Court records in Queens County, New York, can be found through several channels. QueensCourt.us allows you to search for public information about court cases in the county. Additionally, records are available through the official online systems of New York State courts, court clerks' offices, and public terminals directly in court buildings.
Queens Court System & Jurisdictions
Queens County is one of the five boroughs of New York City, and its court system is part of the unified structure of New York City. There is no separate county court in the traditional sense; instead, several courts of different jurisdictions operate here.
Supreme Court (Queens County) — a court of general jurisdiction. It handles civil cases with claims over $25,000, divorce cases, real estate disputes, and other complex civil claims. Criminal felony cases are also heard here after an indictment. The Queens County Clerk serves this court.
- Criminal Court of the City of New York (Queens) — misdemeanors, violations, arrest warrants. Information about arrest warrants can be obtained through the Criminal Court line or NYC311.
- Civil Court of the City of New York (Queens) — civil claims up to $50,000, eviction cases (Housing Part), small claims up to $10,000.
- Family Court (Queens) — custody, child support, protective orders, juvenile cases. Most Family Court records are closed to the public.
- Surrogate's Court (Queens County) — probate cases, will approvals, estate administrator appointments.
Traffic violations are handled by the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB), which is part of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and operates separately from the city's court system.
Queens Court Calendar & Upcoming Hearings
The schedule of hearings depends on the specific court.
- WebCriminal / WebCivil Supreme — the official system of the New York State Unified Court System (UCS). Through the iCourts portal on nycourts.gov, you can check the date of the next hearing in the Supreme Court or Criminal Court by entering the case number or party's last name.
- Criminal Court — the hearing calendar is available through the WebCriminal system. To find out the date and courtroom, you need the docket number or the defendant's last name.
- Civil Court / Small Claims — the schedule is published through WebCivil Local on nycourts.gov.
- Family Court — hearing schedules are usually not published online; the date of the hearing is communicated directly to the parties involved.
If you do not know the case number, contact the office of the relevant court. Public terminals in court buildings allow you to view the schedule for the current day.
How to Get a Copy of a Queens Court Document
The method of obtaining a copy depends on the type of court and document.
Certified vs. Uncertified Copies
A certified copy has the clerk's seal and legal force — it is required for submission to other courts, government agencies, or immigration services. An uncertified copy is suitable for review.
Channels for Obtaining
- Online: Through the ACRIS system, you can find real estate documents (deeds, mortgages, liens) for Queens. Supreme Court decisions are available through eFiling on nycourts.gov.
- In Person: Contact the Queens County Clerk for Supreme Court documents or the office of the relevant court (Criminal, Civil, Surrogate's).
- By Mail: Send a written request specifying the case number, parties' names, document type, and a check for the appropriate amount.
Divorce records are kept by the Queens County Clerk.
Queens County Clerk (Supreme Court)
To obtain a criminal history (rap sheet), you need to contact the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) — this is a separate procedure not related to the court clerk.
Queens Court Records Fees & Payment
Fees are set according to the CPLR and administrative orders of the New York State Unified Court System. Below are approximate fee amounts — check with the court office for current amounts, as they may change.
| Service | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing a civil claim (Supreme Court) | $210 (index number filing fee) |
| Filing a claim (Civil Court) | depends on the claim amount; from $45 |
| Small Claims — filing | $15–$20 |
| Copy of a document (per page) | $0.65 |
| Document certification | $1.25 per document |
| Index search (County Clerk) | $5 for every two years of search |
| Exemplified copy | additional fee beyond certification |
Payment is accepted by check, money order, or — in some cases — credit card. Not all offices accept cash. Checks are made payable to "Queens County Clerk" for Supreme Court cases or to the relevant court for other cases.
For searching state tax warrants, no separate fee is charged — the database is available online for free. Information about individuals in NYC custody can be checked through P.I.C. Lookup without payment.