Queens County court records and arrests – conducting a criminal background check

Revealing a person's criminal history in the State of New York is a little more difficult compared to other states, as there are not enough sources available to the public. This article mainly focuses on Queens County court records and arrests. Statewide criminal databases will be mentioned as well.

Queens County court records

The Records Search Department of Queens County Clerk of Court performs a case search for the public. The service costs $10 for the two years and additional $5 for every 2 years of the record's date. That is, if the record is, for example, 4 years old, you will be charged $15; if it is 6 years old, the fee rises to $20. Records predating 1992 can be found on microfilm. To use this service, you will be required to arrive at the clerk's office in person at Sutphin Blvd #105, Jamaica, NY 11435, phone no. 718-298-0609.

How to perform an arrest search and how to find warrants

Information on Queens County arrest records and warrants can be extracted from the sheriff office. They do not have a computerized database open to public view, so searchers must physically appear at their office (14406 94th Ave, Jamaica, NY 11435, phone: 718-298-7550) and ask a staff member for the information. There are two other options to trace a person's incarceration history:

• NYC arrests can be searched online by utilizing the electronic inquiry tool managed by New York City's Department of Corrections.
• For a more extensive investigation on a state level, we recommend the computerized inmate lookup of the DOCCS. It will allow you to search for New York arrest records by name. The data includes people incarcerated since the 1970s (excluding juveniles).

How to locate New York sex offenders

The state operates an online registry where you can locate sex offenders and predators by name, county or zip code. This database is open to the public and does not require any payment.