Putnam County, New York State Court Records
Putnam County court records are official legal documents prepared in the county in the course of court cases brought before the courts of Putnam County, New York. Examples of these documents include filings to initiate litigation, judgments entered against parties, orders entered at various stages of a case, and historical information for each case.
The primary source for these documents is the office of the Clerk of Putnam County. This office retains all civil and criminal case files and provides open access to most of them through New York's court records access statutes.
Like other government records, court records do not exist in a vacuum. For example, if a law enforcement agency, such as the Putnam County Sheriff's Department, creates an arrest record leading to court charges, there will be a connection between this record and the judicial process. In addition, when a person dies and their estate must go through probate, their probate-related court records often cross-reference other records, such as death and birth certificates.
Are Putnam County Court Records Public?
Yes, Putnam County court records are generally public records and available to the general public. Members of the general public may access court records, for example, civil or criminal case documents, subject only to statutory exemptions from disclosure.
Two key legislative provisions determine this right of access to public records. New York's freedom of information law (FOIL) is codified under Article 6 of the New York State Public Officers Law. Article 6 establishes a personal right to obtain government records. Pursuant to Public Officers Law § 87, agencies must provide personal inspection of their records at no fee for the inspection itself, with fees charged only for copies made.
The Putnam County Clerk's office accepts foil requests by mail, email and hand delivery. However, certain types of records will be restricted as exempt from public disclosure. These include, but are not limited to, secluded criminal records pursuant to criminal procedure, juvenile delinquency records, adoptees' birth records, and all other records that have been subjected to a protective order. Also, records involving currently pending investigations and records covered by protective orders may be withheld in order to prevent disclosures that would threaten an individual's privacy or compromise the integrity of any case.
What Information is Available in Putnam County Court Records?
Most likely, a file in Putnam County Court will have some or all of this type of data:
- Names of everyone who is suing, being sued, as well as names of the attorneys for each party
- The number assigned to that case by the county court clerk, and when it was filed
- What type of case is it (family law, civil lawsuit, criminal offense, or probate matter)
- Judgments and court orders were entered into that case.
- Any charges filed with the court in a criminal case.
- Information on what happened with the defendant after conviction
- Information about bail or bonds that were posted.
- Copies of motions and other documents that are legally required to be filed in both sides'respective positions.
- Dates of hearings and trials
- A jury's findings.
- If an appeal has been filed, the results of that appeal.
- Warrant that may have been issued by the court.
- Orders for restraining or protective orders.
- Conditions of Probation or Parole.
- Amounts of money awarded to successful plaintiffs in civil lawsuits.
- Liens on property and judgments that have been placed against a person.
- Decrees of Divorce and Custody agreements made in divorce proceedings.
- Records related to Guardianships and Conservatorships.
- Records related to Wills accepted by the court for Probate.
- Lists of witnesses that either side may call at the hearing or trial.
- Subpoenas issued to obtain testimony from one or more witnesses
Putnam County Court Records Search
Online Access
New York State has a number of public government portals in which interested persons may search Putnam County court records for free:
- The NYSCEF portal is used to locate electronically filed civil cases
- The WebCriminal portal will allow checks on criminal case status
- The eCourts Case Search allows searching the Supreme Court Civil Docket for Putnam County Cases
Please note that while there are many ways to obtain Putnam County Court Records, different types of cases have varying levels of access. In addition, some types of cases may not be accessible online.
In-Person Access
Interested parties may visit the office of the Putnam County Clerk located at 40 Gleneida Avenue in Carmel, New York. The clerk's hours of operation are from 9 am until 5 pm, Monday through Friday. The staff members of the Putnam County Clerk's Office are willing to assist searchers in finding the files associated with their case.
Mail and Phone Request
To make a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the Putnam County Clerk by mail, requesters should send their requests along with case information and a self-addressed envelope to the address listed above. Typically, processing time for requests received by mail is five to twenty business days. Two forms of payment are accepted for copies obtained from the Putnam County Clerk.
Fees for Court Records in Putnam County
There is no fee to view Putnam County Court Records, as they are available to the general public. The costs of reproducing Court Records are incurred when requesters request copies. In addition, persons who need any special services, such as certification, will incur additional costs for those services. Under New York Public Officers Law § 87, the following standard fees shall be applied:
- Photocopies: 25 cents per page
- Certified Copies: usually $5.00 to $10.00
- Search Fees: may apply where clerks must search older or archived records.
The New York State Unified Court System applies its own fee schedules for court-specific documents, such as Certified Judgments and Certified Dispositions. As a result, these fee schedules may vary slightly from those charged by the County Clerk's office.
It is also important to note that the fees assessed by each County Clerk's office may change periodically. Therefore, it would be advisable to contact the Putnam County Clerk's Office prior to making a request. Searching online on official state websites, such as NYSCEF and eCourts, is free of charge.
Putnam County Courthouse Locations
Supreme Courts in Putnam County
Putnam County Supreme Court
20 County Center, Carmel, NY 10512
Phone: 845-208-7830
Fax: 845-208-7869
County Courts in Putnam County
Putnam County Court
20 County Center, Carmel, NY 10512
Phone: 845-208-7830
Fax: 845-208-7869
Family Courts in Putnam County
Putnam County Family Court
20 County Center, Carmel, NY 10512
Phone: 845-208-7805
Fax: 845-228-9614
Surrogate's Courts in Putnam County
Putnam County Surrogate's Court
44 Gleneida Avenue, Carmel, NY 10512
Phone: 845-208-7860
Fax: 845-431-1936
Town Courts and Village Courts in Putnam County
Brewster Village Court
50 Main Street, Brewster, NY 10509
Phone: 845-279-4020
Fax: 845-278-7653
Carmel Justice Court
Town Hall
60 McAlpin Avenue, Mahopac, NY 10541
Phone: 845-628-1500
Fax: 845-628-4550
Cold Spring Justice Court
87 Main Street, Cold Spring, NY 10516
Phone: 845-265-9070
Kent Justice Court
25 Sybil's Crossing, Kent Lakes, NY 10512
Phone: 845-225-1606
Fax: 845-306-5280
Nelsonville Village Court
258 Main Street, Nelsonville, NY 10516
Phone: 845-265-2500
Patterson Justice Court
1144 Route 311, PO Box 416
Patterson, NY 12563
Phone: 845-878-1080
Fax: 845-878-1018
Philipstown Justice Court
238 Main Street, PO Box 155, Cold Spring, NY 10516
Phone: 845-265-2951
Fax: 845-265-3948
Putnam Valley Justice Court
265 Oscawana Lake Road, Putnam Valley, NY 10579
Phone: 845-526-3050
Fax: 845-526-2930
Southeast Justice Court
1360 Route 22, Brewster, NY 10509
Phone: 845-279-8939
Fax: 845-279-1612
Criminal Records Access in Putnam County
In Putnam County, criminal record searches are handled at two levels, depending on what searchers are looking for. The New York State Division of Criminal Justice (DCJS) is a statewide organization that processes and manages official criminal history background checks.
The county courts in Putnam County handle all local records related to their cases, including arraignments, misdemeanors, felonies, etc. Most of these documents will be available from either the Putnam County Clerk's office or the courtroom where the case was heard. Some records can also be searched using the county's online court search tool. However, due to privacy laws, full access usually requires filing an in-person request with a written application or paying a fee for copies.
Putnam County Probate Records
Putnam County probate records are court records and estate administration proceedings for the estates of deceased persons and certain legal protective matters. These records are managed in the county through the Putnam County Surrogate's Court. The types of documentation included in the probate file can range from wills to petitions for estate administration, trusts, guardianship proceedings, conservatorship proceedings, heirship proceedings, and appointments of an executor.
Putnam County Family Court Records
Records of all family court matters that have occurred in Putnam County can be found at the Putnam County Family Court and within related New York court systems. These records pertain to divorce, child custody, visitation, child support, spousal support, petitions for domestic violence orders, paternity matters, guardianship proceedings, juvenile proceedings, and adoptions. Most family law records are kept by the courts. However, some of this record is accessible via New York State's public online portal.
Users can view limited information about an open case, including who has appeared in court and when. The majority of family court records, however, are closed to protect minor children or to maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive personal financial information. Adoption records are also sealed and are therefore completely unavailable. Users wishing to obtain copies of their own court records must either go to the courthouse where the matter was heard or formally request them from the court clerk. Certified copies of Judgments or orders, or certified copies of other official documents, will require user identification and payment of a fee for both copying and certification. Different types of cases may result in different levels of access for the user based on how long ago the case was filed
Federal Court Records in Putnam County
Federal records of court proceedings involving a resident of Putnam County are usually maintained by the federal judicial system rather than local courts. The types of records that would typically fall into this category include bankruptcy filings, immigration records, cases involving federal law, cases against federal agencies, and other cases involving the U.S. Constitution. In addition to all the surrounding counties, Putnam County lies within the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Records that exist federally can normally be found online at no cost via PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records)using either your own login information or a free login. Once you have logged in, you will be able to view case dockets, pleadings filed in connection with each case, orders entered, and scheduling events associated with each case.
