Tompkins County Court Records Search

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    Tompkins County is located in the Finger Lakes region of central New York State, with the City of Ithaca serving as its county seat. The county’s court system operates within the 6th Judicial District and includes the Supreme Court, County Court, Family Court, Surrogate’s Court, Ithaca City Court, and numerous town and village justice courts. All of the major courts except Ithaca City Court are housed in the Tompkins County Courthouse at 320 North Tioga Street in Ithaca. The County Clerk, Maureen Reynolds, serves as the official custodian of Supreme Court and County Court records — both civil and criminal felony — while Family Court and Surrogate’s Court each maintain their own clerk offices with separate staff and contact numbers. Understanding which office holds the records you need is the first step in any records search.

    Residents and non-residents looking for court case information in New York can draw on a range of resources, from local clerk offices and courthouse terminals to electronic databases maintained by the state judiciary. NewYorkCourts.us can help users connect with publicly available court case information and official tools across the state. In Tompkins County specifically, the County Clerk’s Office provides both an online records search platform and downloadable request forms, and the New York State Unified Court System operates statewide portals covering civil, criminal, and family case data. The sections below explain each method in detail.

    How to Look Up a Court Case in Tompkins County?

    Court records in Tompkins County are maintained at the Tompkins County Courthouse and can be accessed through online portals, in-person visits, mail requests, or email inquiries.

    Tompkins County Clerk’s Office
    Address: 320 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
    Phone: (607) 274-5431
    Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM

    Online Search Options

    The County Clerk’s Office provides multiple ways to search records electronically:

    • Online Records Search — Launched in January 2026, this modernized platform allows the public to search land records and court-related filings. The system includes enhanced search capabilities and a free Property Fraud Alert feature that notifies users if a document is recorded under their name.
    • Laserfiche Public Portal — The Clerk’s legacy online database, which allows searches for civil case records by case name or case number.
    • WebCivil Supreme — A statewide tool maintained by the New York State Unified Court System for searching civil Supreme Court case information by party name, index number, or attorney.
    • eCourts — The state’s consolidated case search platform, which includes WebCivil Local, WebCivil Supreme, WebCriminal, and WebFamily databases.
    • NYSCEF — The New York State Courts Electronic Filing System allows users to view documents in cases that have been e-filed. Tompkins County Supreme Court, County Court, and Surrogate’s Court all have mandatory e-filing requirements.

    In-Person Requests

    Walk-in visitors can search civil case records at the County Clerk’s office on the ground floor of the courthouse during business hours. Staff can assist with locating case files by name or case number. Criminal felony records require a formal search request (see below).

    Mail Requests

    Written requests should be sent to the Tompkins County Clerk’s Office at 320 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850. For criminal record searches, complete the Criminal Records Request form and submit it with the applicable fee by check or money order.

    Search and Copy Fees

    ServiceFee
    Criminal name search (per name, per two-year period)$5.00
    Certified copy of a document$5.00 additional
    Copies per page$0.65
    Minimum copy charge$1.30

    A seven-year criminal name search would cost $20.00 per name (four two-year periods). The Clerk’s office accepts cash or check for payment.

    Are Court Records Public in Tompkins County?

    New York law establishes a strong presumption of public access to court records. Under Judiciary Law § 255, the clerk of any court of record must, upon request and payment of the prescribed fees, furnish copies of papers filed in the clerk’s office. The New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), codified in Article 6, Sections 84 through 90 of the Public Officers Law, further establishes that the public has the right to inspect and copy government records, including court administrative records.

    Civil records maintained by the Tompkins County Clerk are open to the public, with limited exceptions. The Tompkins County Index to felony names, however, is not open to the public — searches must be conducted by the Clerk’s staff for the applicable fee.

    Records That Are Restricted or Confidential

    Despite the general openness, several categories of court records are not publicly accessible:

    • Sealed records — Cases sealed by court order, including certain criminal records that were dismissed, acquitted, or adjourned in contemplation of dismissal under CPL § 160.50.
    • Expunged records — Records removed from public view pursuant to a court order.
    • Juvenile records — Family Court proceedings involving juvenile delinquency are confidential under Family Court Act § 166.
    • Adoption records — All adoption records are sealed and inaccessible without a court order, including those in Surrogate’s Court.
    • Grand jury proceedings — Grand jury minutes and testimony are secret under CPL § 190.25.
    • Records exempt under FOIL — Information that would endanger the life or safety of any person, including witness information in criminal investigations, as set forth in Public Officers Law § 87(2).
    • Surrogate’s Court restricted documents — Tompkins County Surrogate’s Court limits public access to guardianship documents, death certificates, tax returns, documents containing social security numbers, firearms inventories, and inventories of assets. Estate tax returns filed between May 1990 and January 2001 are also sealed.

    Anyone denied access to records may appeal through the FOIL process or petition the court for an order to unseal.

    Tompkins County Criminal Court Records

    Felony criminal cases in Tompkins County are prosecuted in the County Court, with the County Clerk maintaining the official case files, including indictments, motions, plea records, and sentencing documents. Misdemeanor cases are typically heard in Ithaca City Court or the various town and village justice courts.

    Tompkins County Court
    Address: 320 North Tioga Street, P.O. Box 70, Ithaca, NY 14851
    Phone: (607) 216-6610
    Fax: (212) 401-9071

    Ithaca City Court
    Address: 118 East Clinton Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
    Phone: (607) 216-6660
    Fax: (607) 240-5821

    Requesting Criminal Court Records from the County Clerk

    Because the felony name index is not publicly browsable, requesters must submit a formal search request:

    1. Download and complete the Criminal Records Request form.
    2. Calculate the fee: $5.00 per name for every two-year period or fraction thereof.
    3. Enclose payment by check or money order payable to the Tompkins County Clerk.
    4. Mail the form and payment to the County Clerk’s Office at 320 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850, or submit them in person.
    5. Include your email address on the cover letter for faster processing.

    The Clerk’s office will search the index and provide the results by mail or email.

    Statewide Criminal History Searches

    For a comprehensive New York criminal history report, two state-level options exist:

    The Office of Court Administration (OCA) provides a name-based Criminal History Record Search (CHRS). The search costs $95.00 per name and date of birth. Requests can be submitted through the CHRS online portal or by mail using the CHRS application form, with payment by check or money order payable to the NYS Office of Court Administration. Mail requests go to: Office of Court Administration, Criminal History Record Search Unit, 25 Beaver Street, New York, NY 10004.

    The New York Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) provides fingerprint-based criminal history checks. As of February 2026, the fee is $47.50, payable through an approved vendor. Applicants must schedule a fingerprinting appointment through the DCJS-licensed partner.

    Sheriff’s Office Records

    The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office maintains arrest records, police reports, and inmate information:

    Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office
    Address: Public Safety Building, 779 Warren Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
    Phone: (607) 257-1345 / (607) 272-2444

    Individuals seeking their own criminal records from the Sheriff’s Office must visit in person with a valid ID and pay a $10.00 fee by check or cash. Police reports and arrest records can be requested by calling the Records Division at (607) 257-1345.

    Tompkins County Civil Court Records

    Civil cases in Tompkins County are heard in Supreme Court (unlimited monetary jurisdiction) and County Court (jurisdiction up to $25,000). The County Clerk maintains all civil case files for both courts, including complaints, answers, motions, judgments, and orders. Civil records are open to the public and can be searched in person, by mail, by email, or online.

    Searching Civil Records Online

    The County Clerk’s online records search platform provides access to land records and certain court filings. For civil case-specific searches, the Laserfiche portal allows searches by case name or case number. At the state level, WebCivil Supreme covers civil Supreme Court cases statewide, including Tompkins County, and the WebCivil Local database handles lower court civil matters. Searches can be performed by index number, party name, attorney, or judge.

    E-Filing

    Tompkins County Supreme Court and County Court have mandatory e-filing protocols for civil cases through NYSCEF. All e-filed cases receive index numbers prefixed with “EF”. Documents filed through NYSCEF are generally viewable by the public through the case search function unless sealed by court order.

    Available Forms and Resources

    The County Clerk’s website provides several downloadable civil forms:

    A complete Divorce Packet with Instructions and Forms is also available through the Civil Services page. The state’s DIY Court Forms program provides additional self-help resources for unrepresented litigants.

    Tompkins County Family Court Records

    The Tompkins County Family Court handles cases involving children and families, including adoption, guardianship, foster care, juvenile delinquency, family violence, child abuse and neglect, and child support, custody, and visitation matters. The court is staffed by three Family Court Judges — the Honorable Joseph R. Cassidy, the Honorable Maura Kennedy-Smith, and the Honorable Scott A. Miller — along with Support Magistrate Daniel W. Johnson.

    Tompkins County Family Court
    Address: 320 North Tioga Street, P.O. Box 70, Ithaca, NY 14851
    Phone: (607) 216-6640
    Fax: (607) 457-2951
    Petitions may be filed Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
    Chief Clerk: Lisa Brant

    Accessing Family Court Records

    Family Court records requests must be directed to the Family Court Clerk’s Office at the phone number above. Because many Family Court proceedings involve minors or sensitive domestic matters, public access is substantially more restricted than for other court types. Under Family Court Act § 166, Family Court proceedings are generally closed to the public, and the court’s records are not open to indiscriminate public inspection. Specifically:

    • Child protective proceedings, juvenile delinquency records, and PINS (persons in need of supervision) files are confidential.
    • Adoption records are sealed upon finalization and cannot be accessed without a court order.
    • Domestic violence cases may contain restricted documents.

    Parties to a case and their attorneys may access their own files. Others must demonstrate a legitimate legal interest and may need a court order. Active Family Court case information may be available through the eCourts WebFamily database maintained by the state.

    Marriage and Divorce Records

    Marriage licenses in Tompkins County are issued by the city, town, and village clerks where the ceremony takes place. Certified copies of marriage records can be obtained from the local clerk’s office where the event occurred, or from the New York State Department of Health using the marriage certificate application form. The state maintains marriage records dating from 1880.

    Divorce records in Supreme Court are maintained by the County Clerk. To obtain copies of a divorce decree or related documents, submit the Divorce File/Document Request form available on the Clerk’s website, or contact the Civil Services department. Certified copies of divorce certificates can also be requested from the NYS Department of Health using the divorce certificate application form. The state fee is $30.00 per copy.

    Birth and Death Records

    Birth and death records are maintained by the Tompkins County Health Department, not the courts. Eligible individuals can request copies using the birth record application form or the death record application form. Birth certificates are available to the record subject, parents named on the certificate, or persons with a court order. Death certificates are available to spouses, children, parents, siblings, and court-authorized individuals. The first certified copy costs $30.00, with additional copies at $15.00 each for death records. Requests may be submitted in person or by mail to:

    Tompkins County Health Department
    Vital Records Section
    55 Brown Road, Ithaca, NY 14850

    Tompkins County Probate Court Records

    Probate matters in Tompkins County are handled by the Surrogate’s Court, which has jurisdiction over the probate of wills, administration of decedents’ estates, guardianships, and all adoption proceedings. The court operates from the Tompkins County Courthouse.

    Tompkins County Surrogate’s Court
    Address: 320 North Tioga Street, P.O. Box 70, Ithaca, NY 14851
    Phone: (607) 216-6655
    Fax: (212) 457-2952

    The Surrogate’s Court maintains estate records dating back to 1818. Indices of court files are available and can be viewed during business hours. Some older files require the use of microfiche or microfilm; the index book covering 1818 through 1910 is only available on microfilm.

    E-Filing in Surrogate’s Court

    Tompkins County Surrogate’s Court has mandatory e-filing through NYSCEF for all estate matters, including administration, probate, voluntary administration under SCPA Article 13 (small estates), and trust matters. The Surrogate’s Court e-filing protocols outline the requirements and eligible case types. Guardianship proceedings, inter vivos trust matters, and adoptions are not eligible for e-filing and must be filed on paper.

    Restricted Probate Records

    While most probate records are public, the Tompkins County Surrogate’s Court restricts access to several categories of documents:

    • All adoption records (sealed; require a court order to access)
    • Estate tax returns filed between May 1990 and January 2001 (sealed)
    • Guardianship proceeding documents
    • Death certificates within estate files
    • Tax returns
    • Documents containing social security numbers
    • Firearms inventories
    • Inventories of assets

    Access to these restricted materials may require written permission from the court or a specific court order.

    Requesting Probate Records

    To obtain probate records, visit the Surrogate’s Court during business hours and provide the decedent’s name or the case file number. Staff can assist with locating records in the index and retrieving files. For records that have been e-filed, use the NYSCEF case search to locate and view publicly available documents online. Genealogy researchers should be aware that the court’s historical records are extensive, and an in-person visit may be necessary for files predating the digital era. The County Clerk’s Office in the courthouse basement also holds related land records and an incomplete set of census records that can supplement probate research.