Erie County, established in 1821, is the 2nd most populous county in New York,  outside the New York City metropolitan area, having over 920,000 residents. Its county seat in Buffalo is the county’s largest city, known for its prominent architectural designs. Erie County is located in western New York and covers an approximate land mass of 1,227 square miles.

Courts in Erie County

The primary courts in Erie County include the Supreme Court, County Court, Family Court, Surrogate Court, City Court, and Town and Village Courts. The Erie County Supreme Court has superior jurisdiction over other county courts and general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. It handles civil cases between $25,000 and $75,000 and felony cases like drug trafficking and robberies.

The County Court in Erie County presides over civil and criminal cases beyond the jurisdiction of the lower courts. They handle felony and general civil cases for amounts below $25,000. The Family Court presides over domestic-related cases, juvenile matters, and abuse prevention cases. Erie County Surrogate Court adjudicates lawsuits relating to a decedent, including estate, wills, lifetime trusts, and guardianship of minors. The City Court has authority over criminal and civil cases, such as traffic violations and disorderly conduct. Erie County Town and Village Courts preside over some civil and criminal cases, usually related to local ordinances and traffic violations, infractions, and small claims for less than $3,000.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Erie County

Public Court records are documents from legal proceedings open to the public for inspection and copying. The Clerk of the County serves as the Clerk for the Supreme and County courts. The Clerk is the record custodian for all lawsuits filed and heard in the county. The Clerk's Office provides an online Public Record Search Page to view public court records. Record seekers may also obtain public court records in persons at the various courthouses within the county. The Clerk also welcomes mail and email requests for public court records. Furthermore, the public court records for Erie County are available on the New York State Courts Electronic Filing website.

Types of Public Court Records in Erie County

Public court records open to Erie County residents include:

• Supreme Court Records: These include civil dispute court records such as personal injury, contract disputes, and property disputes
• Surrogate Court Records: Administration of wills,  estate disputes, trusts, and guardianships
• County Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors such as drug offenses, assaults, and theft
• City Court Records: Traffic violations and disorderly conduct
• Family Court Records: Child custody and visitation, foster care, and divorce records

Confidential Court Records in Erie County

Confidential court records refer to court documents from legal proceedings that are exempted from public view due to the sensitivity of the information on the court record. Confidential Court records usually contain information that could compromise an individual's privacy. Therefore, adoption records, juvenile records, mental health records, trade secrets, proprietary business information, and grand jury information are restricted from the public in Erie County. Furthermore, sensitive personal information, such as medical records, financial account information, and Social Security numbers, contained in a court record is removed from the record before issuing the document to the requester.

Juvenile Delinquency in Erie, NY

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Erie 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 648 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Erie County. Of that total, 85% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 551 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Erie County, NY

https://www.ny.gov/

County Seat:	Buffalo
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1821
Total Square Miles:	1,227
2019 Population:	925,528
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	25 Delaware Ave Rath Building Buffalo , NY 14202-3926 http://www.erie.gov/

Erie County, NY Courts