Hempstead Criminal Records

Criminal records for the Town of Hempstead are held by Nassau County courts and the Nassau County Clerk. Hempstead is the most populous town in New York State, with over 800,000 residents spread across dozens of villages and hamlets on Long Island. All felony criminal records from Hempstead go through the Nassau County Court at 262 Old Country Road in Mineola. The town also has local justice courts that handle lower-level matters. Nassau County is part of the 10th Judicial District. You can search Hempstead criminal records through state online tools, the Nassau County Clerk at 240 Old Country Road, or by visiting the courthouse in Mineola.

Nassau County Courts Handle Hempstead Criminal Cases

Nassau County manages all felony criminal records for Hempstead residents. The Nassau County Court is at 262 Old Country Road in Mineola. This is where felony cases are tried. The Nassau County Clerk at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, NY 11501 stores court files and makes them available for public search. Call the clerk at (516) 493-4000 for questions about records on file.

Nassau County is one of the few places outside New York City that has its own District Court. The Nassau County District Court handles misdemeanors and violations for the entire county, including Hempstead. The First District Court at 99 Main Street in Hempstead covers cases from the southern part of the county. This means many Hempstead criminal records for misdemeanor cases are at the District Court, not the County Court.

The Town of Hempstead also has village justice courts in some of its villages. These courts deal with low-level criminal cases like petty offenses and traffic matters. Records from village courts feed into the state system over time. Town and village court data can be incomplete in statewide tools for older cases.

How to Search Hempstead Criminal Records Online

WebCrims is the fastest free way to check on pending criminal cases in Nassau County. It covers the 10th Judicial District. You can search by name or case number. The tool shows active cases only. Closed and sealed cases will not appear.

The eCourts portal pulls case data from multiple court levels in Nassau County. It is free. You can search by name, case number, or attorney. Not all old criminal records show up, but the coverage is broad. This is a good starting point for Hempstead criminal records searches.

For a complete statewide search covering Nassau County, use the Criminal History Record Search. The fee is $95 per name and date of birth. Results come from every court in all 62 counties. You get results the next business day. Sealed records will not show up. This is a name-based search and does not use fingerprints.

The Town of Hempstead website provides local government information and links to court resources for residents.

DCJS Criminal History Records

The Division of Criminal Justice Services keeps fingerprint-based records. These are not court records. DCJS data includes arrests, charges, and case outcomes tied to fingerprints. They are not public records. You cannot get someone else's DCJS file.

To get your own record, use the Record Review program. Submit fingerprints at an approved vendor. The cost is about $77.75. Results take 7 to 10 business days. Hempstead residents can find fingerprinting sites across Nassau County and nearby areas on Long Island.

Criminal Record Sealing Laws

Hempstead cases follow the same sealing rules as the rest of New York. Dismissed and acquitted cases seal on their own under CPL 160.50. No one has to file a motion. The court and police seal their files, and the case drops out of public view.

Convictions can be sealed under CPL 160.59. A person can apply to seal up to two convictions after waiting 10 years. Only one can be a felony. Sex offenses, Class A felonies, and violent felonies do not qualify. Nassau County Court handles these motions for felony cases from Hempstead.

The Clean Slate Act went into effect November 16, 2024. Misdemeanor convictions seal 3 years after sentencing or release. Felonies seal after 8 years. Sex offenses, Class A felonies, violent felonies, and homicides are excluded from the automatic process. DCJS runs the sealing statewide, which covers all Hempstead criminal records in Nassau County.

Fees and Costs

The Nassau County Clerk charges fees set by state law. You can inspect records in person at no charge. Copies and certified documents cost extra. Standard fees apply across the county.

• CHRS statewide search: $95.00 per name
• DCJS personal record review: about $77.75
• County clerk name search: $5.00 per name (two-year block)
• Copy fees: $0.25 to $0.65 per page
• Certified copies: $5.00 to $10.00 per document

WebCrims and eCourts are free. They show case details on screen. For a Certificate of Disposition, you need to go through the clerk of the court that handled the case. The Nassau County Clerk can help with County Court and Supreme Court records.

Sex Offender Registry

The Sex Offender Registry lets you search by name, county, or zip code. You can look up registered offenders in Nassau County at no cost. Level 2 and Level 3 offenders show up online. For Level 1 offender info, call 1-800-262-3257. This is a separate system from court records held by the Nassau County Clerk.

Corrections and Inmate Lookup

The DOCCS website has an inmate lookup for people in state prison. This covers anyone sentenced in Nassau County who is now in state custody. The Nassau County Correctional Center in East Meadow holds people awaiting trial or serving short sentences. Contact the jail for info on current inmates there.

Nearby Cities

Hempstead is on Long Island in Nassau County. Several other major towns and cities with their own record pages sit nearby. These share many of the same court resources through the Nassau County system.

• Oyster Bay - Also in Nassau County
• North Hempstead - Northern Nassau County
• New York City - Just west across the city line
• Brookhaven - In Suffolk County to the east
• Babylon - In Suffolk County on the South Shore