Find Criminal Records in Hamburg
Criminal records for the Town of Hamburg flow through the Erie County court system and the town's own court and police offices. Hamburg sits in the 8th Judicial District, and the Hamburg Town Court at 6100 South Park Avenue handles misdemeanors, traffic offenses, and civil cases up to $3,000. Felony cases go to Erie County Court in Buffalo. The Erie County Clerk at 92 Franklin Street keeps felony records. Hamburg also has an Erie County Clerk's Outreach Center on Hamburg Turnpike for some services closer to home.
Hamburg Criminal Records Overview
Erie County Handles Hamburg Cases
Hamburg is part of Erie County. The Erie County Clerk at 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 maintains felony criminal records. Call (716) 858-8785. The Erie County Sheriff at (716) 858-7618 runs an online warrant database and inmate lookup. The Sheriff's Records Division is at 10 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
The Erie County Clerk's Outreach Center for the Southtowns area is at S-4949 Hamburg Turnpike, Hamburg, NY 14075. Call (716) 858-7450. It is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Saturday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This office handles motor vehicle transactions, passport applications, public records searches, and copy services. It can save you a trip to Buffalo for some tasks.
Copy fees at the Erie County Clerk are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $8.00 per document. The CHRS statewide search is $95. A fingerprint-based background check through DCJS costs about $65. Felony case files are kept permanently. Misdemeanor files are held for at least 25 years. Arrest records at the Sheriff's Office are permanent. Incarceration records are kept for 10 years after release.
Hamburg Town Court and Police
The Hamburg Town Court is at 6100 South Park Avenue, Hamburg, NY 14075. This is one of 29 town courts in Erie County. It handles misdemeanors, violations, traffic offenses, and civil cases up to $3,000. Felony arraignments happen here, but then cases move to County Court in Buffalo. Appeals from town court are heard de novo in County Court.
The Hamburg Police Department is also at 6100 South Park Avenue. The Records Division can be reached at (716) 649-4444 extension 200. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Records are available through FOIL requests. Accident reports are available online through CrashDocs.org. Incident reports need an in-person request.
Accident reports from Hamburg PD cost $5.00 online and $10.00 in person. Incident reports are $0.25 per page. Photos cost $10.00 each. Processing time is 5 to 10 business days for FOIL requests.
Erie County's court structure includes 29 town courts and 15 village courts. The Supreme Court and County Court are at 25 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. The Erie County Clerk's Online Public Record Search and NYSCEF for e-filed documents provide additional online access to records from Hamburg cases that moved to the county level.
How to Search Criminal Records
WebCrims shows active cases for free. It covers the 8th Judicial District. Search by name or case number. The eCourts portal has broader coverage from multiple Erie County courts.
The Criminal History Record Search costs $95 and covers all 62 counties. The DCJS Record Review requires fingerprints for an official rap sheet. The Sex Offender Registry lets you search by name or zip code for free.
Record Sealing
Dismissed cases seal under CPL 160.50. Convictions can be sealed under CPL 160.59 after 10 years. The Clean Slate Act, effective November 16, 2024, adds automatic sealing. Misdemeanors seal after 3 years, felonies after 8 years. Sex crimes, violent felonies, and homicides are excluded.
Resources
- NYS Criminal History Record Search for statewide records
- WebCrims for free case lookups
- eCourts Portal for court records
- DCJS Record Review for fingerprint-based history
- Sex Offender Registry
- DOCCS for state prison records
- Committee on Open Government
The Erie County Sheriff's incident reports cost $15.00 to $25.00 depending on length. Warrant checks are free online. Inmate information is also free. If you need records from a case that started in Hamburg but moved to County Court, you may need to contact both the town court and the Erie County Clerk.
Under Judiciary Law 255, any court clerk must search records and give copies when asked and paid. You do not need to be part of the case or have a reason for the request. Sealed cases, juvenile records, and grand jury proceedings are not available to the public. If a FOIL request gets denied, the Committee on Open Government can help you figure out your options.
Hamburg criminal records are held by the town court and Erie County offices.
Nearby Cities
Other Erie County cities with criminal records pages.