Bronx County, New York, sits to the north of Manhattan and Queens. It has approximately 42 square miles of land area, ranking as the 61st largest county in New York. According to the US Census Bureau, Bronx County is home to about 1.4 million residents. There is no county seat in Bronx County.

Courts in Bronx County

The Bronx County Supreme Court serves as the highest court in the county. Generally, criminal and civil cases heard at the county Supreme Court are beyond the jurisdiction of other smaller courts. The criminal division of the Bronx Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction over felony cases. On the other hand, the civil division resolves divorce-related cases and lawsuits above $25,000.

The Family Court in Bronx County presides over domestic abuse, juvenile matters, and child protective proceedings. Created through the NY Family Court Act, Bronx’s Family Court may refer cases to other smaller courts. Support magistrates and judges of the Family Court typically pronounce judgments on cases without juries.

In Bronx County, the Surrogate Court hears probate cases. Examples of these cases include handling wills, management of estates, conservatorships, and property distribution. The Supreme Court often transfers all cases related to the administration of estates to the Surrogate Court.

Civil lawsuits involving less than $25,000 in financial settlements are resolved at the Bronx County Civil Court. The county’s Civil Court has two divisions: the Housing Court Division presides over landlord-tenant lawsuits, while the Small Claims Division resolves financial disputes below $5,000.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Bronx County

The Bronx County Clerk is typically responsible for maintaining and distributing public court records. Interested persons can visit the county clerk in person to request physical copies of court records. Alternatively, they can call or email the court clerk to make their requests. Note that the court records often accessible to the public often contain any or one of the following:

• Court transcripts
• Dockets
• Depositions
• Jury lists
• Sentence statements
• Subpoenas

New York laws allow the Bronx County Clerk to charge requesters for accessing or making copies of public court records. It is also possible to find court records online via the NYS Unified Court System.

Types of Public Court Records in Bronx County

Bronx County court records are accessible to the public to ensure transparency. Examples of these records include:

• Civil records
• Property liens
• Criminal records
• Family records
• Probate records
• Traffic court records

Confidential Court Records

Confidential court records in Bronx County and other New York counties are not accessible to the public. These records typically contain sensitive personal information such as the record holder’s Social Security number, email address, taxpayer identification or financial account numbers, and telephone numbers. Bronx County courts may also seal certain court records if they violate record holders' privacy. The following are some court records sealed automatically by law:

• Juvenile records
• Financial records, such as bank account statements and tax returnsMedical records
• Divorce records
• Mental health records
• Adoption records
• Trade secrets and proprietary business information

Bronx residents can access confidential records via court orders.

Juvenile Delinquency in Bronx, NY

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Bronx County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in New York often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 956 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Bronx County. Of that total, 81% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 772 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Bronx County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Bronx County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.

Bronx County, NY Courts