Find Public Records in Cortland County

Cortland County public records are kept by the County Clerk and the state court system. Located in central New York, this county is part of the Sixth Judicial District. The County Clerk at 46 Greenbush Street in the city of Cortland handles court filings, land records, and other public documents. In-person visits are the primary way to access records at the Clerk's Office, though statewide online portals cover Cortland County court cases. The county has a small population but maintains records going back many decades.

Cortland County Clerk's Office

The Cortland County Clerk serves as Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts. All civil and criminal court records for the county are maintained here. The office also records land documents including deeds, mortgages, and liens. Public access to records is available through in-person visits at the Greenbush Street office.

Copy fees follow state law. Standard copies are 25 cents per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 plus page fees. The office takes cash, checks, and money orders. Staff can help locate specific documents if you provide names, dates, or document types.

How to Search Cortland County Records

The eCourts portal is the main online tool for Cortland County court records. WebCivil Supreme has civil case data from 2002 forward. Search by party name, index number, or attorney. Updates happen once daily for Cortland County.

For pending criminal cases, WebCriminal covers cases with upcoming court dates. Disposed cases do not appear. A statewide criminal history search through the Criminal History Record Search costs $95. It uses exact name and date of birth matching. Staff review results before sending them by email.

Land records require an in-person visit to the Clerk's Office. The Cortland County Real Property Tax Services office maintains assessment data, tax maps, and ownership records for all properties in the county. This is a separate system from the Clerk's land record books.

Types of Public Records in Cortland County

Cortland County maintains court records, land records, property tax data, and vital records. Court files include Supreme Court civil cases and County Court criminal matters. Under Public Officers Law Section 87, these records are open to the public unless sealed by court order.

Land records cover deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, and liens. They trace the ownership history of every parcel in the county. There are no restrictions on who can look them up. Vital records are handled by the New York State Department of Health. Certified copies cost $30 each. Genealogical records (births 75+ years old, marriages and deaths 50+ years old) are available to anyone for $22 per copy.

Business entities in Cortland County can be searched through the Department of State Corporation Database. It is free and shows entity name, type, status, and filing date. The database covers corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other registered business types. Entities that ceased to exist before December 5, 1977 are not in the online database and need a manual request from the Department of State.

Voter registration data is maintained by the Cortland County Board of Elections as part of the statewide NYSVoter system. Public information includes name, address, party enrollment, and voting history. The data cannot be used for non-election purposes under state law. Local town clerks across Cortland County handle some municipal records and may process certain vital records requests faster than the state.

FOIL Requests in Cortland County

New York's Freedom of Information Law applies to all Cortland County government agencies. Under Public Officers Law Article 6, records in any format are subject to disclosure unless exempt. Send a written request to the Records Access Officer at the relevant agency. Include dates, names, and descriptions.

Agencies must respond within five business days. Copy fees are 50 cents per page at most. Labor charges apply when more than two hours of staff time are needed. If denied, file a written appeal within 30 days. The Committee on Open Government provides guidance and can be reached at (518) 474-2518. The Department of State FOIL page has sample request forms and detailed instructions.

Cortland County Legal Resources

Voter registration data for Cortland County sits with the county Board of Elections. The NYSVoter system tracks name, address, party enrollment, and voting history. Under Election Law Section 5-614, driver's license and social security numbers are not public. Use the Online Voter Registration portal to register or make changes.

Criminal Procedure Law Section 160.50 provides for the sealing of arrest records that do not result in convictions. These records are removed from public view and do not appear in any search tool. Civil Rights Law Section 50-a, which used to shield police discipline records, was repealed in 2020. Law enforcement disciplinary records are now accessible through FOIL in Cortland County and across the state.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services handles fingerprint-based criminal criminal history searchs, which are separate from the court-based CHRS system and restricted to authorized agencies. The CHRS system through the Office of Court Administration is the one open to the general public at $95 per search.

Communities in Cortland County

Cortland County includes the city of Cortland and towns like Homer, Virgil, and Cincinnatus. None meet the population threshold for a separate records page. All court and land records for Cortland County residents go through the County Clerk at 46 Greenbush Street.

Nearby Counties

Cortland County sits in central New York, surrounded by several other counties in the region.