Schenectady Criminal Records Lookup
Criminal records in Schenectady are held by the Schenectady City Court and the Schenectady County Clerk. The city serves as the county seat, which puts local and county offices close together. Schenectady sits in the 4th Judicial District. The City Court Criminal Part at 531 Liberty Street handles misdemeanors and violations. The County Judicial Building at 612 State Street is where felony cases are tried. County Clerk Cara M. Ackerley maintains court records at 620 State Street. State online tools also let you search Schenectady cases remotely.
Schenectady Criminal Records Overview
Schenectady County Court System
Schenectady is the seat of Schenectady County. The County Clerk, Cara M. Ackerley, maintains court records at 620 State Street, 3rd Floor, Schenectady, NY 12305. Call (518) 388-4220. Fax is (518) 388-4224. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The clerk keeps court records, deed records, vital records, voter records, and more.
The Schenectady County Judicial Building at 612 State Street, Schenectady, NY 12305 is where felony cases are heard. Call 518-285-8445. County Court judges include Hon. Thomas Buchanan at 518-451-8755 and Hon. Mark L. Powers at 518-285-8450. Surrogate's Court is handled by Hon. Vincent W. Versaci at 518-285-8455.
To request court records from the County Clerk, provide your contact information and case details such as names, case number, date range, or document type. Small copying and research fees may apply. You can visit in person during business hours or submit a request by mail.
Schenectady City Court
The Schenectady City Court Criminal Part is at 531 Liberty Street, Schenectady, NY 12305. Call 518-453-6989 and press option 4 for criminal matters. Email SchenectadyCity@nycourts.gov. Hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Chief Clerk Rebecca I. Rose and Deputy Chief Clerk Tammy J. Beck run the office.
Civil and traffic matters are handled at a different location: City Hall, 105 Jay Street, Schenectady, NY 12305. For civil cases, call 518-453-6989 option 5. For traffic, press option 3. Same email and hours apply.
Four judges sit on the Schenectady City Court bench: Hon. Mark J. Caruso, Hon. Teneka E. Frost, Hon. Carl G. Falotico, and Hon. Katherine A. McGuirl. The court handles misdemeanor criminal records, civil cases, and traffic violations.
Online access to Schenectady court records is available through the eCourts portal, WebCivil Local, WebCrims, and NYSCEF for electronically filed cases. These tools cover different types of records and courts. If you need a specific document, contacting the court or County Clerk directly may be faster than trying to find it online.
How to Search Criminal Records
WebCrims shows active cases for free. It covers the 4th Judicial District. Search by name or case number. Sealed and old closed cases do not appear.
The eCourts portal has broader coverage. Search by name, case number, or attorney. Not all records are available, and older data may be incomplete.
The Criminal History Record Search costs $95 per name. It covers every court in all 62 counties. The DCJS Record Review gives you your own fingerprint-based history. Contact DCJS at RecordReview@dcjs.ny.gov or 518-457-9847.
Record Sealing
Dismissed cases seal on their own under CPL 160.50. Under CPL 160.59, up to two convictions can be sealed after 10 years. Sex offenses and violent felonies are excluded. Youthful offender adjudications stay sealed under CPL 720.35.
The Clean Slate Act took effect November 16, 2024. Misdemeanors seal 3 years after sentencing or release. Felonies seal after 8 years. Sex crimes, violent felonies, and homicides are left out. DCJS handles this for all counties.
Resources
- NYS Criminal History Record Search for statewide records at $95
- 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 for FOIL help
The Schenectady County Clerk also handles vital records, passport processing, notary services, and pistol permits. If you are visiting the office for criminal records, you may be able to take care of other business at the same time.
Schenectady City Court and the County Clerk handle criminal records for the city.
Nearby Cities
Other cities near Schenectady with criminal records pages.