Chenango County
Chenango County, which was created in 1798, lies within the Southern Tier region in south-central New York. It has a population of nearly 46,000 residents, and Norwich is both its county seat and largest city.
Chenango County's trial court system comprises several courts, including a supreme court, a county court, a family court, a surrogate's court, a city court, and town and village courts. The Chenango County Supreme Court, which is a general jurisdiction court, hears all civil and criminal cases outside the lower courts' jurisdictions. Felonies outside the County Court's jurisdiction, general civil claims over $25,000, annulments, tax assessment reviews, divorce, complicated commercial lawsuits, and equity suits are heard in the Supreme Court.
The County Court in Chenango County has exclusive criminal jurisdiction over felonies and lesser offenses committed in the county. It also exercises limited civil jurisdiction over civil claims below $25,000, evictions, general civil counterclaims without financial caps, real property partition, and other real estate matters. In addition, it shares jurisdiction with the Supreme Court and hears appeals from the City Courts and Village and Town Courts.
The Chenango County Family Court handles family and children cases, including adoption, parental rights termination, guardianship, child abuse and neglect, and juvenile delinquency. The Family and Surrogate Courts, however, share concurrent jurisdiction over adoptions and guardianships. In contrast, the Surrogate Court exercises jurisdiction over probate matters, including the probate of wills, administrations of estates and trusts, and the appointment of guardians and conservators.
Chenango County's City Court has limited civil and criminal jurisdiction. It presides over civil claims up to $15,000, misdemeanors, lesser offenses, and civil violations of state laws and local ordinances, such as housing standards.
Village and Town Courts in Chenango County (or Justice Courts), are limited jurisdiction courts that oversee misdemeanors within municipal limits, vehicle/traffic infractions, landlord-tenant cases, civil claims for up to $3,000, and other municipal code violations.
Chenango County court records refer to various types of legal information compiled from case trials, including case dockets and statistics, depositions and charging information, motions and pleadings, and case transcripts and jury verdicts. Chenango County courts generate and store a wide variety of court records, including:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Family Court records
- Juvenile records
The Chenango County Court Clerk's Office keeps the county's court records. Non-confidential court records are considered open records that are publicly accessible, per the New York State's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). Requesters can access these records online through the County Clerk's website or the state's eCourt search service. In addition, record seekers can request hardcopy records by submitting completed record requests, along with the applicable fees, to the Court Clerk's Office or to other courthouses where their trials were held.
