Court records of Ulster County, New York, are available through several channels. UlsterCourt.us allows searching for public information about court cases in the county. Additionally, official resources — including the Ulster County Clerk's website, court offices, and public terminals in court buildings — provide direct access to case registers, hearing calendars, and documents.
Ulster Court System & Jurisdictions
The New York court system in Ulster County includes several levels, and each court handles specific categories of cases.
Supreme Court — a court of general jurisdiction. It hears civil claims without a monetary limit, divorce cases, and other family disputes of a property nature. It is the only court in the state with the authority to hear divorce cases.
County Court handles criminal cases involving felonies (serious crimes) and some civil claims with amounts up to $25,000. Records of both these courts are maintained by the Ulster County Clerk's office.
- Family Court — custody, alimony, protective orders, cases involving minors. Most Family Court materials are confidential.
- Surrogate's Court — wills, probate cases, appointment of guardians over property.
- City Court (Kingston) — minor criminal cases (misdemeanors), civil claims up to $15,000, traffic violations within the city.
- Town and Village Courts — minor offenses, traffic violations, small claims (up to $5,000) at the town and village level.
Note: some criminal records are sealed according to New York State Criminal Procedure Law and Civil Rights Law, so not all materials are available for public viewing.
Ulster Court Calendar & Upcoming Hearings
To find out the schedule of hearings for today, tomorrow, or the current week, use the New York State Unified Court System — WebCivil Supreme and WebCriminal. These online tools allow searching for scheduled hearings in the Supreme Court and County Court by party name or case index number.
- Go to the NYS Courts website (iapps.courts.state.ny.us) and select the appropriate module — WebCivil Supreme for civil or WebCriminal for criminal cases.
- Select the county "Ulster" from the list.
- Enter the party's last name or case number to see the date and time of the next hearing.
For local courts (Town and Village Courts), calendars are usually published on the respective municipalities' websites or available by phone at the specific court's office. Kingston City Court also maintains its own schedule.
Phone inquiries to the county clerk's office at (845) 340-3288 provide informational assistance only — document copies are not issued this way.
How to Get a Copy of a Ulster Court Document
The procedure depends on the type of document and the method by which you want to obtain it.
Online
Copies of civil and criminal records from the Supreme and County Court can be ordered through the Search IQS system — an external portal linked from the county clerk's court records page. After finding the desired record, you can submit a request for a copy.
In Person
Visit the county clerk's office:
When visiting, provide the full name of the party, the approximate year of the case, and the index number (if known). To obtain a certified copy, a written request must be submitted.
By Mail
Send a written request to the address above, specifying the case details, type of copy (certified or regular), and a check or money order for the appropriate amount.
Access Restrictions
- Divorce cases are issued only to the plaintiff, defendant, or their attorney.
- Sealed criminal records are not available to the public.
- Family Court materials are generally confidential.
For court judgments, mechanic's liens, and federal tax liens, requests are submitted similarly — through the clerk's office. Forms for uncontested divorces and other templates can be downloaded directly from the clerk's website.
Historical court records of the county, dating back to the colonial era, are described on the Historical Society of the New York Courts website.
Ulster Court Records Fees & Payment
Fees for copies and searches are established by New York State law (including CPLR § 8019 and County Law). Below are the approximate rates applicable at the Ulster County Clerk's office.
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Registry search (by name, up to 2 years) | $5.00 |
| Each additional 2 years of search | $5.00 |
| Regular copy of a document (per page) | $0.65 |
| Certified copy (first 4 pages) | $5.00 |
| Each additional page of a certified copy | $1.25 |
| Document certification (certification / exemplification) | $5.00 |
Payment is accepted by check or money order payable to Ulster County Clerk. Confirm the possibility of card payment directly at the office or through the Search IQS portal, as the online service may charge an additional processing fee.
If you only need informational assistance — for example, to check if a certain record exists — call (845) 340-3288. However, to obtain actual copies, you will need to use one of the channels described above. The current list of fees can always be checked on UlsterCourt.us or directly on the county clerk's website.