Search Colonie Criminal Records
Criminal records in the Town of Colonie are held by the Colonie Town Court and by Albany County offices. Colonie sits in the 3rd Judicial District, and the town court handles misdemeanors, violations, and traffic offenses. Felony cases go to Albany County Court at 6 Lodge Street in Albany. The Albany County Clerk at 16 Eagle Street keeps court records for felony matters. Colonie has had some documented issues with court records access in the past, so it helps to know what to expect before you make a request.
Colonie Criminal Records Overview
Albany County Handles Colonie Cases
Colonie is part of Albany County. The Albany County Clerk at 16 Eagle Street, Room 128, Albany, NY 12207 keeps felony criminal records from County Court and Supreme Court. Call (518) 487-5100. You can inspect records in person for free under Judiciary Law 255. Copy fees are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 to $10.00 per document.
Albany County Court at the Judicial Center, 6 Lodge Street, Room 113, handles felony trials. The phone is 518-285-8777. Albany City Court at 1 Morton Avenue handles misdemeanors for the city of Albany, but Colonie has its own town court for local criminal matters. Both feed into the same county system for records storage.
The county runs Drug Treatment Court, Mental Health Court, and Veterans Court. If a Colonie case went through one of these special programs, the records may look different than a standard criminal case.
Colonie Town Court and Clerk
The Colonie Town Court handles misdemeanors, violations, and traffic cases for the town. There have been some documented challenges with accessing records from this court. In the past, the court clerk has required specific docket numbers for requests, which can make it harder to search when you do not have that info. The case Matter of Herrick v Town of Colonie involved litigation over records access. Be ready to provide as much case detail as you can when making a request.
The Colonie Town Clerk, Julie Gansle, is at Memorial Town Hall, 534 Loudon Road, Latham, NY 12110. Call (518) 783-2734. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with extended hours on Thursdays until 6:00 PM. The clerk handles vital records, town board records, and FOIL administration.
FOIL requests for Colonie go to the Town Attorney, not the Town Clerk. Mail them to Memorial Town Hall, Office of the Town Attorney, P.O. Box 508, Newtonville, NY 12128. You can also fax to (518) 786-7324. Include your name, address, phone, the department involved, and what records you need. Town Supervisor Paula A. Mahan can be reached at (518) 783-2728.
For court records specifically, contact the Town Court directly. Misdemeanor and traffic records stay with the court. Felony records move to the Albany County Clerk after disposition. If you are unsure which court handled a case, try WebCrims or the eCourts portal first.
How to Search Criminal Records
Use WebCrims for free lookup of active cases. It covers the 3rd Judicial District, which includes Colonie. Search by name or case number. Sealed cases and old closed matters won't show up.
The eCourts portal has a broader set of court records. Search by name, case number, or attorney. Not all records appear, and older data may be incomplete.
The Criminal History Record Search costs $95 per name and date of birth. It covers every court in all 62 counties. Results come the next business day. The DCJS Record Review is the only way to get an official fingerprint-based rap sheet. DCJS is at 1220 Washington Avenue in Albany, close to Colonie.
Record Sealing
Dismissed cases seal automatically under CPL 160.50. No motion is needed. Under CPL 160.59, up to two convictions can be sealed after 10 years. Only one can be a felony. Sex offenses and violent felonies do not qualify.
The Clean Slate Act, effective November 16, 2024, adds automatic sealing. Misdemeanors seal 3 years after sentencing or release. Felonies seal after 8 years. Sex crimes, violent felonies, and homicides are excluded. DCJS runs this for the whole state.
Resources
- NYS Criminal History Record Search for statewide records at $95
- WebCrims for free active case lookups
- eCourts Portal for court records
- DCJS Record Review for fingerprint-based history
- Sex Offender Registry for offender lookups
- DOCCS for state prison records
- Committee on Open Government for FOIL help
If a FOIL request gets denied in Colonie, you can appeal to the agency head. If that fails, you can seek judicial review or ask for an advisory opinion from the Committee on Open Government. Under New York law, most government records are presumed public. The burden is on the agency to prove a record falls under an exemption.
Colonie criminal records are held by the town court and Albany County offices in the Capital District.
Nearby Cities
Other cities near Colonie with criminal records pages.