What are Schenectady County Public Records?
By virtue of the New York Freedom of Information Law, Schenectady County public records include any document or information maintained, kept, filed, generated, or reproduced by state or local agencies. Schenectady public records can be typewritten, handwritten, or in electronic form. However, certain parts of a public record may be redacted if it's found to include:
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Personal privacy information
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Information that may interfere with contract awards or union negotiations
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Law enforcement records, but only if disclosure would:
- Interfere with law enforcement investigations or judicial proceedings
- Deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or impartial adjudication
- Identify a confidential source or disclose confidential information related to a criminal investigation
- Reveal criminal investigative techniques or procedures, except routine techniques and procedures
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Inter-agency or intra-agency materials (internal communications or memos), except the agency, must disclose:
- Factual information
- Instruction to staff that affect the public
- Final agency policy or determinations
- External audits
Schenectady County Crime Statistics
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services reported a net total of 4,607 index crime offenses in 2018, signaling a 0.19% increase in crime rate when compared with 2017 data. This was mostly accounted for by the 5% spike in the incident of violent crimes as property crimes were recorded to have declined by 0.89%. Larceny recorded a 2% drop and was notably the most recurring crime with 3,120 incidents in 2018 alone. This was followed by burglary and motor vehicle theft. But while burglary decreased by 5%, incidents of motor-vehicle theft climbed by 23%. Aggravated assault ranked 3rd in frequency.
Are Schenectady County Criminal Records Public?
Not all Schenectady County criminal records are considered public records. The repository of the criminal record decides if the record can be accessed by members of the public. While the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement services to county residents and is responsible for generating and maintaining crime-related records and reports, the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) serves as the primary custodian of criminal history information of the state. It provides criminal records and conducts background checks on state residents on request.
Requests for criminal records are processed by the DCJS. In compliance with state laws, only employers, licensing entities and legally authorized persons can access the criminal records of persons other than themselves. Individuals can only obtain their records which are known as Personal Record Reviews.
Personal record reviews can be obtained by contacting the approved fingerprinting vendor of the DCJS. Requesters are required to schedule an appointment with the vendor and on the scheduled date, provide one of any of the approved forms of identification and make a payment of $63.50 to the vendor. The vendor will proceed to submit the request, which will typically be processed by the DCJS and sent to the requester’s address via US mail within seven to 10 days of the request.
Similarly, employers and authorized persons may request the criminal records of individuals by downloading and completing the Request for Access to Criminal History Record Information form. The completed application should then be sent via mail, email, or delivered in-person to:
Office of Legal Services
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
RE: Criminal History Record Information Access Inquiry
Alfred E. Smith Building
80 South Swan Street
Albany, NY 12210
Apart from the DCJS, the New York State Office of the Court of Administration (OCA) also provides third-party access to criminal history record search (CHRS) information on behalf of another person. However, there are exceptions to the search information that can be gotten. They are available online, by mail, or in person.
The Criminal History Record Search - Direct Access website is the online portal for making online requests. To use this search portal, new users have to create an account before they can make searches. To make a search, a user will have to provide the full name and date of birth of the record subject. A search request costs $95. The acceptable means of payment are credit or debit cards, or by using a checking account (ACH).
Mail or in-person requests can be made by completing the Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) Application form and submitting it to:
Criminal History Record Search
NYS Office of Court Administration
Office of Administrative Services
Criminal History Record Search
25 Beaver Street
Room 840 - Front Desk
New York, NY 10004
Monday to Friday; between 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Each mail or in-person request costs $95. The accepted methods of payment are check and money order to the N.Y.S. Office of Court Administration. The precise name and date of birth of the record’s subject. It takes an average time of one business day to process a request.
How to Obtain Schenectady County Police Reports and Arrest Records?
The Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office maintains Schenectady County arrest records and police reports. To obtain copies of these records, a requester can submit an in-person or mail application to:
Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office
320 Veeder Avenue
Schenectady, NY 12307
Phone: (518) 388-4300, extension 5
Fax: (518) 388-4593
Accident reports are available at the state level. Schenectady County residents can order accident reports online, by mail, or in-person from the Department of Motor Vehicles of New York State. Online requests are made through the online platform at $7 per search and $15 per report. For mail requests, fill out the Request for Accident Report Copy form (MV-198C) to include the following information:
- The date of the accident;
- The county where the accident occurred;
- And one of the following information:
- The plate number of the car involved in the accident
- The driver’s license number of the person involved in the accident
- The name and date of birth of the person who was involved in the accident
A mail request costs $10 for a search and $15 for a report. In-person requests are made by submitting the filled-out form or a written request, with payment, to:
NYSDMV, MV-198 C Processing
6 Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12228
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Schenectady County?
The New York State Sex Offender Registry houses information regarding all convicted and registered sex offenders residing in the state of New York. Interested persons may retrieve information regarding Schenectady sex offenders by searching the registry using the first/last name of the offender or by zip code and their incarceration status. Schenectady County residents may also opt to subscribe to the NY Alert System, which notifies registered persons about the location and compliance status of nearby offenders.
How to Find Schenectady County Inmate Records?
The Schenectady County Correctional Facility is managed by the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office, which generates and maintains all information regarding the correctional facility and incarcerated persons within the county jail. Interested persons can obtain jail information as well as details of an inmate’s location, primary charges, bail/bond conditions, and commissary by querying:
Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office
320 Veeder Avenue
Schenectady, NY 12307
Phone: (518) 388-4596, extension 5
Alternatively, the New York State Inmate Lookup Tool can be used to retrieve information about all persons incarcerated in New York State jail facilities, including the Schenectady County Correctional Facility. Searches can be conducted using the inmate’s name, birth year, or department ID.
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Schenectady County Jail?
Each inmate in the Schenectady County Correctional Facility is entitled to two visits each week. Inmates are to inform their visitors about their visiting hours. Visitation is done based on the scheduling of visits. The jail facility provides visitors with visitation rules, regulations, procedures at the visiting area. Visitors can obtain jail information and visitation schedules by contacting:
Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office
320 Veeder Avenue
Schenectady, NY 12307
Phone: (518) 388-4596, extension 2
Court Records
Schenectady County courts are part of the 4th Judicial District of the New York State Unified Court System. Schenectady County court records are generally maintained in the courthouse of the court which heard the case, usually the office of the clerk of courts. All court records are also held by the Schenectady County Supreme and County Court Clerk’s Office, which functions as the Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts. The office provides copies of non-confidential court records to interested members of the public on request.
Location of Courts in Schenectady County
Schenectady County Supreme Court
612 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 285-8401
Fax: (518) 451-8731
Schenectady County Court
612 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 285-8401
Fax: (518) 451-8731
Schenectady County Family Court
620 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 285-8435
Fax: (518) 393-1565
Schenectady County Surrogate’s Court
612 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 285-8455
Fax: (518) 451-8732
Schenectady County City Courts
Schenectady City Court - Civil and Traffic
105 Jay Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 453-6989, extension 5 (Civil)
Fax: (518) 453-8984 (Civil)
Phone: (518) 453-6989, extension 3 (Traffic)
Fax: (518) 453-8983 (Traffic)
Schenectady City Court - Criminal
531 Liberty Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 453-6989, extension 4
Fax: (518) 285-8983
Schenectady County Town Courts and Village Courts
Duanesburg Town Court
5853 Western Turnpike
Duanesburg, NY 12056
Phone: (518) 895-8922
Glenville Town Court
Glenville Municipal Center
18 Glenridge Road
Glenville, NY 12302
Phone: (518) 688-1200, extension 4
Fax: (518) 688-1468
Niskayuna Town Court
One Niskayuna Circle
Niskayuna, NY 12309
Phone: (518) 386-4560
Fax: (518) 386-4515
Princetown Town Court
165 Princetown Plaza
Schenectady, NY 12306
Phone: (518) 357-4047
Fax: (518) 357-4049
Rotterdam Town Justice Court
101 Princetown Road
Schenectady, NY 12306
Phone: (518) 355-7911
Fax: (518) 881-0187
Scotia Village Court
4 North Ten Broeck Street
Scotia, NY 12302
Phone: (518) 374-2099
Fax: (518) 374-5620
Are Schenectady County Court Records Public?
The majority of court records in Schenectady County are publicly available to interested parties. Schenectady court records are public by virtue of Section 255 of the New York Judiciary Act. In some instances, court records are however not available or accessible to members of the public. A common instance is when the court record has elements of confidentiality. Court orders and statutes can also prohibit public access to certain court records.
Can You Look Up a Schenectady County Court Case Online?
Schenectady County court records are made available online by the New York Unified Court System on the E-filed Case Records Guest Search. Users can search the portal by case identifier, name, tax cert/SCAR, and new cases. For case identifier searches, the user should provide the case number, year, county, and filing start and end date. Where it is a name search, provide the name type, business/organization, and first, middle, and last name.
Court records are also made available online by the New York State Supreme Court and the County Clerk of New York. It allows interested persons to have free access to court records on the Supreme Court Records On-Line Library (SCROLL). Users can search the SCROLL by index number or with the name of either party to the case.
How to Obtain Schenectady County Civil Court Case Records?
Schenectady County civil court case records are kept in the courthouse where the particular case was addressed. To get copies of civil case records, make requests by visiting or contacting the court and providing information about the case to aid record search. The Clerk of the Court will provide the requester with the cost of the record, the number of copies required, and the accepted means of payment.
To obtain copies of court records of the Supreme Court or County Court in Schenectady County, interested persons may send a written request stating details of the case file including the case file number and the names of the subjects involved to:
Schenectady County Supreme Court & County Court Clerk
612 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 285-8401
Fax: (518) 451-8731
How to Obtain Schenectady County Criminal Court Records?
Schenectady County criminal court records are maintained by the court that decided the case. Interested parties can obtain copies of court records by querying the courthouse and providing information about the case. Information about fees and payment methods will be provided by the court’s clerk.
Where the case of interest was addressed by the Supreme Court or County Court, the request should be forwarded to the Schenectady County Supreme Court & County Court Clerk. The address and contact information of the Clerk is below:
Schenectady County Supreme Court & County Court Clerk
612 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 285-8401
Fax: (518) 451-8731
What are Schenectady County Vital Records?
Schenectady County vital records are generated and issued by the town or city clerk in the specific town/city where the event occurred. New York State vital records are generally managed and disseminated by the New York State Department of Health, which is the state central repository of birth, death, marriage, and divorce records. All requests for Schenectady vital records may be directed to the state office.
Where and How to Obtain Schenectady County Divorce Records?
Divorce decrees and divorce certificates are both considered divorce records. While decrees are chiefly maintained by the court clerk of the issuing court in the office of city or town clerk where the divorce was filed, certificates are maintained at the state level. Ultimately, certificates of divorces granted by the Schenectady Supreme Court are maintained and issued by the Vital Records Certification Unit of the New York State Department of Health.
Only the divorcees named on the record and persons who are legally authorized can request a copy of the Schenectady County divorce record from the office. Interested and eligible persons may obtain these records by completing the Application for Copy of Divorce Certificate. The application should be accompanied by the stated fees and ID requirements indicated on the form to:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Where and How to Get Public Schenectady County Marriage Records?
Schenectady County marriage records are maintained by the Vital Records Unit of the New York Department of Health. Copies of these records can only be requested by the spouses named on the record and legally authorized persons. Schenectady County marriage certificates can be requested by using an Application for Marriage Certificate form. The completed form should be sent along with the stated fees and ID requirements to:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Schenectady County?
All marriage records in Schenectady County are considered public.
Where and How to Find Schenectady County Birth Records?
Schenectady County birth records can be obtained from the Vital Records Certification Unit of the State Department of Health. As per state laws, birth records can only be requested by the subject of the certificate, the parent or legal guardian of the registrant, and persons with legal authorization or a lawful claim relating to the record. Interested and eligible persons can make requests for a Schenectady County birth certificate by filling out the Application for Copy of a Birth Certificate. The filled-out form can be sent along with the stated fees and ID requirements to:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Where and How to Find Schenectady County Death Records?
The Vital Records Certification Unit of the State Department of Health keeps copies of Schenectady County death records. Pursuant to state laws, death records can only be requested by the parent or legal guardian of the decedent and persons with legal authorization or a lawful claim relating to the record. To obtain copies of Schenectady County death records, these interested and eligible persons can complete the Application for a Copy of a Death Certificate. The completed form should be sent along with the stated fees and ID requirements to:
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Schenectady County?
Under the New York Freedom of Information Law, property records are considered public in Schenectady County. Persons seeking these records are free to visit record custodians or send written requests for these records. Obtaining physical copies may require requesters to pay copy fees.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Schenectady County
The Schenectady County Clerk's Office is the official property record custodian in the county. Available documents include deeds, mortgages, UCCs, liens, and other property-related documents. Interested persons may request by mail, email, or in person.
The Clerk's Office charges 50 cents per page for self-service copies. Certified copies and copies prepared by office staff cost $1 per page with a $5 minimum per record. To certify prepared copies, requestors are charged 50 cents per page, also with a minimum of $5 per record. A printed case on appeal costs a minimum of $1 and a maximum of $5. Exemplified copies cost an extra $10 fee. Copies of maps are also available at $5. UCC documents cost $1.50 per page and $5 per document. A $25 search fee may also be applicable in some cases. All interested persons may submit requests using the details below:
Schenectady County Clerk's Office
620 State Street
3rd Floor
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 388-4220
Fax: (518) 388-4224
Hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Hours: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (July and August)
Property records are also available at the Schenectady Real Property Tax Service Agency. Requestors may obtain records of deeds and tax maps by visiting the agency, sending emails, or submitting mail requests to the address below:
Schenectady Real Property Tax Service Agency
County Office Building
620 State Street
3rd Floor
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 388-4246
Fax: (518) 347-3629
How to Look Up Schenectady County Property Records
The Real Property Tax Service Agency provides access to online property records. The platform features a guest access function. Residents can use this by providing first and last names, street numbers, street names, tax IDs, and the municipality where the property is located. Searchers are advised to use the "last name" field when searching business or corporate names. Users may print the displayed report for each property, customizing displayed information as desired.
Details obtainable online may be categorized as follows:
- Property information
- Inventory
- Owner/Sales
- Improvements
- Tax Info
- Parcel history data
- Photographs
- Maps
The County Clerk's Office also maintains a searchable online registry that contains property records. Users may opt for the "Remote Access" or the "Webstore Access". The Remote Access costs $.15 per minute and $.10 per loaded page.
Location of Schenectady County Property Assessors
Duanesburg Town
Assessor's Office
5853 Western Turnpike
Duanesburg, NY 12056
Phone: (518) 895-8920
Hours: 8:00 am to 12:00 pm, and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Glenville Town
Assessor's Office
Glenville Municipal Center
18 Glenridge Road
Glenville, NY 12302
Phone: (518) 688-1200 Ext. 6
Fax: (518) 384-0140
Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Hours: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (July and August)
Niskayuna Town
One Niskayuna Circle
Niskayuna, NY 12309
Phone: (518) 386-4550
Fax: (518) 386-4509
Operation Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Mondays through Fridays
Princetown Town
165 Princetown Plaza
Schenectady, NY 12306
Phone: (518) 357-4045, extension 5
Fax: (518) 357-4048
Rotterdam Town
John F. Kirvin Government Center
1100 Sunrise Boulevard
Rotterdam, NY 12306
(518) 355-7575 ext. 396
Hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday
Schenectady City
105 Jay Street
Room 8
Schenectady, NY 12305
Phone: (518) 382-5075
Fax: (518) 382-5193
