| County Clerk | Kings County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Check the county website |
| Phone | Listed on the clerk website |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Kings County is Brooklyn, and its court system is one of the busiest in the state. The Kings County Clerk is a separate office from the courts themselves: it indexes and stores Supreme Court civil filings, judgments, and business certificates, and provides a free online case search for index numbers, parties, and filed documents (registration is required to view most documents).
Criminal felony cases are Supreme Court cases too, but the County Clerk's office does not index every criminal filing the way it does civil cases; case status for pending criminal matters is better checked through the statewide WebCrims system. Misdemeanors are heard in the Criminal Court of the City of New York, Kings County part, which keeps its own records separate from the County Clerk. Smaller civil claims, small claims, and landlord-tenant matters go to the Civil Court of the City of New York, also a separate office.
Family Court and Surrogate's Court each have their own chief clerk and courthouse in Brooklyn. None of these three city-wide or specialty courts publish through the County Clerk's search.
Search Kings County court records online
County Clerk
Kings County Clerk
- Cost
- Free case search; fees for copies and certification
- Coverage
- Supreme Court civil case index, judgments, liens, and business certificate filings for Kings County
- Records
- Civil
Registration is required to view most filed documents; the index search itself does not require an account. For criminal case status, use WebCrims instead.
Other courts
Criminal Court of the City of New York
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, violations, and arraignments in the Kings County part of the city-wide Criminal Court
- Records
- Criminal
Not indexed by the County Clerk; search pending cases through WebCrims.
Other courts
Civil Court of the City of New York
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Civil claims up to $50,000, small claims, and Housing Part (landlord-tenant) cases in the Kings County part
- Records
- Civil
A separate office from the County Clerk; small claims records are limited in what is searchable online.
Other courts
WebCrims
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Pending criminal case information for Kings County courts
- Records
- Criminal
Statewide portal; use it for status on pending Kings County criminal matters.
What is available online
The County Clerk's online search covers Supreme Court civil index numbers and business filings, but a free account is required to see document images for most cases. It does not include criminal case status, Family Court, Surrogate's Court, or the city-wide Criminal and Civil Courts, each of which keeps its own separate system. Same-day filings may not appear in any search until they are processed and indexed.
Which clerk has your record
In New York, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the New York page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| County Court | Felony criminal cases outside New York City; Civil cases up to $50,000 (concurrent with Supreme Court); Appeals from town, village, and city courts in some counties | County Clerk, acting as Clerk of the County Court |
| Family Court | Child custody and visitation; Child support and paternity; Abuse, neglect, and juvenile delinquency | Chief Clerk of the Family Court for that county |
| Surrogate's Court | Probate of wills; Administration of estates without a will; Guardianship | Surrogate's Court Clerk for that county |
| New York City Criminal Court and Civil Court | Misdemeanors and violations (Criminal Court); Arraignments and desk-appearance tickets (Criminal Court); Civil claims up to $50,000 and small claims (Civil Court) | Chief Clerk of the Criminal Court or Civil Court of the City of New York, by borough |
| District Court | Misdemeanors; Civil claims up to $15,000; Small claims | Clerk of the District Court |
| City Courts | Misdemeanors and violations within city limits; Civil claims up to the city court's jurisdictional limit; Small claims | City Court Clerk for that city |
| Town and Village Justice Courts | Traffic infractions and vehicle and traffic law violations; Local ordinance violations; Small claims | Court Clerk for that town or village justice court |
Request records in person or by mail
Supreme Court civil records. Search the County Clerk's online index by index number or party name. Register for a free account to view most filed documents, or visit the clerk's office in person to use a public terminal. Certified copies must be requested from the clerk's office directly.
Criminal Court and Civil Court of the City of New York records. These are not part of the County Clerk's system. Contact the Kings County part of the Criminal Court or Civil Court directly, or check case status through WebCrims for pending criminal matters.
Family Court and Surrogate's Court records. Contact the chief clerk of each court in Brooklyn separately; Family Court records are confidential and generally not available to the public.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in New York |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Copy and certification fees charged by County Clerks are set under CPLR 8021 and related sections, but amounts and per-page rates are not uniform across every county's published fee schedule. Confirm the current fee with the specific clerk's office before mailing payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
New York court records are generally open, but several categories are restricted or sealed by statute:
The New York guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Kings County Clerk have criminal case records?
Not in the same way it handles civil filings. Felony cases are Supreme Court cases, but pending criminal case status is better checked through the statewide WebCrims system, and misdemeanors are in the separate Criminal Court of the City of New York.
Where do I look up a Brooklyn misdemeanor case?
In the Criminal Court of the City of New York, Kings County part. It is a city-wide court system separate from the County Clerk, and it is not searchable through the County Clerk's website.
How do I search Brooklyn Supreme Court civil cases online?
Use the Kings County Clerk's online case search by index number or party name. The index search is free; a free registered account is required to view most filed documents.
Are Kings County small claims cases online?
Small claims are heard in the Civil Court of the City of New York, not by the County Clerk, and online searching of small-claims case files is limited. Contact the Civil Court directly.
Sources
- Kings County Clerk's Office (online case search) — https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webccos/kingscc/home
- New York City Criminal Court — https://www.nycourts.gov/new-york-city-criminal-court
- New York City Civil Court — https://www.nycourts.gov/new-york-city-civil-court
- WebCrims — https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcrim_attorney/
- New York Courts — The Courts (structure overview) — https://www.nycourts.gov/courts
- New York State Courts eCourts — https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/ecourtsMain
- NYSCEF Case Search — https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/CaseSearch
- New York Official Reports (Court of Appeals and Appellate Division decisions) — https://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/Decisions.shtml
- DCJS Record Review Program — https://criminaljustice.ny.gov/ojis/recordreview.htm
- Criminal Procedure Law 160.50 — Sealing of favorable dispositions — https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CPL/160.50
- Criminal Procedure Law 160.59 — Sealing of certain convictions — https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CPL/160.59
- Domestic Relations Law 235 — Matrimonial action records — https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/DOM/235
- Judiciary Law 255 — Clerks to furnish copies — https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/JUD/255
- CPLR 8021 — Fees chargeable by county clerks — https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/8021
- PACER — Federal court records — https://pacer.uscourts.gov/
See also: all New York counties.