Monroe County Court Records Lookup

How to Search Monroe County Court Records

Monroe County does not run one single court records portal. The state runs the case search systems, and the County Clerk runs a separate land and court index. The right tool depends on the court that holds the file. For Supreme Court civil cases, use WebCivil Supreme. For pending criminal cases, use WebCriminal. For estates, use WebSurrogate. For land, judgments, and indexed Clerk records, use SearchIQS through the County Clerk.

Before you start, gather what you have. A party name and a year is the bare minimum. An index or docket number speeds the search and often pulls the exact file. For sealed matters, plan to show ID at the Clerk's window. The Clerk charges a search fee when staff must do the lookup for you.

The county's official court records portal page is a useful starting point for forms, fees, and links. A look at the Monroe County Clerk records page shows the Clerk's copy fees, certificate of disposition rules, and the link to SearchIQS for online searching.

The page sets out which records the Clerk holds, lists the per-page copy and certified copy costs, and tells you how to mail, fax, or walk in a request. Use the steps below to run a basic case lookup.

1. Pick the court that handles the case type. Civil Supreme matters go to WebCivil Supreme. Felony criminal matters go to County Court. Estates go to Surrogate's Court. Family matters go to Family Court.
2. Open the matching state portal at the NY Courts e-Courts hub. Use WebCivil Supreme for civil, WebCriminal for pending criminal, and WebSurrogate for probate.
3. Enter the party name, index number, or docket number. Limit the search to Monroe County to speed up results.
4. Review the docket entries. Note the index number, judge, court part, and most recent filings.
5. If you need a paper copy or a certificate of disposition, request it through the Monroe County Clerk. Mail or in-person requests use 39 West Main Street, Room 105, Rochester, NY 14614.

The Monroe County Judicial System

New York's court names are not the same as most other states. The Supreme Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction. It is not the court of last resort. In Monroe County, the Supreme Court hears major civil matters, equity cases, divorces, foreclosures, Article 78 proceedings, and name changes. County Court hears felony criminal matters and some civil and appellate work. Family Court is the county-level court for child and family issues. Surrogate's Court is the probate venue for wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, and adoptions.

Local courts handle the rest. Rochester City Court runs criminal, civil, small claims, housing, and traffic matters within the city. Town and village courts handle violations, misdemeanors, small claims, and traffic cases in their municipalities. Appeals from Monroe County trial courts move to the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, which sits in Rochester. The Court of Appeals in Albany is New York's highest court.

Case flow: Town/Village/City Court › County Court / Supreme Court › Appellate Division, Fourth Department › Court of Appeals

The chart below maps the main trial courts in the county and the records each one produces. The Monroe Supreme and County Court calendars page lists judges, the chief clerk, calendars, and the address for the Hall of Justice.

That same page also shows the supervising judges for civil and criminal parts and lists the chief clerk who runs day-to-day court operations.

Monroe County Courthouses

The main court complex is the Monroe County Hall of Justice at 99 Exchange Boulevard in downtown Rochester. The Hall of Justice houses Supreme and County Court, Family Court, Surrogate's Court, the Rochester City Court Civil Division, the 7th Judicial District Office, court reporters, and the Help Center. The Rochester City Court Criminal Division sits across the public-safety campus at the Public Safety Building, 150 South Plymouth Avenue. The County Clerk's records office is across Main Street at the County Office Building, 39 West Main Street.

Types of Monroe County Court Records

Court records in Monroe County split by court and case type. The County Clerk holds Supreme and County Court civil files, plus felony criminal files. Family Court holds family matters. Surrogate's Court holds estate files. The local City Court and town/village courts keep their own records. State agencies hold driver records, criminal history files, and sex offender registry data. The Sheriff publishes daily jail roster, census, received, and released PDFs.

The records below cover the full sweep of Monroe County court activity.

• Civil Supreme/County records - complaints, motions, orders, judgments, foreclosure papers, Article 78 petitions, name changes
• Felony criminal records - indictments, dispositions, sentences, and certificates of disposition through the County Clerk
• Matrimonial and divorce records - filed in Supreme Court; sealed by Domestic Relations Law §235
• Family Court records - custody, support, family offense, abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, adoption
• Surrogate's Court records - wills, probate, administration, small estate, guardianship, adoption
• Traffic court records - tickets in Rochester City Court and town/village justice courts; DMV holds the state driver abstract
• Jail custody records - Sheriff roster, census, received, and released PDFs updated each weekday

What Monroe County Court Records Show

A Monroe County court records search returns a docket. The docket lists the case identifiers, the parties, every filing date, the judge or part, and the disposition. Document content varies by court and case type. Civil files show complaints, motions, and judgments. Criminal files show charges, dispositions, and sentencing. Estate files show wills, accounting, and orders. Sealed and confidential items are hidden from the public view even when the case itself is searchable.

Public Access Laws for Monroe County Court Records

New York's open-records framework runs on two tracks. Agency records fall under the Freedom of Information Law in Public Officers Law Article 6. Court files do not. NY Courts states that court records are not requested under FOIL. Instead, court file access is governed mainly by Judiciary Law section 255 and a stack of court-specific statutes and rules. The right office to ask is the clerk of the court that holds the file. The Monroe County Clerk holds Supreme and County records; Surrogate's Court holds estate records; Family Court holds family matters; and local courts hold local files.

Most New York court matters are open by default. The exceptions are big: matrimonial files, sealed criminal cases, Family Court records, adoption records, and grand jury material are restricted by statute. Sex offense victim identifying information is also confidential under Civil Rights Law §50-b.

Records That Are Restricted or Confidential

Several record types are off limits to the general public. The Monroe County Clerk states divorce files are sealed and only the plaintiff, defendant, or attorneys of record may see them. Nonparties need a court order. Criminal cases that end in favor of the accused are sealed under CPL §160.50. Eligible old convictions may be sealed under CPL §160.59 after ten years, and the Clean Slate framework under CPL §160.57 adds automatic sealing for certain convictions after waiting periods.

Family Court records are limited by Family Court Act §166. Juvenile delinquency records may be sealed under Family Court Act §375.1. Adoption files are confidential. Mental health and treatment records are protected by Mental Hygiene Law §33.13. Grand jury proceedings are secret under Article 190 of the Criminal Procedure Law. To access a sealed file, the requester usually needs to be a party, an attorney of record, or an applicant under a court-approved exception.

Specialty Courts in Monroe County

Monroe County's Family Court runs a Domestic Violence Intervention Court. The court's reception window is at Room 300B on the third floor of the Hall of Justice. Family Court partners with the Center for Dispute Settlement to mediate custody and visitation matters. New York operates drug, mental health, veterans, and other problem-solving treatment courts statewide; Monroe-specific assignments are coordinated through the 7th Judicial District. Calendar checks and judge assignments for treatment courts should be confirmed through the local court or the 7th JD office at 585-371-3266.

Monroe County Sheriff and Jail

Sheriff Todd K. Baxter runs the Monroe County Sheriff's Office at 130 South Plymouth Avenue, Rochester. The office has been accredited since 1992 and runs the Police Bureau, Jail Bureau, Civil Bureau, Court Bureau, and Staff Services. The two main custody facilities are the Monroe County Jail at 130 South Plymouth Avenue and the Andrew P. Meloni: STAR Academy at the former Monroe Correctional Facility, 750 East Henrietta Road.

The Sheriff publishes daily roster, census, received, and released PDFs. The roster is a current alphabetical list with MCJ number, last name, first name, and date of entry. The census carries charge, judge, court, bail, bond, and court-date detail. The Sheriff's incarcerated individual page is the official source for all four reports plus visitation, money deposit, and PREA information.

The page links the roster, census, received report, and released report PDFs, plus the online visitation form. For the full inmate lookup walkthrough, see the Monroe County inmate records page. For active warrant questions, see the warrant records page.

Marriage, Divorce, and Surrogate's Court

Marriage licenses in New York are issued by city and town clerks, not the County Clerk. A marriage license copy comes from the clerk who first issued it. Divorce is a Supreme Court matter, and the Monroe County Clerk's page directs contested divorce questions to Supreme Court at 585-371-3758. Divorce files are sealed and only parties and counsel may view them. Probate goes to Surrogate's Court on the fifth floor of the Hall of Justice. See marriage and divorce records and Surrogate's Court records for full walkthroughs.

Testator

A person who makes a valid will.

Executor

The person named in a will to carry out the estate.

Letters Testamentary

Surrogate's Court order that gives the executor authority to act.

Small Estate

A simpler Surrogate's Court track for estates of limited value.

Guardianship

Court appointment of a person to manage another's affairs.

Monroe County Court Records Fees

The Monroe County Clerk publishes a clear fee list for court file copies and searches. Other courts have their own fee tables. State court forms and filing fees follow the NY Courts statewide schedules. Plan to pay the Clerk by check, cash, or credit card. Mail-in checks should be made payable to the Monroe County Clerk.

How to Interpret Monroe County Court Records

Docket entries use shorthand. Pleas, motions, and orders carry codes that mean different things in different courts. A charge filed is not a conviction. A disposition of "dismissed" or "ACOD" (adjournment in contemplation of dismissal) is not a guilty finding. A judgment in a civil case is enforceable until paid or vacated. Status codes on the jail census, like UNSENTENCED, mean the person is held pretrial and has not yet been convicted of the listed charge.

Sentence terms matter. Probation is a community supervision sentence. Parole is supervision after release from state prison. A bench warrant means a judge issued a warrant for a missed appearance; an arrest warrant follows from probable cause. Sealed cases under CPL §§160.50, 160.55, 160.57, or 160.59 will not appear in public results even though they once existed.

Accuracy and Record Limitations

Public databases lag behind the courtroom. A motion filed this morning may not show in WebCivil Supreme until later in the day. Jail PDFs are updated Monday through Friday and do not reflect weekend bookings until the next business day. For decisions that depend on the file - a job, a license, or a court appearance - confirm the record with the clerk that holds it.

History of Monroe County Courts

Monroe County's modern court system is anchored at the Hall of Justice in downtown Rochester. The building holds Supreme and County Court, Family Court, Surrogate's Court, the City Court Civil Division, the 7th Judicial District Office, and court reporters. Rochester is also the seat of the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, a regional appellate court for Western and Central New York. Local court administration sits within the Seventh Judicial District, which covers Cayuga, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, and Yates Counties. The Sheriff's Office has held law-enforcement accreditation since 1992.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I search Monroe County Supreme Court civil records?

Use WebCivil Supreme through the NY Courts e-Courts hub and limit the search to Monroe County. You can also use the Monroe County Clerk's SearchIQS database for Clerk-indexed public court and land records. If the search staff at the Clerk's office must run the lookup, the office charges $5 for every two years searched.

Are divorce records public in Monroe County?

No. The Monroe County Clerk states that divorce files are sealed. Only the plaintiff, defendant, or attorneys of record may access the file. A nonparty must get a court order. ID is required at the Clerk's window. The statewide rule is set by Domestic Relations Law §235. See the marriage and divorce records page for full steps.

Where do I get a Monroe County certificate of disposition?

Submit the Clerk's criminal certificate of disposition request form with as many case identifiers as you can find. The fee is $5. Defendants and defense attorneys need to show ID. Submit by mail to 39 West Main Street, Room 105, Rochester, NY 14614, by email to MCClerk@monroecounty.gov, or in person at the Clerk's office.

Does Monroe County publish a jail roster?

Yes. The Sheriff publishes a daily roster, census, received report, and released report. The roster is updated Monday through Friday. The roster lists MCJ number, last name, first name, and date of entry. The census carries charge, bail, bond, court, and court-date detail. See the inmate records page for the full breakdown.

More on the Monroe County Court Records FAQ page.