Jefferson County
Located in the northern lobe of New York, Jefferson County borders the St. Lawrence River to the north and Lake Ontario to the west. It was originally inhabited by the Oneida Indian Nation and was founded in 1857. About 114,000 people currently live in the county, and its largest city is Watertown.
The courts in Jefferson County operate within the 5th Judicial District. These courts include the Supreme Court, County Court, Surrogate's Court, City Court, Town and Village Court, and Family Court. The Jefferson Supreme Court hears a wide variety of cases, especially those that are not within the purview of other courts. It focuses mainly on civil cases such as personal injury claims, property disputes, and contract disputes. Furthermore, the prosecution of all crimes committed within the county is handled by the County Court. It also hears civil cases involving amounts up to $25,000 and appeals from City and Town Courts.
The Jefferson Surrogate's Court focuses on adoption proceedings. It also oversees the affairs of decedents, including the probate of wills and estate administration. Contrarily, the Family Court hears legal matters relating to juveniles and family relationships. This is where criminal offenses committed by juveniles, matters of abuse and neglect, and disputes over custody and visitation are heard.
The Town and Village Courts preside over misdemeanors, traffic infractions, and civil claims up to $3,000, while the Watertown City Court has criminal jurisdiction over misdemeanors and lesser offenses. Additionally, the City Court handles small claims cases, civil claims for amounts up to $15,000, housing matters, and domestic violence cases.
In Jefferson County, most court records, excluding sealed, matrimonial, and family court records, are accessible to the public through the Office of the County Clerk. For convenience, the County Clerk also offers an online database where civil court records, along with various other record types, can be searched and viewed.
For publicly available court records not accessible online, you may conduct a free in-person search in the County Clerk's Office during regular business hours. However, a fee applies for making copies of your desired records. Alternatively, you may submit a completed records search request form by mail. If you have questions before submitting your requests, contact the Records Management Department at 315-785-3312, option 3.
