How to Search Nassau County Court Records
The state runs the main search tools for Nassau County Court records. Civil Supreme and County Court cases sit in WebCivil Supreme. Criminal cases with a future court date sit in WebCriminal. Electronically filed cases also show up in the NYSCEF guest case search. The Nassau County Clerk holds older paper court files for Supreme and County Court at 240 Old Country Road in Mineola, the "blue building" the clerk's FAQ describes.
Before starting a Nassau County Court records search, pin down four things: the court (Supreme, County, District, Surrogate's, Family, City, Town, or Village), the case or index number if known, the names of the parties, and a rough year. Some Nassau courts go back to 1983 in WebCivil. Older files often need a clerk visit or a paid search by the County Clerk.
The following step-by-step shows the most common online path for Supreme or County Court civil cases. For District Court civil and landlord-tenant matters, the same flow works on WebCivil Local. Sealed files, divorce decrees, and matrimonial papers do not show up online.
- Open WebCivil Supreme search and pick a search mode: Index Search, Party Search, Attorney/Firm Search, or Justice Search.
- Type the name or number. Party search wants the last name first. Index search wants the index number with no extra text.
- Pick Nassau County Supreme Court or Nassau County Court from the Court list. Hold Ctrl to add both.
- Filter by year of filing if you know it. Choose case status: Open (Active, Restored) or All.
- Sort by year filed, party name, or court appearance date and run the search.
- Click the index number to read the docket. Use the County Clerk fee schedule when you need a certified copy.
The Nassau County Judicial System
New York's court names are unusual. The Supreme Court is the statewide trial court of general jurisdiction, not the highest appellate court. In Nassau, Supreme Court handles civil claims above $25,000, matrimonial matters, and special proceedings. County Court takes felony criminal cases and some lower-value civil work. The Court of Appeals in Albany sits at the top of the appellate ladder, and Nassau appeals first go to the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department in Brooklyn.
Nassau has a District Court that most New York counties do not. New York created District Courts only in Nassau and parts of Suffolk. Nassau District Court at 99 Main Street in Hempstead handles civil claims up to $15,000, small claims and commercial small claims up to $5,000, landlord-tenant cases, misdemeanors, violations, infractions, felony arraignments, and traffic tickets charging a crime. Long Beach and Glen Cove also run their own city courts.
Case flow: District Court › County Court › Supreme Court › Appellate Division, Second Department › Court of Appeals
| Court | Nassau Role | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court | General trial | Civil over $25,000, matrimonial, special proceedings, foreclosure |
| County Court | County-level trial | Felonies, limited civil to $25,000 |
| District Court | Lower trial | Misdemeanors, civil up to $15,000, small claims, landlord-tenant, traffic crimes |
| Surrogate's Court | Specialized trial | Wills, estates, administration, guardianship of estate |
| Family Court | Specialized trial | Child protection, custody, support, paternity, PINS, juvenile delinquency |
| City Courts (Long Beach, Glen Cove) | Local trial | Local civil, criminal, traffic within city limits |
| Appellate Division, 2nd Dept. | Intermediate appellate | Appeals from Nassau trial courts |
| Court of Appeals | Highest state court | Final state-law appeals |
Nassau County Courthouses
Nassau's court campus is in Mineola, with District Court in Hempstead. The buildings sit close together and have similar names, so use the exact street address for GPS. Family Court and matrimonial cases moved on June 2, 2025 to a new complex at 101 County Seat Drive; the old Family Court in Westbury and the old Matrimonial Center on County Seat Drive closed May 30, 2025. The 10th Judicial District Nassau page lists each location and its phone numbers.
The 10th Judicial District landing page gives the court locator for Nassau. The image below opens the official page where each court is listed with address and phone.
The court locator links to Supreme, County, District, Surrogate's, Family, and the Long Beach and Glen Cove city courts. Each profile lists the chief clerk's number, which is the right contact for record questions.
County & Surrogate's Court
262 Old Country Road
Mineola, NY 11501
516-493-3710 / 516-493-3800
Nassau County Clerk
240 Old Country Road
Mineola, NY 11501
516-571-2660 (general)
The Nassau County Clerk office overview lists hours and the specific room each record lives in. The image below shows the official overview.
The Court Records Document Room is Room 106. The Land Recording Department is Room 105 and closes for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30. Plan a visit around those windows.
Types of Court Records Available in Nassau County
Nassau records split by court and by record type. Each Nassau court keeps its own files, and the County Clerk holds Supreme and County Court files for long-term storage. Family, Surrogate's, City, Town, and Village Courts keep their own files through their clerks.
The full set of Nassau County Court records ranges from civil complaints and felony indictments down to small claims judgments and traffic tickets. Land records, business filings, and judgments are also Clerk records.
- Civil Supreme - Complaints, answers, motions, orders, judgments, notes of issue, e-filed docs in NYSCEF when public.
- Felony County Court - Indictments, pleas, sentences, certificates of disposition, sealed under CPL where the law applies.
- District Court civil and criminal - Civil up to $15,000, small claims to $5,000, landlord-tenant, misdemeanors, violations, traffic crimes.
- Surrogate's Court - Wills, probate petitions, letters testamentary, small estates, accountings.
- Family Court - Custody, support, paternity, family offense, juvenile, PINS, adoption. Not open to the general public.
- Matrimonial / divorce - Supreme Court files held by the Nassau County Clerk. Decrees go only to parties or the attorney of record.
- Traffic court records - District, City, Town, and Village Court tickets. DMV driving records are separate.
What Nassau County Court Records Show
A Nassau court record is a structured file. Each entry has a case or index number, the court, the parties, attorneys, filing date, status, and a docket of every motion, order, and appearance. Civil cases use index numbers; criminal cases use case or summons numbers. Older Supreme files in Nassau go back to 1983 in WebCivil, and to 1899 in the County Clerk's archive for some records.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case / Index Number | Nassau Supreme uses index numbers. WebCriminal also supports a summons number. |
| Court | Nassau Supreme, County, District, Surrogate's, Family, Long Beach, or Glen Cove. |
| Filing Date | When the case was filed. WebCivil filter goes back to 1983. |
| Parties | Plaintiff/petitioner, defendant/respondent, or corporation names. |
| Attorneys | Counsel of record, firm names, and phone numbers. |
| Charges or Cause | Civil cause of action, or criminal charge with statute. |
| Status | Open (Active, Restored), Disposed, or sealed. |
| Disposition | Dismissed, plea, conviction, judgment, settlement, or default. |
| Sentence or Judgment | Money amount, jail/probation, or order text. |
| Appearances | Future court dates and calendared parts. |
Public Access Laws for Nassau County Court Records
New York splits public access into two systems. Agency administrative records fall under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) in Public Officers Law Article 6. Court case files do not. The state courts page states plainly that FOIL does not work as a general case-file request system; court case access runs through court rules, the Judiciary Law, and case-specific statutes.
For Nassau county departments, the Nassau FOIL web form sends a request to the named custodian. Under the law, agencies generally have five business days to grant, deny, or acknowledge the request. The image below opens the FOIL legislative declaration.
Court files are public unless a statute or judge restricts them. Civil sealing needs good cause and written findings under court rule 22 NYCRR 216.1. Criminal records seal under several Criminal Procedure Law sections. Family Court files are not open to general inspection at all.
Key Statutes:
Public Officers Law § 84 - FOIL's legislative declaration; the public's business should be open to the public.
Public Officers Law § 87 - Agency access rights and exemptions, including privacy and law-enforcement carve-outs.
Judiciary Law § 4 - Court sittings are public, with limited exceptions.
Family Court Act § 166 - Family Court records are not open to indiscriminate public inspection.
CPL § 160.50 - Sealing after a criminal case ends in favor of the accused.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Several Nassau record types are not public. Domestic Relations Law § 235 restricts matrimonial files, which is why the Nassau County Clerk gives divorce decrees only to the parties or the attorney of record. DRL § 114 makes adoption records confidential. Mental health filings fall under Mental Hygiene Law § 33.13. Family Court files of every kind sit behind Family Court Act § 166.
The image below opens CPL § 160.50, the most common sealing path in Nassau criminal cases. A case that ends in dismissal or acquittal usually seals automatically.
New York seals records rather than expunges them. Law enforcement, courts, prosecutors, and licensing agencies may still see sealed files in limited situations. To view a sealed Nassau court file as a nonparty, file a motion in the court that issued the sealing order, with notice to the parties and the District Attorney where the case was criminal.
Specialty Courts in Nassau County
Nassau's specialty parts are listed on the official 10th Judicial District menu. Integrated Domestic Violence (IDV) brings related criminal, family, and matrimonial matters before one judge where the law allows. Commercial Division parts handle large business disputes. Foreclosure parts in Supreme Court hold the bulk of mortgage litigation, and the County Clerk charges a $400 index fee for a foreclosure.
District Court runs a Treatment Court at 516-493-4145. Opioid Court Information is linked from the 10th JD page. These problem-solving parts focus on substance use and court-supervised treatment, with regular judicial monitoring and coordinated services.
Nassau County Sheriff and Jail
The Nassau County Sheriff's Department runs the Nassau County Correctional Center at 100 Carman Avenue in East Meadow. General information is 516-572-4100; Inmate Records is 516-572-3802. The State Sheriffs' Institute names Anthony LaRocco as Sheriff. The department also runs the Enforcement Division, which executes warrants, evictions, and court orders.
Nassau does not publish a complete public jail roster on the reviewed official pages. For custody status, call Inmate Records or use VINELink at 1-888-846-3469. For more on inmate lookups, see the Nassau County inmate records page. For active warrant records, contact the court named on any paperwork; the Sheriff's Enforcement Division handles execution, not a public search.
Marriage, Divorce, and Surrogate's Court
Marriage licenses in Nassau are not held by the County Clerk. They are issued and kept by the three towns and two cities: Hempstead, North Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Long Beach, and Glen Cove. The Nassau County Clerk does hold historical marriage records from 1907 through April 29, 1935, and Supreme Court divorce decrees. See marriage and divorce records for the request process, and Nassau County Surrogate's Court records for wills, estates, letters testamentary, and small estates filed at 262 Old Country Road.
- Testator
- The person who made a will.
- Executor
- The person named in the will to handle the estate.
- Administrator
- The person named by Surrogate's Court when there is no will.
- Letters testamentary
- Surrogate's Court papers that let the executor act.
- Intestate
- Dying with no valid will.
- Small estate
- A simplified process for lower-value estates under SCPA Article 13.
Nassau County Court Records Fees
The Nassau County Clerk legal fee schedule sets the prices for filing, copies, and searches in Supreme and County Court. Plain copies cost $0.65 per page with a $1.30 minimum. Certified copies cost $1.25 per page with a $5 minimum. Name searches cost $5 per consecutive two-year period or fraction.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Index number | $210 |
| Index number, foreclosure | $400 |
| Request for Judicial Intervention | $95 |
| Note of Issue | $30 (RJI on file) |
| Jury Demand | $65 (Note of Issue on file) |
| Motion or Cross-Motion | $45 (RJI on file) |
| Notice of Appeal | $65 |
| Plain copy per page | $0.65 ($1.30 minimum) |
| Certified copy per page | $1.25 ($5 minimum) |
| Exemplification | $10 plus certification |
| Name search | $5 per consecutive 2-year period or fraction |
| Divorce judgment search | $5 |
The image below opens the official Nassau County Clerk legal division fee page where each item is listed in full.
The Clerk accepts MasterCard and Visa. Cash and checks are also taken at the counter. Mail requests need a notarized signature for matrimonial files.
How to Read a Nassau County Court Record
A Nassau docket can look dense. The index number runs as a number plus a year, like 12345/2024 or 612345/2024 in the e-filed format. The "RJI" line marks the Request for Judicial Intervention, the filing that brings the case under a judge's active management. A "Note of Issue" puts a civil case on the trial calendar. In criminal cases, the docket may show arraignment, plea, sentence, and a Certificate of Disposition at the close. Disposition codes like "ACD," "Adjourned in Contemplation of Dismissal," or "Sealed under 160.50" tell the outcome.
Charges are not convictions. A charge is what the arresting officer or grand jury alleges. A conviction follows a plea or verdict. Many Nassau arrests end without a conviction. Records that end in favor of the accused seal under CPL § 160.50, so a clean WebCriminal page often means a dismissal, not a missing arrest.
Accuracy and Record Limitations
Online portals can lag. WebCriminal posts an open notice that some cases see intermittent update delays. NYSCEF only shows cases that the court directs to e-file or that lawyers choose to e-file under the program. Older paper-only Supreme and County files live with the County Clerk and do not appear online.
Note: Always confirm a Nassau County Court record with the clerk's office before using it for legal, financial, or employment decisions.
History of Nassau County Courts
Nassau split from Queens County and became its own county in 1899. The Clerk's archive notes Nassau property records date to that year. The court campus grew around Mineola, the county seat. The newer 101 County Seat Drive complex took over Family Court and matrimonial business on June 2, 2025, after the old Westbury Family Court and Mineola Matrimonial Center closed on May 30, 2025. The County Clerk's "blue building" at 240 Old Country Road still stores court files going back decades, with millions of pages imaged in earlier modernization rounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search Nassau Supreme Court civil records online?
Use WebCivil Supreme. Pick Index, Party, Attorney, or Justice search, then choose Nassau County Supreme or Nassau County Court from the court list. WebCivil covers cases back to 1983. For e-filed documents, also try the NYSCEF guest case search.
Where are Nassau divorce records?
Nassau divorce decrees are kept by the Nassau County Clerk. Only the parties or the attorney of record may obtain a decree. Bring photo ID; mail requests need a notarized signature. Certified copies are $5 minimum for the first four pages and $1.25 per added page.
Does Nassau publish a public jail roster?
No. The Correctional Center page does not host a public inmate search. Call Inmate Records at 516-572-3802 or use VINELink for custody and release status. The Nassau inmate records page has the full set of options.
More on the Nassau County Court records FAQ page.