Access Broome County Public Records

Broome County public records are managed by the County Clerk in Binghamton and by the state court system. The county seat sits at the southern edge of New York near the Pennsylvania border. Broome County is part of the Sixth Judicial District. The County Clerk at 60 Hawley Street maintains court files, land records, and other public documents. You can search many Broome County records online through both the Clerk's portal and the statewide eCourts system. The Sheriff's Office also keeps records of arrests and incidents for areas outside the city of Binghamton.

Broome County Clerk's Office

The Broome County Clerk serves dual roles. First, the Clerk acts as Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts, maintaining all court records for civil and criminal matters in the county. Second, the Clerk is the official registrar of deeds. Every deed, mortgage, judgment, and lien filed in Broome County gets recorded here. The office has an online land records search that covers documents from the 1970s forward. That is a long stretch of data and makes Broome County one of the more accessible counties for remote research.

Copy fees are 25 cents per page for standard copies. Certified copies cost $5.00 plus page fees. Cash, checks, and money orders are accepted. You can search the online database by name, document type, date range, or property description.

How to Search Broome County Records

The state eCourts portal is the fastest way to look up court records in Broome County. WebCivil Supreme has civil case data from the Broome County Supreme Court. Data for this county was added in 2002. Search by party name, index number, or attorney. Results update once a day.

For criminal records, WebCriminal lists pending cases with future court dates in Broome County. It does not include closed or disposed cases. The statewide Criminal History Record Search is available for $95 and covers convictions from every court level in all 62 counties. You need the person's exact full name and date of birth.

Land records are in the Clerk's online system. Search by owner name, document type, or date. Records from the 1970s forward are online. Anything older requires an in-person visit to the fifth floor of the Broome County Office Building. The Broome County Real Property Tax Services office maintains a separate set of records for property assessments, tax maps, and ownership data. That system is searchable by address, parcel number, or owner name.

The Broome County Sheriff's Office at 155 Lt. VanWinkle Drive, Binghamton, NY 13905 handles arrest reports and incident records for areas outside incorporated cities. You can request records in person or by mail.

Types of Public Records in Broome County

Court records are the largest category. The Supreme Court handles major civil cases and felony criminal matters. The County Court deals with lesser criminal cases. Both courts have their files maintained by the County Clerk. Under Public Officers Law Section 87, court records are open to the public unless sealed.

Land records in Broome County cover deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, assignments, judgments, and liens. These documents create the chain of title for every parcel in the county. No restriction limits who can access them. Property tax records are separate. The Real Property Tax Services office keeps assessment rolls, tax maps, and parcel data.

Vital records for Broome County are filed with the New York State Department of Health. Birth records date to 1881. Death records start at 1880. Certified copies cost $30. Older records that qualify as genealogical (births 75+ years ago, marriages and deaths 50+ years ago) are open to anyone.

FOIL Requests in Broome County

New York's Freedom of Information Law covers all Broome County government offices. Under Public Officers Law Article 6, you can request any record kept by a county agency. Send your written request to the Records Access Officer at the office that has what you need. Include as much detail as you can about dates, names, and the type of record.

The agency has five business days to act. They will give you the records, deny the request with a written reason, or send a letter saying they need more time. Copy fees max out at 50 cents per page for standard-sized documents. Labor charges may apply if the request takes more than two hours of staff time. If denied, appeal within 30 days to the agency head. The Committee on Open Government can help with questions about your rights under FOIL.

Broome County Legal Resources

The Department of State Corporation Database is free to search. Look up any business registered in New York, including those based in Broome County. The database shows entity name, type, status, filing date, and registered agent. For voter records, the Broome County Board of Elections keeps the local portion of the statewide voter list. Data restrictions under Election Law Section 5-614 block access to driver's license and social security numbers.

Register to vote or change your registration at the Online Voter Registration portal. The Department of State FOIL page provides instructions for making records requests to state agencies. For arrests that did not lead to convictions, Criminal Procedure Law Section 160.50 may seal those records from public view.

Cities and Towns in Broome County

Broome County includes the city of Binghamton and the town of Union, along with other communities like Vestal, Endicott, Johnson City, and Conklin. Court and land records for all Broome County residents are filed through the County Clerk.

Nearby Counties

Broome County borders several counties in the Southern Tier region of New York. Check these pages if your records may have been filed in a neighboring county.