Located in the southeastern part of New York State, Kings County coexists as a Brooklyn Borough in the City of New York. The country is the most populous both in the city and the state. As of 2020, the US Census Bureau reported a population of 2,736,074 residents. 

Courts in Kings County

The 2nd District of the New York Supreme Court, also known as the Kings County Supreme Court, is the highest court in the county. The court is divided into the supreme civil and the supreme criminal terms. The supreme criminal term has jurisdiction over felony cases, while the supreme civil term handles all civil matters beyond the authority of other civil courts in the county. 

Kings County is also home to the Civil, Criminal, and Family Courts of the City of New York. The civil court is classified into the General Civil, Housing, and Small Claims parts. The General Civil part hears claims of monetary relief of $50,000 or less. The small claims part has a much lower limit of $10,000, while the Housing Part hears landlord-tenant matters and cases involving maintenance of housing standards. On the other hand, the jurisdiction of the Criminal Court covers misdemeanors and lesser offenses, as well as the arraignment and preliminary hearings for felonies.

The county also has a Family Court, which has authority over family and minors-related matters such as child protective proceedings, adoption, custody and visitation, guardianship, paternity, and juvenile delinquency. 

The Kings County Surrogate’s Court hears matters relating to probate and wills, administration of estate, and adoption.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Kings County

Interested members of the public can obtain Kings County court records by requesting them from the Kings County Clerk’s office either in person or via mail. Note that the County Clerk charges applicable fees for record searches and copies of documents. The fees vary depending on the kind of record.

Types of Public Court Records in Kings County

Most court records in Kings County are public unless otherwise stated by law or sealed pursuant to a court order. Court records consist of information about cases heard by the court, including

• Court dockets
• Court documents
• Transcripts
• Legal data on the parties
• Parties' pleadings
• Court judgment

Confidential Court Records in Kings County

The following court records in Kings County are declared confidential by law and protected from public access.

• Records of juvenile offenders
• Mental illness cases
• Adoption cases
• Matrimonial cases
• Attorney disciplinary proceedings

The court may also require the redaction of sensitive personal information contained in court documents to prevent them from being publicly accessible.

Juvenile Delinquency in Kings, NY

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Kings 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 899 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Kings County. Of that total, 84% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 758 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Kings County, NY Courts