Delaware County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Delaware County in 2026
DelawareCountyRecords.org provides access to publicly available information related to court records in Delaware County, New York. Members of the public seeking court records may find case-related data including docket entries, party names, filing dates, case types, and disposition information, subject to applicable access restrictions under state law and court rules. The following record categories are among those that may be available through official channels:
- Criminal court records (felony, misdemeanor, and violation cases)
- Civil court records (contract disputes, tort claims, and money judgments)
- Family court records (custody, support, and family offense matters, where not sealed)
- Surrogate's Court records (probate, estate administration, and guardianship)
- Traffic and vehicle and traffic law matters
- Small claims court records
- Supreme Court civil and matrimonial filings
Court records in Delaware County may be searched through several official methods. Members of the public may visit the clerk of court in person, use courthouse public access terminals, search through the New York State Unified Court System's online tools, submit written or mail requests to the appropriate court, or consult state-level judicial search platforms. Each method carries distinct access conditions, fees, and informational requirements.
1. Clerk of Court or Court Records Office The Delaware County Clerk's Office serves as the official repository for Supreme Court and County Court records. Members of the public may present themselves at the clerk's office during business hours and request access to case files by providing the case number, party name, or filing year. Staff may assist in locating records within the office's holdings.
Delaware County Clerk's Office
3 Courthouse Square, PO Box 426
Delhi, NY 13753
Phone: (607) 746-2123
Delaware County Clerk
2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals Public access computer terminals are available at the Delaware County Courthouse. These terminals allow members of the public to search case index information without charge during regular court hours. Terminal searches do not always provide full document images but do provide docket-level information.
3. Online Court Search The New York State Unified Court System operates the eCourts case search portal, which provides online access to civil Supreme Court case information statewide, including Delaware County. Criminal case information may be accessed through the WebCrims system for criminal court matters.
4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools The New York State Courts Electronic Filing system (NYSCEF) provides electronic access to filed documents in cases that have been e-filed. Not all Delaware County cases are e-filed, and access to certain document types may require registration or attorney credentials.
5. Written or Mail Requests Members of the public who cannot appear in person may submit written requests to the Delaware County Clerk's Office. Requests should include the full case caption or case number, the type of record sought, and the requester's contact information. Fees for copies apply under the current court fee schedule.
Are Court Records Public in Delaware County
Court records in Delaware County are subject to the public access provisions of the New York Judiciary Law and the New York Civil Rights Law, which establish a presumption of openness for judicial proceedings and records. Under current law, the public has the right to inspect and copy court records unless a specific statutory or judicial authority restricts access.
Records that are at present open to public inspection include:
- Civil docket entries and case indexes
- Filed pleadings, motions, and orders in civil matters
- Criminal court dockets, indictments, and judgments of conviction
- Surrogate's Court filings in probate and estate matters
- Small claims judgments
- Supreme Court decisions and orders
Records that may be confidential, sealed, redacted, or restricted under current law include:
- Juvenile delinquency and persons in need of supervision (PINS) records, which are sealed pursuant to New York Family Court Act § 375.1
- Adoption records, which are sealed by statute
- Mental hygiene and involuntary commitment proceedings
- Sealed criminal records following successful motions under New York Criminal Procedure Law § 160.50
- Records containing protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth, which are subject to redaction requirements
- Certain matrimonial records where the court has issued a sealing order
A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While a record may be physically inspectable at the clerk's office, the same record may not be available through an online portal due to digitization limitations or court policy. Older records, particularly those predating electronic filing, exist in paper or microfilm format and require in-person access.
What Are Court Records in Delaware County?
Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court or its clerk in connection with a judicial proceeding. In Delaware County, court records are maintained by the Delaware County Clerk's Office for Supreme Court and County Court matters, and by individual court clerks for Family Court, Surrogate's Court, and lower courts.
A docket entry is a chronological log of all actions taken in a case, while a full case file contains the actual documents filed by parties and issued by the court. Civil court records arise from disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document the prosecution of individuals charged with offenses under state law. Filed pleadings are the initial documents that commence or respond to a case, whereas final judgments represent the court's ultimate resolution of the matter.
Public filings are those submitted to the court without restriction and available for inspection under applicable law. Sealed or restricted filings have been removed from public access by court order or statute. Trial court records originate in the court of first instance, while appellate records are created when a party challenges a lower court's decision before the Appellate Division or the Court of Appeals.
Court records are created at the moment of filing and are updated continuously as the case progresses through motions, hearings, orders, and final disposition. Upon conclusion of a case, the record is closed but retained in accordance with the applicable judicial records retention schedule.
What's Included in a Delaware County Court Record?
A court record in Delaware County may include, depending on case type and applicable public-access rules, the following categories of information:
- Case identification: case number, court name and division, and filing date
- Party information: names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and attorneys of record
- Case classification: case type, sub-type, and current status
- Docket entries: a chronological log of all filings, hearings, orders, and actions taken in the case
- Hearing information: scheduled and past hearing dates, continuances, and adjournments
- Filed documents: complaints, petitions, answers, motions, affidavits, notices, stipulations, and supporting papers
- Court orders and judgments: interim orders, final judgments, decrees, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, and appellate decisions
- Outcome information: dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, acquittals, and dispositions
- Financial and administrative data: filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed
Records that are excluded or restricted from the public case file include sealed filings, expunged criminal records, juvenile case files, adoption records, protected personal identifiers subject to redaction, and certain exhibits that have been impounded by court order.
Types of Courts in Delaware County
Delaware County is served by several courts within the New York State Unified Court System. The court structure currently operating in Delaware County includes the following:
- Supreme Court: A court of general jurisdiction that hears major civil cases, felony criminal matters, and matrimonial proceedings. The Delaware County Clerk maintains Supreme Court records.
- County Court: Hears felony criminal cases and certain civil matters. Records are maintained by the County Clerk.
- Family Court: Handles matters involving custody, visitation, child support, family offenses, juvenile delinquency, and PINS proceedings. Records are maintained by the Family Court clerk.
- Surrogate's Court: Has jurisdiction over probate, estate administration, guardianship of minors, and adoption proceedings. Records are maintained by the Surrogate's Court clerk.
- Delaware County Court of Common Pleas / Town and Village Justice Courts: Handle misdemeanor and violation cases, traffic infractions, small claims, and landlord-tenant matters at the local level. Each justice court maintains its own records.
Delaware County Supreme and County Court
3 Courthouse Square
Delhi, NY 13753
Phone: (607) 746-2131
New York State Courts – Delaware County
What Types of Cases Do Delaware County Courts Hear
Delaware County courts hear a broad range of matters. The Supreme Court and County Court handle felony criminal prosecutions, major civil disputes, and matrimonial actions. Family Court addresses custody, support, family offense petitions, juvenile delinquency, and PINS cases. Surrogate's Court administers probate and estate matters. Town and village justice courts, which are courts of limited jurisdiction, handle misdemeanors, traffic infractions, small claims up to $10,000, and summary proceedings such as evictions. Appeals from lower courts proceed to the Appellate Division, Third Department, which has jurisdiction over Delaware County.
How to Search Delaware County Court Records for Free?
Members of the public may search Delaware County court records at no cost through several methods. In-person inspection of records at the Delaware County Clerk's Office is free of charge during regular business hours. The courthouse public access terminals provide free docket-level searches. The eCourts civil case search and WebCrims criminal case search portals operated by the New York State Unified Court System are available to the public without charge.
Fees apply when copies or certified copies of records are requested. Under the current fee schedule established by the New York State Unified Court System and Judiciary Law § 255, the following charges are applicable:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy (per page) | $0.65 |
| Certified copy (per document) | $1.25 plus per-page copy fee |
| County Clerk certification | $5.00 per document |
| Search fee (clerk-conducted) | Variable by office |
Electronic access through NYSCEF is free for viewing documents in e-filed cases, though printing or downloading may incur standard copy fees.
How Long Does Delaware County Keep Court Records?
The retention of court records in Delaware County is governed by the New York State Archives Records Retention and Disposition Schedule CO-2 for local government records and the judicial records retention schedules issued by the Office of Court Administration. Retention periods vary by case type and record category.
Under current retention rules, the following periods apply to major record categories:
- Civil judgment dockets: Retained permanently as part of the official court record
- Felony criminal case files: Retained for a minimum of 75 years following final disposition
- Misdemeanor and violation case files: Retained for a minimum of 10 years following final disposition
- Surrogate's Court probate records: Retained permanently
- Family Court records: Retained for a minimum of 10 years, with juvenile records subject to sealing and separate retention rules
- Traffic infraction records: Retained for a minimum of 4 years
Some records are retained permanently, including judgment dockets, court minutes, and official registers. Paper files may be destroyed after imaging or microfilming, provided the reproduced copy meets archival standards. Destruction of a record is distinct from sealing or expungement: a sealed record continues to exist but is restricted from public access, while an expunged record is treated as if it never existed under applicable law. Older Delaware County court records, including those dating from 1797, exist in paper, microfilm, and microfiche formats and are accessible through the Delaware County historical court records collection maintained by the New York courts history program.
How To Find a Court Docket in Delaware County
A court docket is the official chronological index of all actions, filings, and proceedings in a specific case. It differs from the full case file in that it records what happened and when, rather than containing the actual documents filed. A docket entry may note that a motion was filed without including the motion itself.
Members of the public may locate Delaware County court dockets through the following methods:
- eCourts online portal: The New York eCourts civil case search allows users to search Supreme Court civil dockets by party name, attorney name, or index number. Results display docket entries, hearing dates, and case status.
- WebCrims: The WebCrims system provides docket-level information for criminal cases, including scheduled appearance dates and case status.
- Courthouse public terminals: Terminals located at the Delaware County Courthouse provide docket searches for cases within the court's jurisdiction.
- In-person clerk request: Members of the public may request a docket printout from the Delaware County Clerk's Office by providing the case number or party name.
A court docket at present contains hearing dates, continuances, motion filings, minute entries, orders issued, and status updates. A docket does not include full document images unless the case is e-filed and documents are available through NYSCEF. Sealed entries, confidential attachments, and impounded exhibits do not appear on the public docket. Motion calendars and daily hearing rosters for Delaware County courts may be available through the New York State Courts calendar system or by contacting the court clerk directly.
As noted by the New York State Unified Court System, "the public has a right to access court records, subject to the rules and statutes that protect certain sensitive information." The Delaware County Clerk's Office serves as the primary point of contact for docket inquiries related to Supreme Court and County Court matters, while individual court clerks handle docket requests for Family Court, Surrogate's Court, and justice court proceedings.