Ulster County Court Docket Search
Ulster County court docket records are maintained at the County Clerk's Office in Kingston. You can search for case filings, docket entries, judgments, and other court documents through the clerk's office or by using the state's free online portals. Kingston served as New York's first state capital, and the county has a long history that shows in its records. The clerk's office handles records for Supreme Court and County Court cases filed in Ulster County. Whether you need recent court docket entries or older filings, the Kingston office is where you begin.
Ulster County Overview
Ulster County Court Docket Office
The Ulster County Clerk's Office is the central source for court docket records in this county. The office is in Kingston, the county seat. As Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts, the office maintains all case filings, docket entries, and judgments for cases filed in Ulster County.
Under Judiciary Law § 255, the County Clerk must keep and provide public access to all court docket records. The office also handles land recordings, including deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property documents. Ulster County spans a large geographic area from the Hudson River to the Catskill Mountains, and the Kingston office serves all of it. The county has a population of roughly 177,000, which puts it in the mid-range for New York counties in terms of caseload.
| Office | Ulster County Clerk's Office |
|---|---|
| Location | Kingston, NY |
The clerk's office works as both the court records keeper and the county recorder. If your court docket search involves property matters like a foreclosure or judgment lien, you can access both the court filings and the property records at the same office. This dual function saves time when you are researching matters that cross over between court activity and real estate records. Staff at the office deal with a wide range of requests and can help point you to the right set of records.
Search Ulster County Court Docket Records
Several options exist for searching court docket records in Ulster County. Online tools are the fastest way. In-person visits to Kingston give you full access to case files.
The WebCivil Supreme portal covers civil Supreme Court docket records for Ulster County. You can search by index number, party name, or attorney. The system shows case status, future court dates, and all docket entries. For criminal cases, the WebCriminal system covers pending criminal matters. Both are free tools from the Unified Court System.
E-filing through NYSCEF is the way to file new Supreme Court documents. Once filed, those papers join the court docket and can be viewed through NYSCEF Guest Search. No account is needed to view public filings. This is a quick way to check on recent court docket activity in any civil case.
The Ulster County Surrogate's Court handles estate and probate matters. Search those records through the WebSurrogate system. The NYS Court Records Information page lays out all the options if you are not sure where to begin your search.
The Criminal History Record Search system covers all 62 New York counties including Ulster, and costs $95.00 per name search.
Court Docket Records in Ulster County
The Ulster County Clerk maintains a full set of court docket records. Civil case files from Supreme Court include the complete docket of filings from petition to judgment. County Court records cover felony cases and civil matters up to $25,000. Judgment rolls, satisfaction records, and lien filings are all part of the system.
Under Judiciary Law § 255-b, the County Clerk must keep a docket book for each case with a Request for Judicial Intervention or appeal. That book lists every paper filed in the case in chronological order. This is the most complete way to track what has happened in a case from start to finish. For researchers, attorneys, and members of the public, the docket book is the definitive record of case activity.
The office also maintains land records going back many years. Ulster County was one of the original counties formed in New York, so some of its records are quite old. If your research touches on historical court activity or early property records, the clerk's office in Kingston is where those documents are kept. For more recent records, the combination of online tools and in-person access covers most needs.
Ulster County Court Docket Fees
Ulster County follows the standard New York fee schedule for court docket copies. Uncertified copies cost $0.65 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per page. These fees apply to all court documents including docket sheets, judgments, and case filings.
A statewide Criminal History Record Search costs $95.00 per name and covers all 62 counties. It is run by the Office of Court Administration, and results come by email the next business day. For most court docket searches, the free online portals will give you what you need without paying anything.
Note: CPLR § 8019 sets fees for courts other than Supreme and County Courts, so Kingston City Court and Town Court fees in Ulster County may differ from the standard schedule.
Public Access to Ulster County Court Docket
Court docket records in Ulster County are open to the public. Judiciary Law § 4 requires court proceedings to be open, and the records follow that same rule. You do not need to be involved in the case to look at the file. Go to the clerk's office in Kingston, give them a case number or party name, and they will help you find it. Sealed records are the exception, but the default is full public access.
Ulster County is large enough to have a busy court system but not so large that the clerk's office feels overwhelming. The staff handles record requests daily and can guide you through the process. Start with the online tools to see what is available digitally, then visit Kingston if you need more complete access or certified copies of court docket documents.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Ulster County. If a case was filed in one of them, search that county's clerk office instead.