Cattaraugus County Public Records
Cattaraugus County public records are held by the County Clerk and the state court system. This county in southwestern New York has its main office in Little Valley and a satellite office in Olean. Cattaraugus County is part of the Eighth Judicial District. The County Clerk records all land transactions, maintains court files, and provides public access to both online and in-person records. The county also includes portions of the Seneca Nation of Indians territory, which has its own separate government and record systems.
Cattaraugus County Public Records Overview
Cattaraugus County Clerk's Office
The Cattaraugus County Clerk handles court records and land records. As Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts, the office maintains all civil and criminal case files. The Clerk also records deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, assignments, judgments, and liens. An online records search system is available for looking up land documents. The Clerk has two offices, which is helpful since the county covers a large area.
| Office | Cattaraugus County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Main Address | 303 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755 |
| Satellite | 112 West Third Street, Olean, NY 14701 |
| Phone (Little Valley) | (716) 938-9115 |
| Phone (Olean) | (716) 938-9110 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Website | www.cattco.org/clerk |
Copies and certified documents are available for a fee. Standard copies cost 25 cents per page under state law. Certified copies are $5.00 plus copy fees. The office takes cash, checks, and money orders.
How to Search Cattaraugus County Records
Court records in Cattaraugus County can be searched through WebCivil Supreme. This state portal has civil cases from the Cattaraugus County Supreme Court starting in 2002. Search by name, index number, or attorney. Data updates once per day.
Pending criminal cases show up on WebCriminal. Only active cases with future court dates are listed. For a full criminal criminal history search, the Criminal History Record Search from the Office of Court Administration costs $95. It covers convictions and open cases from all 62 counties. The search matches on exact name and date of birth only.
Land records are in the Clerk's online search tool. Property tax and assessment data sits with the Cattaraugus County Real Property Tax Services office. This system lets you search by address, parcel number, or owner name. It shows assessment values, property details, and tax billing info. This is a different database than the Clerk's land records.
Types of Public Records in Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County holds court records, land records, property tax data, and vital records. Supreme Court cases cover major civil matters and felonies. The County Court handles lesser criminal cases. Under Public Officers Law Section 87, court records are presumed public unless sealed by order.
Land records form the chain of title for all real property in the county. Anyone can search them with no restrictions. Vital records are handled by the Cattaraugus County Health Department at 1 Leo Moss Drive, Olean, NY 14760 for local birth and death records. The state fee for a certified copy is $30. The New York State Department of Health maintains the statewide vital records system.
Business entity records for companies based in Cattaraugus County are searchable through the Department of State Corporation Database. This free tool shows registration status, entity type, and filing history. You can search by entity name or DOS ID number to find details on any business registered to do business in the state.
Voter registration records are maintained by the Cattaraugus County Board of Elections as part of the NYSVoter statewide list. Public data includes name, address, party enrollment, and voting history. The Online Voter Registration portal handles new registrations and changes. Criminal Procedure Law Section 160.50 seals arrest records that do not result in convictions, keeping those records out of public view.
FOIL Requests in Cattaraugus County
New York's Freedom of Information Law applies to all Cattaraugus County government offices. Under Public Officers Law Article 6, you can ask for any record kept by a county agency. Write to the Records Access Officer. Be specific. The agency has five business days to respond.
Fees for copies under FOIL are capped at 50 cents per page. If your request needs more than two hours of staff time, the agency can charge labor costs. If they deny your request, you have 30 days to file an appeal. The Committee on Open Government at (518) 474-2518 can help with any questions about access to Cattaraugus County public records.
Cattaraugus County Legal Resources
Voter registration records for Cattaraugus County are with the county Board of Elections. The statewide voter list includes name, address, party, and voting history. Under Election Law Section 5-614, driver's license and social security numbers are blocked from public view. Register or update your info at the Online Voter Registration portal.
The Department of State FOIL page provides full guidance on making records requests to state agencies. Arrests that do not lead to convictions may be sealed under Criminal Procedure Law Section 160.50, making those records unavailable to the general public. The State Board of Elections oversees the statewide voter registration system that the Cattaraugus County Board participates in.
Communities in Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County includes the city of Olean, the villages of Salamanca, Ellicottville, and Little Valley, and many rural towns. None meet the population threshold for a separate records page. All public records for Cattaraugus County residents go through the County Clerk in Little Valley or the satellite office in Olean.
Nearby Counties
Cattaraugus County sits in the southwestern corner of New York, bordering Pennsylvania to the south.