Clinton County Public Records

Clinton County public records are managed by the County Clerk in Plattsburgh and by the state court system. Sitting on the western shore of Lake Champlain near the Canadian border, Clinton County is part of the Fourth Judicial District. The County Clerk at 137 Margaret Street maintains court records, land documents, and other public filings. Whether you need a deed search, a court case lookup, or property tax data, the Plattsburgh offices are the starting point. State online portals also cover Clinton County for remote searches.

Clinton County Clerk's Office

The Clinton County Clerk is the keeper of court records and land records for the county. As Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts, this office maintains all civil and criminal court files. The Clerk also records deeds, mortgages, and other land transactions. Public access is available through in-person visits and online search tools.

Copies cost 25 cents per page for standard documents. Certified copies are $5.00 plus page fees. The office takes cash, checks, and money orders. Mail-in requests need to include the proper payment amount.

How to Search Clinton County Records

Court records for Clinton County are on the state eCourts system. WebCivil Supreme covers civil cases from 2002 onward. Search by name, index number, or attorney. Updates come once per day.

WebCriminal shows pending criminal cases with future court dates in Clinton County. Older or disposed cases are not listed. The Criminal History Record Search is a $95 statewide criminal criminal history search covering all 62 counties. It uses exact name and date of birth matching. Results are reviewed by staff before being sent to you.

Property records can be found through the Clinton County Real Property Tax Services office. This database has assessment values, tax maps, and ownership data. Land records (deeds, mortgages, liens) are separate and sit with the County Clerk.

The Clinton County Surrogate's Court at 137 Margaret Street handles probate and estate matters. Estate records are public. You can search by the name of the deceased person to find wills, inventories, and accountings.

Types of Public Records in Clinton County

Clinton County holds court records, land records, property tax data, and vital records. Under Public Officers Law Section 87, most government records are open unless a specific exemption applies. Court records include civil and criminal filings from the Supreme and County Courts, probate files from the Surrogate's Court, and some Family Court data (though Family Court files have limited public access).

Land records trace property ownership in Clinton County. Deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, assignments, and liens are all recorded by the County Clerk. Anyone can search them for any purpose. No restrictions limit access to land records. Title companies, attorneys, banks, and the general public all rely on these records for real estate transactions and property research.

Vital records go through the New York State Department of Health. Birth records start in 1881. Death records go back to 1880. A certified copy costs $30 with standard processing of 8 to 10 weeks. Priority handling adds $15 and cuts the wait to about two weeks. Older records open to the public include births from 75+ years ago and marriages and deaths from 50+ years ago. These genealogical records cost $22 per copy. Local town clerks in Clinton County may handle some vital records requests faster than the state office in Menands.

FOIL Requests in Clinton County

Freedom of Information Law applies to all Clinton County agencies. Under Public Officers Law Article 6, you can request records in any form from any county office. Send your request in writing to the Records Access Officer. Be specific about dates, names, and the type of records you want.

The response deadline is five business days. Copy fees are 50 cents per page maximum. If the request requires more than two hours of staff time, the agency can charge labor at the lowest applicable employee rate. Denied requests can be appealed within 30 days. Contact the Committee on Open Government at (518) 474-2518 for help with Clinton County FOIL questions.

Clinton County Legal Resources

The Department of State Corporation Database covers businesses registered in Clinton County and across the state. The free search shows entity name, type, status, and registered agent. The Department of State FOIL page has instructions for state-level records requests.

Voter registration data for Clinton County is maintained by the county Board of Elections as part of the NYSVoter system. Under Election Law Section 5-614, personal identification numbers are not available to the public. The data cannot be used for non-election purposes. Register or update your voter information at the Online Voter Registration portal.

Criminal Procedure Law Section 160.50 seals arrest records that do not result in convictions. Those sealed records are removed from public databases. The Division of Criminal Justice Services runs the fingerprint-based criminal history system, which is separate from the court-based CHRS and restricted to authorized users only.

Communities in Clinton County

Clinton County includes the city of Plattsburgh and communities like Peru, Beekmantown, Chazy, Rouses Point, and Dannemora. None of these communities meet the population threshold for a separate public records page. All court and land records for Clinton County residents go through the County Clerk in Plattsburgh.

Nearby Counties

Clinton County sits in the northeastern corner of New York along Lake Champlain. Here are the neighboring counties.