Westchester County
Created in 1683, Westchester County is situated within the Hudson Valley in the southeastern region of the State of New York. It ranks as the most populous county north of New York City and the state's seventh-most populous county, with a population of 990,817. Named after Chester City, England, Westchester County has White Plains as its county seat, while Yonkers serves as its most populous city.
The trial Court system in Westchester County consists of a supreme court, a county court, family courts, a surrogate's court, city courts, and village and town courts. The judge of the Westchester County Supreme Court exercises the highest jurisdiction within the county and hears all criminal and civil cases, including felonies, criminal misdemeanors, lesser offenses, civil claims for amounts up to $25,000, and civil lawsuits exceeding the inferior courts' jurisdictions.
The Westchester County Court has the authority to hear county-based criminal offenses, including felonies and civil claims for $25,000 or less. It also has appellate jurisdiction over cases beginning from the City Courts and the Village and Town Courts.
The Family Court exclusively presides over suits involving family and children, including adoptions, child protective proceedings, child custody, and juvenile delinquency. It also shares jurisdiction with the Surrogate's Court over guardianship and adoption cases.
The Westchester County Surrogate's Court hears all probate cases like wills and trusts, administration of decedents' estates, and guardianships and conservatorships.
Village and Town Courts in Westchester County, which are also known as Justice Courts, are limited jurisdiction courts. They typically handle municipal-based misdemeanors, landlord-tenant disputes, civil claims for $3,000 or less, vehicle/traffic infractions, and other municipal code violations.
Westchester County maintains detailed records of activities during case trials. They include charging documents, docket sheets, case transcripts, court orders, and judgments. These court records are also essential for broadening the public's understanding of judicial processes and promoting the county court's accountability and transparency. Several court records are routinely created during various case trials in Yellowstone County, including:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Divorce records
- Probate records
- Juvenile court records
The Westchester County Court Clerk's Office is in charge of court records administration and management. It also handles requests for non-confidential court records from interested persons. New York State's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) classifies court records as public records subject to public disclosure. Requesters can conduct online court record lookups using the state's eCourt service. In addition, they can also request court records by mail or in person at the Westchester Clerk's Office or the courthouses where their court trials occurred.
