Livingston County Court Records Search
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Livingston County sits in the Finger Lakes region of western New York, with Geneseo serving as the county seat. Its court system encompasses the Supreme and County Court, Family Court, Surrogate’s Court, and more than a dozen town and village justice courts spread across the county. These courts collectively generate and maintain a wide variety of records, from criminal case files and civil judgments to probate proceedings and family law matters.
Researchers, attorneys, background screeners, and members of the public seeking court-related records in New York have several access points available. The state’s court resources, accessible through NewYorkCourts.us, include online case search systems, electronic filing tools, and guidance on requesting records held by individual court clerks. Records can also be obtained in person at clerk offices, by written request submitted by mail, or through the county’s own official portals. The method that works best depends on the type of record, the court that handled the matter, and how recent the case is.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Livingston County?
Livingston County court records are distributed across several offices depending on which court handled the case. Here is a practical breakdown of where to start:
Livingston County Clerk’s Office — The County Clerk serves as the clerk of both the Supreme Court and the County Court and maintains their civil and criminal case indexes, along with judgments, liens, and divorce filings. The office is located at:
Livingston County Clerk’s Office
6 Court Street, Room 201
Geneseo, NY 14454
Phone: (585) 243-7010
Hours: Monday–Wednesday and Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Thursday 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Online Search Tools
- NY State Courts Electronic Filing (NYSCEF) — Publicly available for searching Supreme Court civil cases that have been e-filed. No account is required to search; registered users can view filings directly.
- WebCivil Supreme — Allows anyone to search civil Supreme Court case information statewide, including cases in Livingston County.
- WebSurrogates — Provides online access to Surrogate’s Court filings and probate records statewide. Livingston County probate and estate records are searchable here.
- Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) — Run through the New York State Office of Court Administration (OCA); fee-based statewide criminal case search.
Livingston County’s Public Records Cloud Search — The County Clerk’s office offers a Public Records Cloud Search tool that allows users to search land records and certain county-held documents. A free account is required to set up property alerts. Access the tool through the County Clerk’s website.
In-Person Requests — Any record maintained by a clerk’s office that is not available online can be reviewed in person during business hours. Certain case types, including sealed matters and divorce files, require specific authorization before access will be granted.
Mail Requests — Written requests may be submitted to the County Clerk’s office or the relevant court clerk. Include the full names of all parties, the case number if known, the approximate year of filing, and a description of the records needed. A self-addressed stamped envelope is required when requesting documents by mail.
FOIL Requests — Non-court governmental records held by county agencies can be requested through the Livingston County FOIL Request portal. The standard photocopy fee under the New York Freedom of Information Law is $0.25 per page.
Are Court Records Public in Livingston County?
New York Judiciary Law § 255 establishes the general right of public access to court records maintained by clerks of court. In practice, this means that most civil and criminal filings — including pleadings, orders, judgments, and docket entries — are available for inspection and copying by anyone who requests them.
At the same time, several categories of court records are restricted from public disclosure:
- Sealed records — A judge may order any record sealed by court order; these are not available for inspection without authorization.
- Juvenile records — Cases involving minors are generally sealed and not accessible to the public.
- Youthful offender cases — These criminal files are sealed and unavailable through routine records requests.
- Sexual offense case files — Case papers for certain sex crimes are not open to routine public inspection.
- Adoption proceedings — Handled by court order only; the underlying records are sealed.
- Sensitive family matters — Certain divorce and family court filings involve confidential information that the court restricts from public view.
The New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) applies to records held by executive-branch government agencies but does not govern judicial branch records. Court record requests are instead governed by court rules and Judiciary Law § 255. For records held by the Office of Court Administration, FOIL requests must be submitted in writing to OCA’s Records Access Officer at FOIL@nycourts.gov.
Redaction is routinely applied to filings that contain personal identifying information such as Social Security numbers, financial account details, and certain addresses before records are released for public copying.
Livingston County Criminal Court Records
Felony criminal cases in Livingston County are prosecuted in the County Court, while the Supreme Court may handle certain serious matters. Misdemeanor and traffic cases are typically heard in the town and village justice courts. Each court clerk maintains the records for cases decided in that court.
Searching Criminal Records Through CHRS
The New York State Office of Court Administration operates the Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) system, which provides statewide access to pending and open criminal case records. Key details:
- Fee: $95.00 per search
- Search criteria: Full name (including middle initial) and full date of birth required
- Coverage: Open and pending criminal cases across all New York State courts; does not include sealed or expunged records
- Access: Available online through OCA’s direct access portal; available in writing to the CHRS Unit at OCA
Livingston County Sheriff’s Department
Arrest records, incident reports, and other law enforcement records generated by the Sheriff’s Department are maintained separately from court records. The Sheriff’s Office Records Division handles these requests:
Livingston County Sheriff’s Department
4 Court Street, Geneseo, NY 14454
Phone: (585) 243-7100
Fax: (585) 243-7104
FOIL requests directed to the Sheriff’s Office can be submitted through the Sheriff’s Office FOIL form on the department’s website. The standard $0.25-per-page photocopy fee applies. For open investigations, reports are generally not available to the public. Crash reports can also be obtained through the CrashDocs.org portal.
The Sheriff’s Department also maintains an OffenderWatch sex offender search tool that allows residents to search for registered sex offenders in the county.
For records held by the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision regarding individuals in state custody, the DOCCS inmate lookup provides online access.
Livingston County Civil Court Records
Civil matters in Livingston County span multiple courts depending on the amount at issue and the nature of the dispute. The Supreme Court and County Court hear higher-value civil cases and appeals. Town and village justice courts handle landlord-tenant disputes, small claims (up to $10,000 in justice court), and local ordinance matters.
County Clerk Civil Records
The County Clerk maintains the civil case indexes for Supreme and County Court. Under the Livingston County Clerk’s 2026 Schedule of Fees, key civil filing and copy fees include:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Index Number Issuance (civil actions) | $210.00 |
| Index Number Issuance (foreclosure actions) | $400.00 |
| Request for Judicial Intervention (RJI) | $95.00 |
| Motion/Cross Motion/Order to Show Cause | $45.00 |
| Note of Issue – Jury Trial | $95.00 |
| Note of Issue – Non-Jury Trial | $30.00 |
| Jury Demand | $65.00 |
| Notice of Appeal | $65.00 |
| Dissolution of Marriage (filing) | $5.00 |
| Default Judgment | $45.00 |
| Copies of recorded or filed documents (per page) | $0.65 |
| Prepare and certify a copy (minimum) | $5.00 |
| Exemplified copy | $10.00 |
Accessing Civil Case Files
- Civil action indexes are open to the public. The actual case file can be reviewed in person unless the matter involves a divorce or has been sealed by the court.
- Online case information for e-filed Supreme Court matters is searchable through NYSCEF and WebCivil Supreme.
- Mandatory e-filing applies to many civil case categories in Livingston County Supreme Court. Unrepresented litigants are automatically exempt but may choose to participate. Details are available on the Mandatory E-Filing page of the county website.
- To request copies by mail, send a written request with case details and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the County Clerk at 6 Court Street, Room 201, Geneseo, NY 14454.
Town and Village Justice Courts
Records from justice court proceedings are held by the clerk of each individual court. The table below lists Livingston County’s justice courts with contact information:
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Avon Town/Village Court | 23 Genesee Street, Avon, NY 14414 | (585) 226-2425 ext. 13 |
| Caledonia Town/Village Court | 3095 Main Street, Caledonia, NY 14423 | (585) 538-4800 |
| Conesus Town Court | 6210 South Livonia Road, Conesus, NY 14435 | (585) 346-9240 |
| Dansville Village Court | 14 Clara Barton Street, Dansville, NY 14437 | (585) 335-2460 |
| Geneseo Town/Village Court | 119 Main Street, Geneseo, NY 14454 | (585) 243-4530 |
| Groveland Town Court | 4955 Aten Road, Groveland, NY 14462 | (585) 243-3782 |
| Leicester Justice Court | 132 Main Street, Leicester, NY 14481 | (585) 382-9419 |
| Lima Town Court | 7321 East Main Street, Lima, NY 14485 | (585) 582-1011 |
| Livonia Town Court | 35 Commercial Street, Livonia, NY 14487 | (585) 346-0221 |
| Mount Morris Town/Village Court | 117 Main Street, Mount Morris, NY 14510 | (585) 658-3358 |
| North Dansville Town Court | 14 Clara Barton Street, Dansville, NY 14437 | (585) 335-2460 |
| Nunda Town/Village Court | 4 Massachusetts Street, Nunda, NY 14517 | (585) 468-5558 |
| Ossian Town Court | 4706 Ossian Hill Road, Dansville, NY 14437 | (585) 335-8040 |
| Portage Town Court | 9907 North Church Street, Hunt, NY 14846 | (585) 476-7012 |
| Sparta Town Court | 7351 Route 256, Scottsburg, NY 14545 | (585) 335-7045 |
| Springwater Town Court | 8022 South Main Street, Springwater, NY 14560 | (585) 669-2001 |
| West Sparta Town Court | 8302 Kysorville-Byersville Road, Dansville, NY 14437 | (585) 335-2443 |
| York Town Court | 2668 Main Street, York, NY 14592 | (585) 243-3128 ext. 1 |
Livingston County Family Court Records
The Livingston County Family Court is located at 2 Court Street, Geneseo, NY 14454, and can be reached at (585) 371-3919 (fax: (585) 371-3933). Court hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. First appearance calendars are heard on Tuesdays and Thursdays; emergency applications are accepted daily.
Family Court handles matters including:
- Custody, visitation, and modification proceedings
- Child support and spousal support enforcement
- Paternity determinations
- Juvenile delinquency and persons in need of supervision (PINS) petitions
- Child protective proceedings and foster care matters
- Domestic violence and orders of protection
- Adoption proceedings (by court order only; adoption records are sealed)
- Guardianship of minors
Divorce Records — Divorce proceedings are filed in the Supreme Court, not Family Court. The County Clerk’s office maintains divorce indexes and case papers. The actual divorce file can be reviewed in person only by the named defendant (or with court authorization), as divorce records are restricted from general public inspection. The filing fee for dissolution of marriage is $5.00 at the County Clerk’s office.
Certified copies of divorce certificates — which confirm that a divorce occurred but do not constitute the full decree — are available from the New York State Department of Health for events recorded from January 1963 onward. The divorce decree itself must be obtained directly from the County Clerk’s office where the action was filed.
Marriage Records — Marriage records in New York are maintained at the local level by the town or city clerk where the license was issued. The New York State Department of Health also maintains marriage records and can issue certified copies. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates from the state carry a fee of $30.00 per certified copy for mail orders, or $45.00 plus a vendor processing fee for online/phone orders.
Birth Records — New York State has birth records dating from 1881. Birth records in Livingston County are available through the town or village clerk where the birth was registered, or from the NY DOH Vital Records office. State-level birth records become publicly accessible 75 years after the event date, or upon documented proof of the subject’s death. The certified copy fee is $30.00 by mail; online orders through the state vendor are $45.00 plus processing fees. Eligible requesters include the registrant, parents named on the record, siblings, and certain legal representatives.
Death Records — Death records are held at the state level from 1881 onward and locally by the town or city where the death occurred. Certified copies cost $30.00 by mail from the state. These records become publicly accessible 50 years after the date of death. Eligible requesters are limited to spouses, children, siblings, parents, or individuals with a documented legal interest or a court order.
The mailing address for state vital record requests is:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
For in-person requests, the Vital Records walk-in office is located at 800 North Pearl Street, Menands, NY 12204. A valid government-issued photo ID is required for all requests.
Livingston County Probate Court Records
Probate and estate matters in Livingston County are handled exclusively by the Livingston County Surrogate’s Court, which has jurisdiction over wills, estate administration, guardianships, conservatorships, and trust proceedings. The Surrogate’s Court is located at:
Livingston County Surrogate’s Court
2 Court Street
Geneseo, NY 14454
Phone: (585) 371-3921
Fax: (585) 371-3936
Court hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Types of Probate Records Maintained
- Petitions for probate of wills and letters testamentary
- Letters of administration for intestate estates
- Guardianship petitions and orders for minors and incapacitated persons
- Conservatorship filings
- Trust administration proceedings
- Accounting filings and court orders approving or disallowing accounts
- Wills admitted to probate back to 1821
Searching Probate Records
- The WebSurrogates online search tool provides public access to Surrogate’s Court case information statewide, including Livingston County. Users can search by decedent name, case number, or filing date.
- Livingston County’s official Find Records page confirms that wills and probate records back to 1821 are available through the Surrogate’s Court and directs researchers to contact the clerk’s office for records not found in the online system.
Mandatory E-Filing in Surrogate’s Court
Pursuant to the Livingston County Surrogate’s Court E-Filing Protocol, e-filing through NYSCEF is mandatory for all Administration, Probate, and related matters, including Small Estate Proceedings. Hybrid (paper plus electronic) proceedings apply in certain contested matters. Unrepresented parties are exempt from mandatory e-filing but may voluntarily participate.
Requesting Copies
Anyone seeking certified copies or specific documents from a probate proceeding should contact the Surrogate’s Court clerk directly at (585) 371-3921. While reviewing an open case file may be done at no charge, obtaining paper copies carries a per-page fee. Mail requests should include the decedent’s full name, approximate date of death, case number if known, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. For historical probate records that predate digitization, the Livingston County Records Management office at 6 Murray Hill Drive, Mt. Morris, NY 14510, Phone: (585) 243-7503, holds county archival materials and can assist in locating older filings.