Court records in Bronx County, New York, are maintained by the clerks of the various courts that serve the borough and can be accessed through online tools, official court portals, and the clerk's office. BronxCourt.us can help you find publicly available court record information for Bronx County. You can also use the Bronx County Clerk Office, the New York State Unified Court System's electronic filing portal (NYSCEF), and other government resources to locate case records, filing information, and court schedules.
Bronx Court System Overview
Bronx County is part of New York's Unified Court System, which is administered statewide by the Office of Court Administration (OCA) under the Chief Administrative Judge. Within the Bronx, the courts fall under the 12th Judicial District, which covers Bronx County exclusively. The Supreme Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction in New York, and in the Bronx it handles major civil cases and serious felonies. The Bronx County Courthouse complex is the primary location for Supreme Court and County Court operations.
Bronx County Courthouse
An Administrative Judge for the 12th Judicial District oversees day-to-day court operations in the Bronx, including case assignments and judicial staffing.
Courts Serving Bronx
Several state and federal courts serve Bronx County residents. Below is a listing of each court with its contact details.
New York Supreme Court — Bronx County
Bronx County Criminal Court (NYC Criminal Court — Bronx)
Bronx County Civil Court (NYC Civil Court — Bronx)
Bronx County Family Court
Bronx County Surrogate's Court
Bronx County Housing Court (part of NYC Civil Court)
U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York
Bronx County falls within the Southern District of New York.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Southern District of New York
What Types of Cases Bronx Courts Hear
Courts in Bronx County handle a wide range of matters. The specific court depends on the case type and dollar amount or severity involved:
- Criminal: Felonies (Supreme Court), misdemeanors and violations (Criminal Court)
- Civil litigation: Contract disputes, personal injury, property damage (Supreme Court for claims over $25,000; Civil Court for claims up to $25,000)
- Small claims: Disputes up to $10,000 (Civil Court — Small Claims Part)
- Family law: Divorce (Supreme Court), custody, child support, family offenses, paternity (Family Court)
- Probate and estates: Wills, estates, guardianships (Surrogate's Court)
- Juvenile: Juvenile delinquency, persons in need of supervision (Family Court)
- Housing: Landlord-tenant disputes, eviction proceedings (Housing Court)
- Traffic: Traffic violations originating in the Bronx are handled through the NYC Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB), an administrative tribunal, rather than through Criminal Court
District Court Cases in Bronx
In New York's court structure, the Supreme Court functions as the trial court of general jurisdiction — comparable to what other states call a "district court." In Bronx County, Supreme Court hears:
- Felony criminal cases after indictment by a grand jury
- Civil cases where the amount in controversy exceeds $25,000
- Divorce and matrimonial actions
- Appeals from lower courts by way of appellate term or Appellate Division
- Post-conviction motions under CPL Article 440
Cases are assigned to individual Supreme Court justices through the court's case management system. Criminal matters typically begin in Criminal Court and move to Supreme Court after indictment. Civil cases are filed directly in Supreme Court when they exceed Civil Court's monetary threshold.
Magistrate Court Cases in Bronx
New York City's Criminal Court and Civil Court serve the function that magistrate courts fill in other jurisdictions. In the Bronx:
- Criminal Court handles misdemeanors, violations, and felony arraignments and preliminary hearings before cases are transferred to Supreme Court upon indictment.
- Civil Court hears civil disputes involving amounts up to $25,000 and small claims up to $10,000.
- Housing Court, a division of Civil Court, resolves landlord-tenant matters and housing code violations.
Criminal Court judges in the Bronx arraign defendants, set bail, and adjudicate misdemeanor and violation cases through trial. For felonies, Criminal Court conducts the initial appearance and holds the case until the grand jury acts. Civil Court judges may be assigned to specific parts such as small claims, housing, or general civil depending on caseload.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Bronx
Family Law
Divorce actions in Bronx County are filed in Supreme Court. Custody, child support, visitation, family offense petitions (orders of protection), paternity, and termination of parental rights are handled in Bronx County Family Court. You can obtain information about divorce records through the Bronx County Clerk or NYC 311.
Probate
Bronx County Surrogate's Court handles probate of wills, administration of decedent estates, guardianships of minors' property, and trust-related proceedings. The Surrogate's Court is located at 851 Grand Concourse and can be reached at (718) 618-2300.
Juvenile
Juvenile delinquency cases and persons in need of supervision (PINS) proceedings are heard in Bronx County Family Court. Juvenile records are confidential under New York Family Court Act § 166 and are not available to the general public. The Family Court also handles child protective proceedings brought by the Administration for Children's Services (ACS).
How Cases Move Through the Bronx Court System
- Filing or initiation: Criminal cases begin with an arrest or summons; civil cases start with the filing of a summons and complaint; family and probate matters are initiated by petition.
- Assignment: Cases are assigned to a judge or judicial part through the court's intake system. In Supreme Court, an individual assignment system (IAS) assigns one judge to a case from start to finish.
- Initial appearance: Criminal defendants are arraigned (charges read, bail set). Civil litigants attend a preliminary conference. Family Court respondents appear for an initial hearing.
- Pre-trial phase: Parties engage in discovery, file motions, and in criminal matters may negotiate plea agreements. Civil cases may be referred to mediation or alternative dispute resolution.
- Trial or resolution: Cases proceed to trial (bench or jury), or resolve through plea, settlement, default judgment, or stipulation.
- Post-judgment: Criminal defendants may be sentenced and may file appeals or post-conviction motions. Civil judgments can be enforced through the NYC Sheriff's Office, which handles executions on judgments, property levies, and related enforcement.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Bronx
The courts in Bronx County are administered by the Administrative Judge of the 12th Judicial District, under the authority of the Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York. The Office of Court Administration (OCA) sets statewide policies, while local rules specific to the Bronx are published by the Administrative Judge and individual justices.
- Local rules: Bronx County Supreme Court justices publish individual part rules governing motion practice, discovery, and trial procedures. These are available on the New York State Unified Court System website (nycourts.gov).
- Public access: Under New York Judiciary Law § 255 and court administrative rules, most court records are presumptively open to the public. Exceptions include sealed criminal records, juvenile records, and certain family court proceedings. Records can be requested in person at the Bronx County Clerk Office or through NYSCEF for electronically filed cases.
- Attending hearings: Court proceedings in the Bronx are generally open to the public. Some parts may offer virtual appearances through Microsoft Teams or other platforms — check with the specific court part for current remote-access options.
- FOIL requests: For police records and certain law enforcement documents, you can submit a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the NYPD or other relevant agency.
Bronx County Clerk Office
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Bronx
- Court case search: The New York State Unified Court System provides the WebCivil Supreme case search for Supreme Court civil matters and eCourts for other case types. NYSCEF allows electronic filing and document viewing for cases in participating courts.
- Arrest and warrant information: To find an arrested person in NYC police custody, use the NYC 311 portal. For arrest warrant inquiries, contact the Bronx Criminal Court at (718) 618-2460.
- NYC Department of Correction — Person in Custody Lookup: Use the Person in Custody Lookup to find someone held in a New York City jail facility.
- New York State DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup: For individuals in state prison, use the DOCCS incarcerated lookup tool.
- Incarcerated individual locators (all facilities): The State Commission of Correction provides links to search county jails, NYC jails, and state prisons.
- Criminal history and sex offender registry: The Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) maintains the state criminal records repository and the sex offender registry.
- Property records: Search deeds, mortgages, and other recorded documents for Bronx properties through ACRIS (Automated City Register Information System). For property tax and assessment information, use the NYC Finance property search.
- Marriage records: The NYC City Clerk's Office maintains marriage records, including those from the Bronx branch office.
- Divorce records: Copies of Bronx County divorce records can be obtained from the Bronx County Clerk.
- Court forms and self-help: The New York State Courts' self-help website (nycourts.gov/courthelp) provides forms, instructions, and guides for unrepresented litigants filing in Bronx County courts.
- Recording property documents: The NYC Department of Finance handles recording of deeds, mortgages, and leases for Bronx County properties.
For additional court record inquiries or help navigating Bronx County's court system, visit BronxCourt.us or contact the Bronx County Clerk at (718) 618-3300.