Access Yates County Felony Records
Yates County felony records are maintained by the County Clerk's Office at 417 Liberty Street in Penn Yan. This small Finger Lakes county is part of the 7th Judicial District. Felony cases go through Yates County Court at the County Office Building on Liberty Street. County Clerk Molly K. Linehan and Deputy Clerk Brenda L. Lloyd oversee record keeping. The District Attorney, Todd J. Casella, prosecutes all levels of crimes in the county, and the Sheriff's Office at 227 Main Street maintains arrest records and jail data.
Yates County Overview
Yates County Clerk and Felony Court Records
The Yates County Clerk's Office maintains land records, court records, and various public documents. For felony records specifically, the office keeps criminal files from Supreme and County Court. Criminal files are available to the public, with exceptions for sexual abuse files and sealed files. Civil files are also available except for divorce files, which are limited to attorneys and the parties involved.
Records since July 2001 for deeds and October 1998 for mortgages have been digitized and can be accessed on computers in the public records room. Older records are kept in books and indexed by book and page numbers. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can reach the Clerk at 315-536-5120, by fax at 315-536-5545, or by email at countyclerk@yatescounty.org. Note that marriage, birth, and death certificates are not held by the County Clerk. Contact the Town or Village Clerk for those.
Felony case files are retained permanently under state rules. Misdemeanor files stay for 25 years after disposition. Copies cost $0.65 per page. Certified copies run $5.00. Pistol permit files are only available to the applicant. Military discharge records are restricted to the applicant or family members if the veteran is deceased.
| Office | Yates County Clerk's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 417 Liberty Street, Suite 1107, Penn Yan, NY 14527 |
| Phone | (315) 536-5120 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
| countyclerk@yatescounty.org |
Yates County Sheriff and Felony Arrest Records
The Yates County Sheriff's Office Records Division handles arrest record requests. Sheriff Ronald G. Spike runs the office at 227 Main Street, Penn Yan, NY 14527. Phone: (315) 536-4438. Email: sheriff@yatescounty.org. Office hours for records are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. An online county records portal is available 24 hours a day for some record types.
Written FOIL requests are accepted under Public Officers Law Section 89. The office must respond within five business days. Copy fees are 25 cents per page or less under FOIL. Arrest records document the date, charges, and booking data. They are not the same as a full criminal history. For people in state custody, the DOCCS Inmate Lookup covers all state prisons. The Sex Offender Registry is searchable online by name or location.
The District Attorney's Office at 415 Liberty Street, Penn Yan, handles all prosecutions. Phone: 315-536-5550. DA Todd J. Casella was elected in 2017 and took office in 2018. He was awarded Prosecutor of the Year in 2021 for the successful prosecution of Kelly Anderson. The office includes First Assistant DA Alicia Slate, who handles Yates County Court and Penn Yan Village Court cases. Victims' Assistance can be reached at 315-531-3235. Yates County was one of six counties to pilot a Digital Evidence Management System.
Statewide Felony Record Search Options
The OCA Criminal History Record Search costs $95 per name and covers conviction data from all 62 counties. The search requires an exact match of name and date of birth. Results arrive the next business day for online submissions. These are not certified. For a certified disposition, contact the court that heard the case. In Yates County, the Chief Clerk for Supreme and County Courts is Carol B. Winslow at 315-835-6308.
DCJS keeps fingerprint-based criminal history records that are not public. The DCJS Record Review costs $63.50. You must submit fingerprints through an authorized vendor. The unsuppressed response includes all records, even those sealed under CPL 160.50, 160.55, 160.58, 160.59, and 720.35. The suppressed version leaves out sealed items. Processing runs 7 to 10 business days. Yates County records are included in the statewide DCJS database.
The NYSCEF portal covers electronically filed court documents. Yates County Court uses NYSCEF for some filings. You can search as a guest. The NYS court records help page explains the different methods for getting court records across the state system.
Yates County Felony Record Sealing and Expungement
Under CPL Section 160.59, people can apply to seal eligible convictions. The waiting period is 10 years from conviction or release. Most non-violent felonies and misdemeanors are eligible. Sex offenses and violent felonies cannot be sealed. The process requires a sworn statement, certified disposition, and fingerprints. The court notifies the DA's Office, which has 45 days to object. Sealed records still remain accessible to law enforcement and certain licensing boards.
The Clean Slate Act took effect November 16, 2024. OCA has up to three years to build the automatic sealing system. Misdemeanor convictions will seal after 3 years. Felonies seal after 8 years from the end of the sentence. Sex crimes and non-drug Class A felonies are excluded. Until the system is built, records that will eventually be sealed still show in search results.
CPL Section 160.50 seals dismissed cases automatically. CPL Section 160.58 covers drug convictions after a treatment program is completed. CPL Section 720.35 shields youthful offender adjudications. Correction Law Section 9 directs DOCCS to remove public information 3 years after someone finishes their sentence. These laws affect Yates County felony records the same as everywhere else in New York.
How to Search Yates County Felony Records
Yates County is small, but several search methods are still available.
- Visit the Yates County Clerk's Office at 417 Liberty Street in Penn Yan during business hours
- Call the Clerk's Office at 315-536-5120 or email countyclerk@yatescounty.org
- Submit a FOIL request to the Sheriff at 227 Main Street or email sheriff@yatescounty.org
- Pay $95 for a CHRS statewide search
- Search DOCCS Inmate Lookup for state prison inmates
For case-specific documents, contact the court that handled the matter. The DCJS Record Review is available for checking your own criminal history. The Surrogate Court Chief Clerk, Vanessa V. Smith, can be reached at 315-835-6321. Family Court Chief Clerk Kerril Searles is at 315-835-6314.
Cities in Yates County
Yates County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. The county includes the Village of Penn Yan and several rural towns. All felony cases from within Yates County are processed through the County Court at 415 Liberty Street in Penn Yan.
Nearby Counties
Neighboring counties keep their own felony records through separate court systems and offices.