Albany County Felony Records

Albany County felony records are maintained by several offices in the state capital region. The County Clerk's Office at 16 Eagle Street keeps Supreme Court and County Court records, while the Sheriff's Office holds arrest and booking data. Felony cases in Albany County go through the 3rd Judicial District court system. You can search these records in person at the courthouse, by mail, or through state-level online tools. The District Attorney's Office at 6 Lodge Street also keeps prosecution files for all criminal cases filed in the county.

Albany County Court and Felony Case Records

The Albany County Clerk's Office serves as the official record keeper for Supreme Court and County Court records. Criminal records here include arrest records, conviction records, and felony case files. These documents track charges filed, arraignments, plea deals, trial proceedings, sentencing details, and probation or parole status. The office is at the Albany County Courthouse, 16 Eagle Street, Room 128, Albany, NY 12207.

Public access terminals are set up in the Clerk's Office. Visitors can search court records tied to arrests and criminal cases at no cost during regular hours. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Copy fees run $0.65 per page, and certified copies cost an extra $5.00 per document. For record searches, you need to give a full legal name, date of birth, and rough dates of the court proceedings. Standard requests take 5 to 10 business days to process.

Albany County criminal records fall under New York Public Officers Law Section 86, which classifies them as public records with certain limits on what can be shared. Adult records for people 18 and older are generally open to the public. Juvenile records for those under 18 are sealed under Family Court Act Section 375.1.

Sheriff's Office Felony Records and Arrest Data

The Albany County Sheriff's Office at 16 Eagle Street maintains arrest records, booking data, and jail records through its Criminal Division and Correctional Division. The main phone number is (518) 487-5400. The Records Division tracks all incidents reported to the Sheriff's Office, including uniform traffic tickets, parking tickets, traffic stops, and traffic accidents.

The office keeps a 24-hour warrant system that runs through NCIC and state networks. This means active warrant data stays current and available to law enforcement around the clock. Records of felony arrests are kept permanently, misdemeanor files for 25 years after a case closes, and arrest records with no prosecution for 5 years from the arrest date.

To get records from the Sheriff's Office, submit a Freedom of Information Law request to the Records Access Officer. Under Public Officers Law Section 89(3), agencies must respond to FOIL requests within five business days. Fees for copies cannot go past 25 cents per page. The office keeps a secure file for case reports that need extra access limits.

District Attorney and Prosecution Records

The Albany County District Attorney's Office at the Judicial Center, 6 Lodge Street, Albany, NY 12207, handles all criminal cases in the county. Call (518) 487-5460 for general questions. The DA's office keeps prosecution files for felonies and misdemeanors, with specialized units for Domestic Violence, Sex Crimes, Economic Crimes, Narcotics, and Homicide.

Under CPL Section 160.59, people can apply to have certain criminal records sealed if at least 10 years have passed since the last conviction. The conviction must be eligible, and the person can have no more than two misdemeanor convictions or one felony and one misdemeanor conviction. No pending charges can be open. The DA gets 45 days to object after being served with a sealing application. If no objection comes in, the court may grant the sealing order.

Grand jury proceedings stay sealed under CPL Article 190. Discovery materials in criminal cases go to defense counsel per CPL Article 245. Some prosecution files may be exempt from FOIL disclosure under Public Officers Law Section 87(2) if releasing them would interfere with law enforcement.

Statewide Felony Record Search Options

The New York State Office of Court Administration runs the Criminal History Record Search, or CHRS. This is the official statewide source for criminal conviction records. The fee is $95.00 per search, and results cover open, pending, and conviction records from courts in all 62 counties. The search works on an exact match of name and date of birth. Each alias or different date of birth counts as a separate $95 search.

You can submit CHRS applications online through the Direct Access portal for real-time results. Mail-in applications go to the NYS Office of Court Administration, 25 Beaver Street, Room 940, New York, NY 10004. Make checks payable to the N.Y.S. Office of Court Administration. Hand-delivered applications by 11:30 AM get processed by 4:30 PM the next business day. CHRS results are not certified and should not be confused with a Certificate of Disposition, which only the court of original jurisdiction can issue.

The DCJS also maintains official criminal history records. These are fingerprint-based and not considered public records. You cannot get someone else's DCJS record. The DOCCS Inmate Lookup tool lets you search for people currently in state prison. The Sex Offender Registry is also searchable online.

Sealed Records and the Clean Slate Act

New York has several laws that seal or restrict access to criminal records. CPL Section 160.50 seals records when charges are dismissed or a person is acquitted. CPL Section 160.55 covers violation and infraction convictions. CPL Section 160.58 deals with substance abuse convictions. CPL Section 720.35 protects youthful offender records.

The Clean Slate Act took effect on November 16, 2024. It gives the Office of Court Administration up to three years to build processes for auto-sealing eligible conviction records. Misdemeanors seal after 3 years, and felonies seal after 8 years from the date of release. Sex crimes and non-drug Class A felonies, including murder, will not be sealed. Until OCA fully implements the sealing process, DCJS record reviews will still show convictions that will eventually be sealed.

Sealed records stay accessible to police departments, prosecutors, courts, and certain authorized agencies. Under Correction Law Section 9, DOCCS removes information 3 years after a person finishes their sentence. For FOIL requests, Public Officers Law Sections 84 through 90 govern what agencies must disclose. You can reach DCJS at 518-457-9847 or by email at RecordReview@dcjs.ny.gov for questions about your own record.

How to Get Albany County Felony Records

There are several ways to search for felony records in Albany County. Each method has its own costs, wait times, and limits on what you can find.

• Visit the County Clerk's Office in person at 16 Eagle Street and use the public access terminals for free
• Submit a written FOIL request to the Sheriff's Office Records Access Officer at (518) 487-5400
• Use the OCA CHRS portal for a $95 statewide conviction search
• Check WebCrims for pending criminal case information
• Request certified copies of dispositions from the court where the case was heard
• File a DCJS Record Review to check your own rap sheet through the DCJS website

The NYSCEF e-filing portal has documents for cases filed electronically. For older records, an in-person visit to the courthouse may be needed. The court records information page from the NYS courts website explains what records are available and how to get them. You can also submit FOIL requests to the State Police for records they hold.

Cities in Albany County

Albany County has several cities and towns. The following major cities have their own pages with local felony records information.

Nearby Counties

These neighboring counties also maintain their own felony records through separate court systems.