Find Felony Records in Union

Union felony records are maintained by the Broome County Court system in Binghamton. The Town of Union is the most populous community in Broome County, located in the Southern Tier region of New York within the 6th Judicial District. Felony arrests in Union start at the local Justice Court for arraignment and preliminary proceedings. After a grand jury issues an indictment, the case transfers to Broome County Court. The Broome County Clerk stores closed felony case files and makes them available for public searches. Union residents who need felony case records should look to the county clerk's office in Binghamton as the primary resource.

Broome County Court and Union Felony Records

The Broome County Court in Binghamton handles all felony prosecutions from Union. The county clerk keeps official case files. These records include indictments, motions, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and judgment documents. Adult conviction records are generally available to the public for inspection.

The Broome County Clerk's Office is the place to search. Visit during business hours and inspect files for free. Bring the defendant's name and date of birth. Copies run $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost more. Written requests are accepted by mail.

Felony case files are retained permanently by the county clerk. Misdemeanor files stay for at least 25 years. Violation records are kept for six years minimum. The Broome County Sheriff's Office also maintains its own records for arrests and bookings handled by the sheriff's department.

Online Tools for Union Felony Records

State databases cover Union felony records along with the rest of New York. The OCA Criminal History Record Search costs $95 per name. It searches every court in the state. Results are emailed the next business day. This is the widest-reaching single search available.

Free tools include the WebCrims portal for case status and court dates. The DOCCS Inmate Lookup shows state prison inmates at no charge. The Sex Offender Registry is searchable by name, county, or zip code for free.

The NYSCEF portal shows e-filed court documents. Not all Broome County cases are in this system. Older cases and those from justice courts are less likely to appear. The Court Records Help page from the NYS Unified Court System explains what records are public and how to get them.

Union Justice Court and Local Records

Union Town Justice Court handles misdemeanors, violations, and traffic infractions. The court also conducts arraignments and preliminary hearings for felony charges. Justices act as arraigning magistrates and can set bail. A defendant must be arraigned within 24 hours of arrest in most cases. Preliminary hearings must happen within 120 hours unless a grand jury acts first.

Records from cases that remained in justice court are kept locally. Contact the Union Town Court for those files. The town clerk also maintains administrative records. For police records, you would contact the arresting agency directly. The Broome County Sheriff and New York State Police both operate in the Union area.

Sealing Laws That Affect Union Felony Records

Dismissed charges and acquittals seal automatically under CPL Section 160.50. The record is removed from public access. Only the named person and their attorney can still see the file. A court order is needed for anyone else to access a sealed record.

CPL Section 160.59 allows petitions to seal up to two old convictions after ten years. One can be a felony. The court weighs factors including the nature of the crime and the impact on victims. Drug convictions may qualify for sealing under CPL Section 160.58 if the person completed a treatment program ordered by the court.

Youthful offender adjudications are sealed under CPL Section 720.35. The Clean Slate Act, effective November 2024, will add automatic sealing for eligible convictions. Class A felonies and sex offenses are not covered. Full implementation may take three years. The DCJS Record Review lets individuals check their own criminal history through fingerprinting. This is not a public search tool.

FOIL Requests for Union Town Records

The Freedom of Information Law (Public Officers Law Sections 84 through 90) applies to all Union town agencies. File a written request with the town clerk or the relevant department. Be specific about what records you need. The town has five business days to acknowledge your request.

Copies cost $0.25 per page for pages up to 9 by 14 inches. Larger documents are charged at actual cost. There is no fee for record inspection. Some law enforcement records are exempt from disclosure under FOIL. Active investigations, confidential sources, and information that could interfere with a fair trial may be withheld.

If your request is denied, appeal in writing to the town attorney within 30 days. If that fails, you can bring an Article 78 proceeding in Supreme Court. The Town of Union website has department contact information and current hours. Correction Law Section 9 restricts DCJS criminal history data to authorized agencies only.

Nearby Cities

Union is the largest town in Broome County, located in the Binghamton metropolitan area of New York's Southern Tier. There are no other qualifying cities within close proximity, but the Broome County Court in Binghamton serves the entire county for felony matters.