Schenectady County
Schenectady County was formed from part of Albany County in 1809. Its name was derived from the Native American word ‘Schau-naugh-ta-da,' which means ‘over the pine plains.' The county's population is over 158,000, and it covers a land area of 205 square miles. The City of Schenectady is the county's most populous city and seat of government.
The six trial courts in Schenectady County include the Supreme, County, City, Family, Surrogate, and Town/Village Courts. The Supreme Court typically handles legal proceedings outside the purview of other courts in Schenectady County. This includes writs of habeas corpus, marriage annulments, mortgage foreclosures, injunctions, and other equity suits. Meanwhile, felonies and civil claims exceeding $25,000 are exclusive to the Schenectady County Court. It is also an intermediate appellate court with the authority to hear appeals from City and Justice Courts. The City Court in Schenectady City presides over personal injuries, contract disputes, and other civil lawsuits typically under $15,000 in financial damages. It also adjudicates class A and B misdemeanors with potential sentences of no more than one-year jail terms. Juvenile and family law cases are resolved at the Family Court, while all probate matters are exclusive to the Surrogate's Court in Schenectady County. Also known as Justice Courts, the Town/Village Courts in the county often try municipal violations, eviction disputes, and small claims actions.
Schenectady County public court records are documents showing detailed accounts of legal proceedings held in the county's trial courts. The documents contain case filings, court hearing dates, dockets, deposition information, and court judgments. Based on case types, some examples of court records in Schenectady County include the following:
- Criminal court records
- Civil court records
- Probate records
- Traffic records
- Juvenile records
- Family records
- Mental health records
The Schenectady County Clerk typically keeps and distributes these court documents to eligible requesters as required under New York Judiciary Law § 255. The state law also permits public access to all court records except juvenile, mental health, adoption, sealed, and other confidential court records. Confidential documents in Schenectady County are accessible only to record owners, their attorneys, and other legal representatives. To obtain public court records, interested persons can contact the County Clerk at:
Schenectady County Clerk's Office
620 State Street, 3rd Floor
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 388-4220
Email: CountyClerk@schenectadycounty.com
Requesters can also look up Schenectady County public court records online via the New York eCourts. To view court records online, users are required to input litigants' names, offenders' names, case index numbers, or filing dates.
