Rensselaer County Court Records

Rensselaer County sits in eastern New York State, with Troy as the county seat. Its court system operates within the Third Judicial District and includes a Supreme Court, County Court, Family Court, Surrogates Court, two City Courts (Troy and Rensselaer), and more than a dozen Town and Village Courts spread across the county's municipalities. Case files, docket entries, pleadings, motions, judgments, orders, and exhibits are maintained by each individual court clerk and by the Rensselaer County Clerk's Office.

You can locate Rensselaer County court records through several channels. The Rensselaer County Clerk's Records Room at 105 Third Street in Troy is the main filing office for Supreme and County Court civil and criminal documents, judgments, and related papers. The New York State Unified Court System also offers free online case-search tools for civil, family, and criminal dockets. NewYorkCourts.us can help you identify publicly available court case information across the state. If you prefer to visit in person, public-access terminals are available at the Rensselaer County Courthouse and other court locations during business hours.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Rensselaer County?

There are three main ways to search Rensselaer County court records: online, in person, and by mail.

Online Searches

The New York State Unified Court System maintains several free web-based tools:

WebCivil Supreme — search Supreme Court civil cases by index number, party name, attorney name, or justice name. Court and attorney calendars and published decisions are also accessible through this portal.
WebCivil Local — search City Court civil cases (Troy City Court, Rensselaer City Court) by index number, party, attorney, or judge. Calendar searches are also available.
WebFamily — search Family Court cases by file or docket number, attorney, or county calendar.
eCourts — a unified portal covering multiple case types, including criminal and civil, across the state.
WebSurrogate — search Surrogates Court filings and records, including historical probate documents.

These tools provide basic case-status information at no cost. They don't always include full document images, so if you need a complete file or certified copies, contact the relevant clerk's office directly.

In-Person Requests

Visit the court where the case was filed. The main courthouse at 80 Second Street in Troy houses both Supreme Court and Surrogates Court. Family Court is at 1504 Fifth Avenue in Troy. Public terminals are available at these locations during office hours — generally Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the County Clerk's Office and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Family Court.

Mail Requests

Send a written request with the party name(s), case number (if known), and case type to the appropriate clerk. For County Clerk records, include a self-addressed stamped envelope and mail to:

Rensselaer County Clerk
105 Third Street
Troy, NY 12180

Mail requests for copies cost $1.00 per page. You can include a check with "not to exceed $10.00" (or another amount) in the memo line, and the clerk will fill in the exact total and return a receipt.

Rensselaer County Court Locations

Court	Address	Phone	Fax
Supreme Court	80 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180	(518) 285-5025	(518) 285-5077
County Court	80 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180	(518) 285-5025	(518) 285-5077
Family Court	1504 Fifth Avenue, Troy, NY 12180	(518) 453-5515	(518) 285-8504
Surrogates Court	80 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180	(518) 285-6100	(518) 272-5452
Troy City Court	51 State Street, Troy, NY 12180	(518) 453-5900
Rensselaer City Court	62 Washington Street, Rensselaer, NY 12144	(518) 453-4680	(518) 453-8996

The county also has Town and Village Courts in Berlin, Brunswick, East Greenbush, Grafton, Hoosick (Town and Village), Nassau (Town and Village), North Greenbush, Petersburgh, Pittstown, Poestenkill, Sand Lake, Schaghticoke, Schodack, and Stephentown. Contact information for individual Town Courts is available through the Rensselaer County government website.

Rensselaer County Clerk's Office

Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola
Address: 105 Third Street, Troy, NY 12180
Phone: (518) 270-4080
Fax: (518) 271-7998
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

The Records Room accepts credit and debit cards for land and court transactions (a card surcharge applies). Passport application fees to the U.S. Department of State must be paid by check or money order. You can also search land records online through the Rensselaer County Online Records portal — registration is free, and printing costs $1.00 per page.

Are Court Records Public in Rensselaer County?

New York operates under a strong presumption of public access to court records. Judiciary Law Section 255 requires any court clerk, upon request, to search the files and records in the clerk's office and certify the results. The Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) also supports transparency for government records, though courts are not subject to FOIL in the same way as executive-branch agencies.

The New York State Unified Court System has issued its own policies on public access to court records, which spell out both the general right of access and the categories of records that are sealed or confidential. The following types of records are restricted from public inspection:

Juvenile delinquency and child-protective proceedings
Family Court records involving custody, adoption, and domestic violence
Matrimonial proceedings (certain filings are sealed by statute)
Grand jury minutes and proceedings
Mental health proceedings
Trade secrets and proprietary business information sealed by court order
Records sealed under Criminal Procedure Law sections 160.50 (favorable terminations), 160.55 (violations/infractions), 160.58 (substance abuse convictions), and 160.59 (eligible convictions)
Youthful offender adjudications (CPL 720.35)

Unsealed court records may be viewed in person at the clerk's office during business hours, retrieved through the UCS online portals, or obtained by mail. Certified copies require payment of applicable fees.

Rensselaer County Criminal Court Records

Criminal cases move through multiple courts depending on severity. Felonies and serious offenses are prosecuted in County Court and Supreme Court. Misdemeanors are handled by the City Courts in Troy and Rensselaer, as well as by Town and Village Courts throughout the county. The County Clerk's Records Room files and maintains criminal records for Supreme and County Court proceedings.

Searching Criminal Court Records

The eCourts portal provides statewide access to criminal case status information. For in-person searches, visit the courthouse where the case originated or the County Clerk's office. The County Clerk charges a basic search fee of $10 per surname for court record searches, with additional per-page copy charges.

Statewide Criminal History Searches

If you need a broader criminal background check, two state-level resources are available:

OCA Criminal History Record Search (CHRS): The New York State Office of Court Administration provides a statewide criminal history record search for $95.00 per name and date of birth. Results cover open, pending, and conviction records from all 62 counties — Supreme, County, City, Town, and Village Courts. Sealed records, non-criminal offenses, youthful offender adjudications, and cases subject to the Misdemeanor Redemption Policy are excluded. Submit requests online through the Direct Access program or by mailing a completed CHRS Application Form to OCA at 25 Beaver Street, Room 940, New York, NY 10004. Email inquiries: chrs@nycourts.gov.
DCJS Record Review: The Division of Criminal Justice Services maintains the state's official fingerprint-based criminal history records. These are not public records and require fingerprint submission. The fee is $47.50 (as of February 2026). DCJS can return an unsuppressed record (including sealed items), a suppressed record, or a no-record response. Fee waivers are available for qualified individuals. Contact DCJS at (518) 457-9847 or RecordReview@dcjs.ny.gov.

Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office

The Sheriff's Office may provide certain arrest and booking information. Contact:

Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office
4000 Main Street, Troy, NY 12180
Phone: (518) 266-1900
Non-Emergency: (518) 270-5252
Fax: (518) 270-5447
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Rensselaer County Civil Court Records

Civil litigation is divided among several courts based on the nature and monetary value of the claims. Supreme Court handles cases of unlimited monetary jurisdiction, including real property disputes, contract claims, and tort actions. County Court shares some civil jurisdiction. Troy City Court and Rensselaer City Court handle smaller civil claims, typically up to $15,000. Town and Village Courts can hear small claims up to $3,000.

Online Civil Case Searches

Start with WebCivil Supreme to search Supreme Court civil records by index number, party name, counsel, or justice. City Court civil cases are searchable through WebCivil Local. Both portals are free.

E-Filing

The New York State Courts Electronic Filing System (NYSCEF) lets attorneys and parties file and serve documents electronically in Supreme Court, Surrogates Court, and the Court of Claims. E-filing is mandatory for new proceedings in Rensselaer County Supreme Court and Surrogates Court.

Filing Fees (Civil and Matrimonial Supreme/County Court)

The Rensselaer County Clerk's fee schedule lists the following charges, set by the Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR):

Index Number for Actions or Proceedings: $210 (CPLR 8018)
Index Number for Foreclosure Action: $400
Request for Judicial Intervention (RJI): $95
Note of Issue: $30
Filing Motion or Cross-Motion: $45
Jury Demand: $65
Stipulation of Settlement or Voluntary Discontinuance: $35
Notice of Appeal: $65

Copy Fees

In-person copies: $0.50 per page
Mail-request copies: $1.00 per page
Certify a prepared copy: $4.00 (CPLR 8020(f))
Prepare and certify a copy: $4.00 (CPLR 8021(f))
County Clerk records search: $10 basic fee per surname, plus $0.50 for each additional surname indexed

Property Records

Deeds, mortgages, liens, and other land records are filed with the County Clerk's Records Room at 105 Third Street, Troy. Online access is available through the SearchIQS portal for Rensselaer County — searches are free, and printouts cost $1.00 per page. Property owners can sign up for the Fraud Alert program to receive notifications whenever a document is recorded under their name.

Rensselaer County Family Court Records

The Rensselaer County Family Court at 1504 Fifth Avenue in Troy handles adoption, guardianship, foster care, juvenile delinquency, family violence (orders of protection), child abuse and neglect, child support, custody, and visitation matters. In some adoption and guardianship proceedings, Family Court shares jurisdiction with Surrogates Court.

Family Court Judges: Hon. Elizabeth Walsh, Hon. Jill Kehn, Hon. Matthew Turner
Support Magistrates: Jennifer Corona, Esq.; Laura Deitz, Esq.
Chief Clerk: Lawrencia Colón
Phone: (518) 453-5515 | Fax: (518) 285-8504
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Children's Center: Open 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (closed 1:00–1:30 p.m. for lunch)

There are no filing fees in Family Court.

Accessing Family Court Records

You can search Family Court records online through the WebFamily portal by file or docket number, attorney or firm, or county calendar. However, most Family Court files are confidential by statute. Records involving child-protective proceedings, adoption, domestic violence, and juvenile delinquency are sealed and not available to the general public. Parties to a case, their attorneys, and authorized agencies may access records upon proper identification or court authorization.

Marriage, Divorce, and Vital Records

The Rensselaer County Clerk's Office does not issue marriage licenses or maintain birth and death certificates. Those records are available through the local city or town clerk where the event occurred, or from the New York State Department of Health. Town and city clerk phone numbers in Rensselaer County include: City of Troy (518) 270-4634, City of Rensselaer (518) 462-4266, Brunswick (518) 279-3461, East Greenbush (518) 477-7145, and others listed on the County Clerk's FAQ page.

The New York State Department of Health Vital Records unit maintains centralized records for marriages (from 1880), divorces (from 1963), births, and deaths outside New York City. Certified copies cost $30 each and can be ordered by mail using the appropriate application form — the marriage certificate request form or divorce certificate request form — sent with payment to:

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602

Online orders are also available through VitalChek (additional processing fees apply). Divorce decrees and certificates of dissolution filed with the County Clerk can be obtained at the Records Room at 105 Third Street in Troy.

Rensselaer County Probate Court Records

In New York, probate matters are handled by Surrogates Court. The Rensselaer County Surrogates Court is located at the Rensselaer County Courthouse, 80 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180.

Surrogate: Hon. Paul V. Morgan
Law Clerk: Lisa Buccini, Esq.
Chief Clerk: Susan Wilson
Deputy Chief Clerk: Carol Brundige
Phone: (518) 285-6100 | Fax: (518) 272-5452

Surrogates Court handles the probate of wills, administration of decedent estates, appointment of executors and administrators, resolution of disputes among heirs and creditors, trust administration, guardianship of incapacitated persons, and adoptions. Filing fees vary by proceeding type and estate size, as set out in Section 2402 of the Surrogates Court Procedure Act.

Searching Probate Records

The WebSurrogate portal offers free public access to Surrogates Court filings. Search by name, file number, or historical index to view the Registry of Actions and, in many cases, retrieve scanned document images.

E-Filing Requirement

E-filing through NYSCEF is mandatory for all new proceedings in Rensselaer County Surrogates Court, including administration, probate, voluntary administration, accounting, and wrongful death matters. The Rensselaer County Surrogates Court e-filing protocol details required procedures, exemptions, and document-formatting rules. If you have questions about e-filing requirements, call the court at (518) 285-6100.

In-Person and Mail Requests

Probate records can also be reviewed in person at the Surrogates Court clerk's office during regular business hours. If you're requesting records by mail, include the decedent's full name and approximate date of death to help with the search. Copy fees and certification charges follow the standard County Clerk fee schedule. Court staff can answer general procedural questions but are not permitted to give legal advice.

Forms for Surrogates Court proceedings are available at the courthouse, on the Surrogates Court forms page maintained by the Unified Court System, or through the HOT DOCS program offered by the New York State Bar Association.