Find Felony Records in Orange County

Orange County felony records are managed through the County Clerk's Office in Goshen. The county is part of the 9th Judicial District and covers the mid-Hudson Valley region northwest of New York City. Felony criminal cases are processed in Orange County Court, and records are kept by the Clerk, the Sheriff's Office, and the District Attorney. WebCrims covers Orange County for pending criminal case lookups, making it one of the counties with expanded online access to court data.

Orange County Court and Felony Case Files

The Orange County Clerk's Office serves as clerk to the Supreme and County Courts. Felony case files are housed there permanently. This includes indictments, plea agreements, sentencing records, and judgments of conviction. The courthouse in Goshen holds the physical files. Some records have been digitized, but older files may still require an in-person visit.

When searching for a felony record, having the index number and filing year speeds things up. If you only have a name, provide the full legal name and date of birth. The Clerk's Office charges $0.65 per page for copies. Certified copies run $5.00 per document. An additional $5.00 search fee applies for every two years searched when staff need to look through records on your behalf. These fees are set by state law and are the same across all New York counties.

Orange County is one of the counties covered by WebCrims, the online criminal court case search tool. This system shows pending cases and some recent dispositions. It does not include sealed records or older historical files. For full case details, you still need to go through the Clerk's Office directly.

Orange County Sheriff's Office and Felony Arrest Records

The Orange County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, booking data, and jail records. The office is based in Goshen. Arrest records show the date, the charge, and booking details for each person taken into custody. These records are not the same as a criminal history. They cover the arrest itself.

FOIL requests can be sent to the Sheriff's Records Access Officer. Under Public Officers Law Sections 84 through 90, they must acknowledge your request within five business days. Copy costs max out at 25 cents per page under FOIL rules. The Sheriff also keeps data on active warrants and sex offenders in the county. For people who end up in state prison, the DOCCS Inmate Lookup tool is available around the clock. The statewide Sex Offender Registry lets you search by name or zip code.

The District Attorney's Office prosecutes all felony cases in Orange County. They keep their own files on each case. Public access to prosecution records is limited, but some items can be requested through FOIL.

Statewide Felony Record Searches for Orange County

The OCA Criminal History Record Search is the main statewide tool. It costs $95 per name. Results cover conviction records from all 62 New York counties, including Orange. The search is based on an exact name and date of birth match. Results are sent the next business day. These results are not certified. For a certified disposition, you must contact the court where the case was heard.

DCJS maintains the state's official criminal history records. These are fingerprint-based. You can only request your own record, not someone else's. The fee is $63.50 through the DCJS Record Review page. An unsuppressed version shows all records including those sealed under CPL Section 160.50, 160.55, 160.58, 160.59, and 720.35. The suppressed version leaves out sealed items. Processing takes 7 to 10 business days after fingerprints are submitted.

Court documents filed electronically can be searched through the NYSCEF portal. You don't need an account to search as a guest. The NYS court help page walks through the basics of requesting records from any New York court.

Sealed Felony Records and the Clean Slate Act

Several state laws control when and how criminal records get sealed. CPL Section 160.50 seals records when charges are dismissed or a person is acquitted. This happens automatically. CPL Section 160.59 allows people to petition for sealing of eligible convictions 10 years after the last conviction. The person can have no more than two misdemeanor convictions or one felony and one misdemeanor. No pending charges can be open at the time of the petition.

The Clean Slate Act took effect November 16, 2024. OCA has up to three years to build the automatic sealing process. Under the law, misdemeanor convictions seal 3 years after the sentence is complete. Felonies seal after 8 years. Sex crimes and non-drug Class A felonies like murder are excluded. Until the system is fully running, records that will eventually be sealed still show up in searches.

CPL Section 160.58 applies to drug convictions where the person finished a substance abuse program. CPL Section 720.35 keeps youthful offender records out of public view. Correction Law Section 9 directs DOCCS to remove information 3 years after someone finishes their sentence. All of these apply to Orange County felony records the same way they apply everywhere in the state.

How to Get Orange County Felony Records

You have several options for searching Orange County felony records. The right method depends on what you are looking for.

• Visit the Orange County Clerk's Office in Goshen to search court records in person
• Use WebCrims to look up pending criminal cases in Orange County
• Pay $95 for a CHRS statewide search covering all 62 counties
• File a FOIL request with the Sheriff's Office for arrest records
• Search the DOCCS Inmate Lookup for state prison inmates

You can also submit FOIL requests to the State Police for records they hold. For e-filed case documents, the NYSCEF system has a guest search option. If you need a certified copy of a disposition, contact the court where the case was decided.

Cities in Orange County

Orange County includes the cities of Middletown, Newburgh, and Port Jervis, along with many towns and villages. None of the cities in Orange County meet the population threshold for a separate page. All felony cases from within the county go through the Orange County Court in Goshen, regardless of which city or town the offense took place in.

Nearby Counties

Neighboring counties maintain their own felony records through separate court systems and offices.