Nassau County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Nassau County is situated on western Long Island, east of New York City, with 1,390,000 residents. It has 284.7 square miles of land area and was established in 1899. The county seat is Mineola, while the largest town is Hempstead. Nassau County falls under the jurisdiction of New York's 10th Judicial District. Its court system consists of Supreme Courts, City Courts, a County Court, a District Court, a Surrogate's Court, a Family Court, and Village Courts.

The Nassau County courts are situated in different locations within the county, each dedicated to its jurisdiction to handle specific legal issues. Below is an overview of their functions and locations:

• Supreme Court: handles all criminal and civil cases, especially matters beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. The Nassau Supreme Court has a Matrimonial Center for resolving family conflicts. Both supreme courthouses are located in Mineola
• District Court: handles civil matters involving monetary damages up to $15,000, small claims up to $5,000, misdemeanors, and infractions. It is located in Hempstead
• City Courts: located in Glen Cove and Long Beach, these courts handle misdemeanors, lesser offenses, domestic violence, and housing matters
• County Court: hears all criminal cases, civil cases up to $25,000, and foreclosure cases with no monetary limitations. It is located in Mineola
• Family Court: located in Westbury, this court holds hearings for paternity, adoption, and child custody cases. It also handles criminal offenses committed by children between the ages of 8 and 16
• Surrogate's Court: handles guardianship, estate administration, and probate of wills. This court is located in Mineola
• Village Courts: they handle small claims of up to $3,000, violations, and traffic infractions, as well as conduct preliminary hearings for serious offenses

Nassau County Supreme and County Courts resolve fewer criminal proceedings than civil proceedings. Annually, they finalize around 2,000 criminal cases and 19,000 civil cases. On the other hand, City and District Courts (local criminal and civil) handle approximately 20,000 civil and over 25,000 criminal case dispositions yearly. Moreover, more than 7,000 cases are resolved in the surrogate's court, while the family court handles approximately 16,000 cases each year. The public can exercise their rights to view public court records by visiting the courthouse where the case was initiated or by using the eCourts platform. Nevertheless, interested individuals are not permitted access to records about adoption, family, drug treatment, and mental health.

In summary, the Nassau County court system holds a significant position in the county's governance as it safeguards the rights of the people and ensures justice. These functions are carried out by the numerous courts, including city, supreme, district, and family courts. Lastly, the court system offers convenient access to court records, allowing the public to obtain them either in person or online.