Cortland County, New York Court Records
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Cortland County operates a multi-tiered court system under the New York State Unified Court System. Courts serving the county — including the Supreme Court, County Court, Family Court, Surrogates Court, City Court, and numerous Town and Village Courts — collectively generate thousands of records each year covering criminal prosecutions, civil disputes, family matters, and probate proceedings. These records document the parties involved, case numbers, filing dates, pleadings, docket entries, evidence, judgments, and post-conviction proceedings, forming the backbone of judicial accountability and public transparency across the county.
Finding court records in New York means navigating several different agencies and online systems. Depending on the case type, you may find what you need through a clerk's office, a public access terminal at the courthouse, or one of several online platforms maintained by the state and county. NewYorkCourts.us is a useful starting point for identifying court locations, case search tools, and publicly available case information across New York State.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Cortland County?
Cortland County offers several paths for searching court records, and the right one depends on the court type and case category.
Online Search County Clerks Public Records Portal
The Cortland County Clerk maintains a free public records search portal covering civil Supreme Court cases from 1994 to the present, plus real property records, judgment liens, and other documents filed with the Clerk's office. You can view, save, and print records at no charge. When searching, the Clerk recommends keeping it simple — enter a last name, then a first name, without punctuation, and avoid adding too many filters. Over-filtering can inadvertently exclude results you're looking for. Printed copies at the Clerk's office cost $0.65 per page. Directions and tips for searching are published on the county's website.
Criminal Case Records
Felony criminal case files are maintained by the Court Clerk and are not searchable through the public records portal due to confidentiality concerns. That said, unsealed criminal files can be reviewed on a computer terminal in the Clerk's office. You'll need to submit a written search request with the subject's name and the time period you want searched. Processing can take up to 24 hours, and there is a $5.00 fee for each two-year period searched. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the results mailed back to you.
New York State eCourts
The New York State Unified Court System eCourts portal offers additional lookup tools, including WebCivil Local for local civil cases. The New York Courts e-courts page lists all available web applications for searching civil, local civil, and criminal cases statewide.
Electronic Filing NYSCEF
All Supreme Court cases where a party is represented by an attorney must be filed electronically through NYSCEF, the New York State Courts Electronic Filing system. Cortland County Surrogates Court is also a mandatory e-filing county.
Cortland County Clerks Office
Address: 46 Greenbush Street, Suite 105, Cortland, NY 13045
Phone: (607) 753-5021
Email: countyclerk@cortlandcountyny.gov
Are Court Records Public in Cortland County?
Court records in Cortland County are generally presumed public under the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), which gives any person the right to access government records. All records are presumed open for inspection unless a specific exemption applies. If an exemption covers only part of a record, the agency must redact the protected portion and release the rest.
The following categories of records are restricted from full public access in Cortland County:
- Sealed court records, including sealed criminal cases and sealed divorce files
- Juvenile court records, which are confidential by default under New York law
- Adoption records, sealed and inaccessible without a court order (Surrogates Court)
- Family offense and certain Family Court matters, with access restricted under applicable rules
- Custody and support arrangements in divorce files, not publicly disclosed
- Financial account numbers and Social Security numbers, redacted from court documents
- Medical and mental health records in court files
- Estate tax returns filed between May 1990 and January 2001 at Surrogates Court, which are sealed
- Guardianship proceeding documents at Surrogates Court, with limited public access
- Death certificates, tax returns, firearms inventories, and asset inventories in Surrogates Court filings, subject to restrictions
FOIL requests for records held by county government offices (as distinct from the courts themselves) may be submitted through the Cortland County Freedom of Information Request process. Note that the County Clerk is not the FOIL Officer for the county.
Cortland County Criminal Court Records
Felony criminal cases in Cortland County are prosecuted in the County Court, located in the Cortland County Courthouse. The Court Clerk maintains all felony criminal case records. As described above, these files are not searchable online, but you can review them in person at a courthouse terminal or request them in writing for a $5.00 fee per two-year search period.
Cortland County Court
Address: 46 Greenbush Street, Suite 301, Cortland, NY 13045-2765
Phone: (607) 218-3320
Cortland City Court
Address: City Hall, 25 Court Street, Cortland, NY 13045
Phone: (607) 218-3300 | Fax: (607) 218-3299
Email: cortlandcity@nycourts.gov
The Cortland County Sheriff's Office handles arrest records, inmate information, and civil process. The Sheriff's Civil and Records Division is at the Cortland County Public Safety Building and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. An inmate search tool is available on the Sheriff's website for locating individuals currently in custody.
Town and Village Courts handle lesser criminal matters, violations, and traffic offenses across Cortland County. Key locations include:
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnatus Town Court | 2770 Lower Cincinnatus Rd., Cincinnatus, NY 13040 | (607) 863-4018 |
| Cortlandville Town Court | 3577 Terrace Rd., Cortland, NY 13045 | (607) 756-2352 |
| Homer Town Court | 4 Water St., Homer, NY 13077 | (607) 749-2326 |
| Marathon Town Court | 40 W. Main St., P.O. Box 366, Marathon, NY 13803 | (607) 849-6960 |
| Truxton Town Court | 3741 Route 13, P.O. Box 84, Truxton, NY 13158 | (607) 842-6387 |
| Virgil Town Court | 1176 Church St., Cortland, NY 13045 | (607) 835-6587 |
| Willet Town Court | 1425–1427 NYS Route 41, P.O. Box 33, Willet, NY 13863 | (607) 745-8659 |
FOIL requests for records held by a specific town or village court should be directed to the clerk of that court.
Cortland County Civil Court Records
Civil actions in Cortland County are split between the Supreme Court (for claims exceeding $25,000) and the City Court and Town Courts (for smaller monetary matters). The County Clerk is the official repository for all civil Supreme Court records.
Searching Civil Records
Civil Supreme Court cases from 1994 onward are available through the County Clerk's free public records portal. If you're dealing with a landlord-tenant matter, official forms and guidance are available through the New York Courts Landlord-Tenant Forms page.
Civil Filing Fees (County Clerk Effective January 1, 2025)
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Index Number | $210 |
| Foreclosure Action Index | $400 |
| Request for Judicial Intervention | $95 |
| Motion/Cross Motion/Default Judgment | $45 |
| Demand for Jury Trial | $65 |
| Notice of Appeal | $65 |
| Trial Note of Issue | $30 |
| Stipulation of Settlement/Discontinuance | $35 |
| Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage | $5 |
| Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) | $30 |
The full Cortland County Clerk Fee Schedule (revised 01/01/2025) covers all filing categories, including real property, mortgages, liens, UCC filings, and copies.
Copy Fees
- Prepare a copy: $0.65 per page ($1.30 minimum)
- Certify a prepared copy: $0.65 per page ($5.20 minimum)
- Prepare and certify a copy: $1.25 per page ($5.00 minimum)
- Exemplified copy: $10.00
- Court record name search: $5.00 per two-year period searched
A free fraud alert service is also available through the County Clerk, letting property owners receive notifications whenever documents are filed using their name.
Cortland County Family Court Records
The Cortland County Family Court handles matters involving children and families, including child custody and visitation, child support, juvenile delinquency, family offenses, and persons in need of supervision (PINS) proceedings. Divorce and complex domestic relations matters involving financial disputes above $25,000 are heard in the Supreme Court.
Cortland County Family Court
Address: 46 Greenbush Street, Suite 301, Cortland, NY 13045-2765
Phone: (607) 218-3325 | Fax: (646) 963-6452
Email: CortlandFamily@nycourts.gov
Cortland County Supreme Court (Divorce and Separation)
Address: 46 Greenbush Street, Suite 301, Cortland, NY 13045-2765
Phone: (607) 218-3320
Email: CortlandSC@nycourts.gov
Divorce Records
Divorce records are generally public in Cortland County, but public access is limited to the final divorce decree — not the complete case file. The following information within divorce files is restricted from public view:
- Child custody and support arrangements
- Settlement agreements
- Financial account numbers and Social Security numbers
- Medical and mental health records
Sealed divorce records are entirely inaccessible to the public. To request a divorce decree, contact the Cortland County Clerk's office at (607) 753-5021. Divorce certificates for divorces finalized after January 1963 may also be ordered through the New York State Department of Health Divorce Certificates page. The NYSDOH fee for ordering by mail is $30.00 per copy.
Marriage Records
Marriage records are not public in Cortland County. Access is restricted to the individuals named on the certificate, immediate family members, and authorized representatives. Records older than 50 years where both spouses are deceased may be accessible for genealogical research. Marriage licenses are issued by the town or city clerk where the ceremony is performed. Certified copies may be ordered through the New York State Department of Health Marriage Certificates page at $30.00 per copy by mail.
Birth and Death Records
Birth certificates are confidential and accessible only to the person named, their parents, legal representatives, and other authorized individuals. They may be ordered through the New York State Department of Health Birth Certificates page. Death records less than 50 years old are restricted to immediate family, attorneys, and those with a direct legal interest. Death certificates may be ordered through the NYSDOH Death Certificates page. The standard NYSDOH mail order fee is $30.00 per copy for birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates.
Death records older than 50 years, and birth records older than 75 years, become publicly accessible and may be obtained from the New York State Archives:
New York State Archives
Address: Cultural Education Center, 222 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY 12230
Phone: (518) 474-8955 | Fax: (518) 473-0472
Email: archives@archives.nysed.gov
Cortland County Probate Court Records
All probate and estate matters in Cortland County go through the Surrogates Court, which has jurisdiction over wills, estate administration, intestate succession, guardianships, conservatorships, trust administration, and adoptions. The court's records of decedents date back to 1805, and indexes of court files are available for viewing during business hours.
Cortland County Surrogates Court
Address: 46 Greenbush Street, Suite 303, Cortland, NY 13045-2725
Phone: (607) 218-3335 | Fax: Chambers: (212) 520-6829 / (607) 218-3367
Email: CortlandSurrogate@nycourts.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Judges: Hon. Julie A. Campbell; Hon. Randolph V. Kruman
Accessing Probate Records
Most Surrogates Court records are public, but certain documents within probate case files are restricted. The following are not available for public access without a court order:
- All adoption records (sealed)
- Estate tax returns filed between May 1990 and January 2001 (sealed)
- All documents in guardianship proceedings
- Death certificates within case files
- Tax returns within estate files
- Documents containing Social Security numbers
- Firearms inventories
- Inventories of assets
To search or obtain records, you can review case indexes in person during business hours. Cortland County Surrogates Court is a mandatory e-filing county, meaning attorneys must submit filings through NYSCEF. Credit card payments at the court carry a 2.99% administrative surcharge in addition to applicable filing fees under the Surrogates Court Procedure Act (SCPA 2402).
For probate and estate records older than 50 years, researchers may also consult the New York State Archives or local historical societies. Additional genealogical resources are available through the New York State Unified Court System at nycourts.gov.