Court records of Tompkins County, New York, are maintained by the county court clerk and are accessible through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the court office. TompkinsCourt.us will help you quickly find publicly available information about court cases in the county. Additionally, you can use the New York State Unified Court System portal, call or visit the court clerk's office in Ithaca, and consult state registries and databases.
Tompkins Court System Overview
Tompkins County is part of the 6th Judicial District of New York State, which also includes the counties of Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Madison, Otsego, Schuyler, and Tioga. The main court of the county is the Tompkins County Supreme Court, located in the Tompkins County Courthouse in downtown Ithaca. In addition to the Supreme Court, the County Court, Family Court, and Surrogate's Court operate here, each responsible for different categories of cases. Local city and town courts (City Court of Ithaca, Town and Village Courts) handle minor criminal and civil cases at the municipal level.
Courts Serving Tompkins
Residents of the county are served by several courts of different levels of jurisdiction.
State Courts
Additionally, Town and Village Courts operate within the county in the settlements of Dryden, Groton, Lansing, Newfield, Enfield, Danby, Caroline, and Ulysses.
Federal Courts
What Types of Cases Tompkins Courts Hear
The county courts handle a wide range of cases, from serious criminal offenses to minor traffic violations. The main categories are listed below:
- Felonies and misdemeanors
- Violations and infractions
- Civil lawsuits, including large claims and small claims
- Family law: divorce, custody, child support, protection orders
- Probate, guardianship, and conservatorship
- Juvenile cases
- Traffic violations and DUI/DWI
District Court Cases in Tompkins
In the New York State system, the role of "district court" is effectively performed by the Supreme Court and County Court. Tompkins County Court hears all criminal cases involving felonies committed within the county. A case typically reaches here after an indictment by a grand jury or following a preliminary hearing in a local court. County Court also hears appeals from Town, Village, and City Courts.
The Supreme Court has unlimited civil jurisdiction. This is where civil lawsuits involving amounts exceeding the jurisdictional limits of lower courts, as well as divorce cases, are heard. A judge is appointed according to the rules of the 6th Judicial District, and case distribution depends on workload and specialization.
Magistrate Court Cases in Tompkins
In Tompkins County, the function of magistrate courts is performed by Ithaca City Court, as well as numerous Town and Village Courts. Ithaca City Court handles misdemeanors, violations, preliminary hearings in felony cases, civil claims up to $15,000, and small claims up to $5,000. Traffic violations and DWI cases start here, with arraignment and subsequent hearings.
Town and Village Courts have similar jurisdiction within their municipalities. They handle minor criminal cases, violations of local ordinances, and traffic tickets. In felony cases, the local judge conducts only a preliminary hearing, after which the case is transferred to County Court.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Tompkins
Family Law
Tompkins County Family Court handles cases related to child custody, child support, paternity, protection orders against domestic violence, and termination of parental rights. Divorce cases, however, are filed in the Supreme Court, although related custody issues can also be heard in Family Court.
Probate Matters
The Surrogate's Court of Tompkins County deals with probate matters: probate of wills, estate administration, and the appointment of guardians and conservators. All these cases are conducted in the same courthouse on N. Tioga Street.
Juvenile Matters
Proceedings involving juveniles, including under the Juvenile Offender Act and child protective proceedings, are handled by Family Court. Juvenile case records are confidential under New York State law and are not publicly accessible.
How Cases Move Through the Tompkins Court System
- Case initiation. A criminal case begins with a complaint or arrest; a civil case starts with the filing of a complaint or petition with the appropriate court.
- Judge assignment. The case is assigned to a judge according to the internal rules of the 6th Judicial District.
- First hearing. In criminal cases, this is an arraignment, where the accused is informed of the charges and bail conditions are set. In civil cases, it is a scheduling conference.
- Pre-trial phase. Filing of motions, discovery, plea negotiations, or dispute settlement.
- Trial or resolution. The case concludes with a jury verdict, judge's decision, plea agreement, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-decision. Sentencing, filing of an appeal, or enforcement of the court's decision.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Tompkins
Court administration in the 6th Judicial District is carried out by the district administrative judge's office. Local Rules for the 6th Judicial District are published on the NYS Unified Court System website — nycourts.gov.
Regarding public access: under New York State Judiciary Law and Unified Court System rules, most court records are publicly accessible. Exceptions include sealed records, juvenile cases, and materials protected by court order. To obtain copies of documents, contact the appropriate court office — a fee may apply.
Hearings are generally open to the public. During the pandemic, courts began using virtual hearings (Microsoft Teams), and this practice partially continues — check with the office to see if remote participation is available for a specific case.
For public records search at the municipal level, you can contact the Town Clerk of the respective locality.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Tompkins
- Online case search. The NYS eCourts (iCourts) portal allows searching for information on Supreme Court, County Court, and other state court cases through the WebCivil Supreme and WebCriminal systems.
- Court hearing calendar. The schedule of sessions is available on the NYS Unified Court System website or upon request from the court office.
- Forms and self-help resources. NYS Courts offer free forms for small claims, family cases, and divorces at nycourts.gov/forms.
- Court clerk's office. To request copies of court documents, contact the Tompkins County Clerk at 320 N. Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850, or call (607) 274-5431.
- Inmate lookup. Incarcerated Lookup by NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision allows finding information about individuals serving sentences in state correctional facilities.
- Correctional facility inmate search. An alternative tool on the New York State portal provides current data on current and some former inmates.
- Criminal history check. NY DCJS processes requests for criminal history checks (fingerprint-based background checks), including in the context of the Clean Slate Act.
- County jails. Information about New York State county jails, including Tompkins County Jail, can be found on the State Commission of Correction's website.
- Sex offender registry. The registry is maintained by NY DCJS and is available at criminaljustice.ny.gov/SomsPublic.
- State Police. New York State Police is a state-level law enforcement agency that also serves the Tompkins County area.
- Office of Public Safety at NY DCJS coordinates law enforcement activities and provides access to crime statistics.
- Property assessment. Tompkins County Assessment Department provides information on property assessment, tax exemptions, and abatements.
To start searching for Tompkins County court records, use TompkinsCourt.us or contact the appropriate court office directly.