqua County Clerk by cash, check, money order, or credit card (minimum charge of $20.00 for card payments, plus a mandatory 2.5% processing fee).
Are Court Records Public in Chautauqua County?
New York law extends a broad right to inspect court records. Under N.Y. Judiciary Law 255, any person may ask a court clerk to search files, papers, records, and dockets in their office and furnish copies or certify the results. This applies to the County Clerk's office as well as to individual court clerks.
That said, certain categories of records are restricted from public inspection — either by statute or by court order:
- Juvenile delinquency records — generally confidential
- Family Court records involving child support, adoption, guardianship, custody, and domestic violence — access limited to parties and authorized persons
- Sealed and expunged records — not available for public inspection
- Records connected to ongoing criminal investigations — may be restricted
- Vital records such as birth, death, and marriage certificates — separate state laws limit who may obtain certified copies
- Personal identifying information including Social Security numbers, passport numbers, credit card numbers, and driver's license details — redacted or withheld from public documents
Adoption records are sealed and accessible only by court order. Youthful offender cases are similarly protected under Criminal Procedure Law 720.15. Records sealed under CPL 160.59 don't appear in any public search.
Chautauqua County Criminal Court Records
Criminal matters in Chautauqua County are distributed among several courts depending on the severity of the offense. Felonies and serious misdemeanors are prosecuted in the County Court or, in some cases, the Supreme Court. City courts in Jamestown and Dunkirk handle misdemeanors and violations within their boundaries, while town and village justice courts adjudicate lower-level offenses in their respective jurisdictions.
Searching Criminal Case Records
The WebCriminal portal is the main statewide tool for finding criminal case docket information online. It covers Supreme, County, and City courts and lets you search by defendant name, case number, or court calendar, with the option to filter by specific court. The portal shows incident and arrest data, attorney information, and upcoming court appearances.
For physical copies of criminal court documents filed in County Court or Supreme Court, contact the County Clerk's court filings department at (716) 753-4873. City and town court clerks handle records requests for their own courts.
Sheriff's Office Resources
The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office maintains an online inmate booking list with real-time information on persons held at the county jail, including booking dates, alleged offenses, bail amounts, and photographs. The Sheriff also publishes a warrant list organized by law enforcement agency, showing outstanding county-wide warrants. The Sheriff's Corrections Division can answer additional questions about individuals housed in the county jail.
For information about people in state custody, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision operates its own inmate lookup system.
Statewide Criminal History Record Search
The New York State Office of Court Administration (OCA) runs the Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) program. This name-and-date-of-birth-based search covers open, pending, and conviction records from County, Supreme, City, Town, and Village courts across all 62 counties. The fee is $95.00 per search. Submit requests online through the Direct Access program or mail the completed CHRS application form with payment to:
NYS Office of Court Administration
Criminal History Record Search Unit
25 Beaver Street, Room 940
New York, NY 10004
Make checks or money orders payable to N.Y.S. Office of Court Administration. Note that the CHRS report is not certified and doesn't include sealed records, Family Court data, federal court data, or non-criminal offenses like violations and infractions.
If you need your own fingerprint-based criminal history (RAP sheet), you'll need to apply through the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). The DCJS record review process requires fingerprinting through an authorized vendor, with a current fee of $17.50 for fingerprinting plus the DCJS processing fee.
Chautauqua County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Chautauqua County is split among courts based on the amount in dispute. The Supreme Court handles cases exceeding $25,000 and equity matters, while the County Court has civil jurisdiction up to $25,000. City courts hear claims up to $15,000, and town and village courts are limited to $3,000.
Court Filing Fees (County Clerk)
The court filing fee schedule for the Chautauqua County Clerk includes:
| Filing | Fee |
|---|---|
| Index number (starting a case) | $210.00 |
| Foreclosure action index number | $400.00 |
| Request for Judicial Intervention (RJI) | $95.00 |
| Note of issue | $30.00 |
| Third-party summons | $210.00 |
| Motion or cross-motion | $45.00 |
| Demand for jury | $65.00 |
| Notice of appeal | $65.00 |
| Voluntary discontinuance / stipulation of settlement | $35.00 |
| Default judgment | $45.00 |
| Filing transcript (judgment) | $10.00 |
| Issuing transcript and certificate of disposition | $5.00 |
| Federal tax lien (file or release) | $40.00 |
| Mechanics lien | $15.00 |
| Lis pendens | $35.00 |
Locating Civil Case Records
Depending on which court handled the case, here's where to look:
- Supreme Court cases: Search via WebCivil Supreme or NYSCEF. Copies can be ordered from the County Clerk.
- County Court cases: Contact the County Clerk's office at (716) 753-4873 or access through the paid online subscription portal.
- City Court cases: Contact the clerk of the relevant city court. The WebCivil Local portal provides online docket information for city court civil cases.
- Town and Village Court cases: Contact the clerk of the specific justice court where the case was filed.
Copies of any document recorded or filed with the County Clerk are $1.00 per page ($4.00 minimum), payable to the Chautauqua County Clerk.
Land and Property Records
The County Clerk records deeds, mortgages, and other real-property instruments. Land recording fees follow a base rate of $40.00 plus $5.00 per page (including the cover page). Property records can also be viewed through the County Clerk's subscription-based online portal. Tax-related property records are maintained by the Real Property Tax Department at (716) 753-4221, and the county's online parcel viewer provides geographic property data.
Chautauqua County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Chautauqua County are split between two courts. The Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction over divorce, legal separation, and annulment proceedings. The Family Court handles child custody and visitation, child support, adoption, paternity, juvenile delinquency, persons in need of supervision (PINS), domestic violence protective orders, and guardianship matters.
Chautauqua County Family Court
Address: 2 Academy Street, Suite 5, Mayville, NY 14757
Phone: (716) 753-4351; Chief Clerk: (716) 753-4100
Fax: (716) 753-4350
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Searching Family Court Records
The WebFamily portal allows searches by file number, docket number, attorney or firm name, and calendar date. Access is restricted for many Family Court case types, though. Records involving adoption, child support, domestic violence, delinquency, and guardianship are generally not available to the public and can only be accessed by parties to the case or people with proper legal authorization.
Divorce records originate in the Supreme Court and are filed with the County Clerk. Certified copies of a Judgment of Divorce can be obtained from the County Clerk's court filings division at (716) 753-4873, for $1.00 per page with a $4.00 minimum. Divorce certificates — a separate document summarizing the dissolution — can be ordered from the New York State Department of Health Vital Records Certification Unit by completing the divorce certificate application and submitting it with the $30.00 fee (mail-in) or $45.00 (online/phone, excluding processing fee) to:
NYS Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Marriage Records
In New York, marriage licenses are issued by town and city clerks — not the County Clerk. Certified copies of marriage certificates must be requested from whichever town or city clerk's office issued the original license. The fee is typically $10.00 per copy at the local level. You can also order copies from the NYS Department of Health by completing the marriage certificate application and paying $30.00 (mail) or $45.00 (phone/online). Only persons named on the certificate or those with a court order may obtain copies.
Birth and Death Records
Birth and death certificates are maintained by the town or city clerk where the event was recorded — not the County Clerk. The fee for a certified copy is generally $10.00 at the local level. Birth certificates are restricted to the person named on the certificate and their parents; other family members typically need a New York State court order. Death records are accessible to specified family members and authorized representatives. Applications can also be submitted to the NYS Department of Health using the birth certificate application or the death record application.
Chautauqua County Probate Court Records
Probate and estate matters in Chautauqua County are handled by the Surrogate's Court, which has jurisdiction over the administration of decedents' estates, probate of wills, appointment of guardians, and adoptions.
Chautauqua County Surrogate's Court
Address: Gerace Office Building, Courthouse, P.O. Box C, Mayville, NY 14757
Phone: (716) 753-4339
Fax: (716) 753-4600
Clerk: Lana Huston — lhuston@nycourts.gov
Judge: Hon. Stephen W. Cass
Hours: 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday
The Surrogate's Court welcomes in-person researchers, including genealogists. Files are public records and can be inspected during business hours, with few exceptions. Staff can help locate records using the court's indices. For files more than 50 years old, retrieval may require advance notice — if you call ahead with the file number at least two days before your visit, staff can have the records pulled and ready.
Surrogate's Court Fee Schedule
Probate and administration fees are based on the gross value of the estate as stated in the petition, per SCPA 2401–2402:
| Estate Value | Filing Fee |
|---|---|
| Less than $10,000 | $45.00 |
| $10,000–$19,999 | $75.00 |
| $20,000–$49,999 | $215.00 |
| $50,000–$99,999 | $280.00 |
| $100,000–$249,999 | $420.00 |
| $250,000–$499,999 | $625.00 |
| $500,000 and over | $1,250.00 |
Additional fees include:
- Filing objections to probate or demand for jury trial: $150.00
- Note of issue: $45.00
- Petition to compel production of will: $20.00
- Appointment of guardian: $20.00
- Construction of will: $75.00
- Certified copies: $6.00 per page
- Searching and certifying records: $30.00 (under 25 years) / $90.00 (over 25 years)
- Recording instruments: $8.00 per page ($16.00 minimum)
- Transcript of decree: $20.00
E-Filing in Surrogate's Court
The Chautauqua County Surrogate's Court participates in NYSCEF for electronic filing of probate matters. E-filing is accepted between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Statewide Surrogate's Court forms and checklists are available on the court's page through the New York Courts website.
Requesting Probate Records
Probate case information can be searched through the WebSurrogate portal online. To obtain copies, contact the Surrogate's Court Clerk at (716) 753-4339 or visit in person. The County Clerk can also provide copies of certain estate-related documents recorded in the land records. Send written mail requests to the Surrogate's Court at the Mayville courthouse address listed above.