Orange County
Orange County was established in 1683 and named to honor William III of Orange, the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The county has a land area of 812 square miles and a population of more than 400,000 residents. The Village of Goshen serves as the government seat, while the county's largest community is Palm Tree Town.
Orange County's judicial system comprises the Supreme, County, Family, Surrogate, City, and Town/Village Courts. The Supreme and County Courts in Orange County are within New York's 9th Judicial District. The Supreme Court hears all legal proceedings outside the jurisdiction of other courts. Divorces and civil actions involving financial disputes above $25,000 are exclusive to the Supreme Court. The County Court judges in Orange County handle most felonies and civil claims for up to $25,000.
Orange County has City Courts in Port Jervis, Middletown, and Newburgh tasked with resolving minor civil and criminal matters within their respective cities. The City Courts can try misdemeanors, eviction disputes, civil violations, and monetary claims for up to $15,000. In Orange County, the Surrogate's Court serves as the probate court in charge of resolving all probate matters, while the Family Court addresses juvenile delinquencies, alimony cases, and child custody disputes. The Town/Village Courts typically preside over ordinance violations and traffic crimes in their communities.
Orange County court records, maintained by the County Clerk, contain information on the county's judicial processes. Information on court records often includes dockets, transcripts, orders, pleadings, motions, judgments, and appeals. In line with the state's Freedom of Information Law, the County Clerk restricts access to some court documents showing adoption, juvenile, and mental health cases. However, anyone can access the following public court records in Orange County:
- Civil records
- Domestic relations records
- Probate records
- Land records
- Criminal court records
These records are usually available on paper and in electronic format. To obtain paper copies of court records, interested persons can contact the Orange County Clerk's Office at:
Orange County Clerk
255 Main Street
Goshen, NY 10924
Phone: (845) 291-2690
Email: OCclerk@orangecountygov.com
Interested persons can subscribe to the county's Online Records Search to view electronic court records. An alternative way to access court records online is via the New York eCourts portal. When searching online, it is important to provide basic details of the case files, such as parties' names, case index numbers, or filing dates.
