New York County is also known as Manhattan. The governmental offices are for the most part located in the Civic Center near the Brooklyn Bridge. The City Register and Surrogate's Court are located at 31 Chambers Street. The Supreme Court Clerk is located in the basement of 60 Centre Street. The Civil Court is further north at 111 Centre St. The best way to get to these offices is by subway. Take the 1, 2, or 3 to Chambers Street and walk east three blocks or take the 4, 5, or 6 to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall, the offices are right there. You may also take the A/C to Chambers Street or the J/M to Chambers Street.
New York County Register's office is in the Surrogate's Court building at 31 Chambers Street. This is one of the most beautiful buildings in New York City. Use the stairs on the left as you enter the atrium and go to the second floor to room 205. The land records requisition desk will be on your left, and the Fairtax Computers will be on your right. Use these computers to do research on land records from January 1, 1982 to the present. Instructions for use of the computers are in Chapter Two, "Filing Systems". The computers can be accessed by name or by block and lot. If you have an address and you would like to convert it to a block and lot, a R.E.D.I.(c) book is kept at the requisition desk. By looking up the street address, this book will cross reference the section, block and lot. Go back to the computer terminal and enter the block and lot to start your research. Room 204 is connected to Room 205. At the opposite end of Room 204 there are several uncrowded Fairtax Computers for public use.
If the computer contains no information on the property you wish to research, you must go to the BLOCK/LOT index books. Start with the 1980-1981 block and lot books and work your way backwards. Open the book with the block you wish to research and turn to that block. The block is listed on the top of the page. Scan down the lot column until you see the lot you are researching. This entry will list the date of the transaction as well as the type of document (deed, mortgage) and liber and page where the document can be found. These books are arranged in block and lot sequence and are kept in room 203. The indices are by year, with several years contained in each book.
Depending on the filing date of the document you need to view, the reel and page may be either on a microfiche or microfilm. It is extremely important to note the date of the document along with the reel and page when requisitioning the document so you will be given the correct material.
Proceed through room 204 to room 203. Here are the UCC's and Federal Tax Liens. The UCC's are found in large mechanical index machines and on computer terminals. To do a complete search, you must check both places. The large mechanical machines against the back wall is the place to start. These machines contain a complete set of alphabetical cards of both individual and corporate UCC's.
The second place to check for a UCC is the Fairtax computers. The UCC's in these computers are indexed from July 1, 1990. Instructions for use of the computer are found in Chapter Two, "Filing Systems". Once you search the name and have found a card, write down the file number in the upper right hand corner. In Room 203 across from the large mechanical index machines are UCC's filed numerically by year. The numerical file contains the actual statement which will usually have the signature of the borrower. If you want to copy this card place a requisition slip with your name in the place where you found the card. Be sure to replace the card.
Federal Tax Liens are kept in a alphabetical card file on the far left of Room 203 next to the UCC's. The liens are kept in alphabetical order . The cards contain the name, address, amount of lien and date the lien was filed. The Fairtax Computer system will soon be indexing Federal Tax Liens.
The Surrogate's Court records [ records of estates ] are kept upstairs in room 402. Estate files are public. The index for estates is alphabetical and it is kept in a card file opposite the door to the room. The records are now being computerized. All research for estates from 1/1/89 must be done by computer. Three computers are kept in the room for public use. The clerk will gladly look up a name for you. These clerks are especially helpful. If you find an estate record, you can ask for the file at the Information desk. Copy the number and fill out a requisition form. Files may be reviewed only in this room. Copying machines are available.
The County Clerk of the Supreme Court of the State of New York is located in the basement of 60 Centre Street. The Supreme Court Index Computer and case record files are located in room 103B. To enter room 103B, go to room 141B an proceed to the right into 103B. On the counter are four computer terminals with printers. Starting in 1993, the New York County Supreme Court Clerk indexed all cases and clerk's minutes on computer. What makes this system useful is that the clerk indexed the computer with all cases back to 1971! It is now possible to check almost 25 years of litigation by plaintiff or defendant for New York County in just seconds. From 1993 forward, clerk's minutes are on the computer. All cases before 1993 may be on the computer, but the clerk's minutes to the case are in the books on the shelves in Room 141B. Instructions for use of this computer system are at the end of this chapter.
Room 141B also contains the litigation docket sheets or minute books. If you locate a matrimonial case [ which you cannot obtain ] check the minute books to see if there has been a divorce judgment or to see who the plaintiff's attorney was. The minute books are by year and are numerical by index number. Just look up the index number in the appropriate book. You may do this for any case.
At the end of the room is a door which leads to room 103B, the record room. This is where the case files are kept. Walk over to the far counter and obtain a requisition slip. Fill in case name, include the index number and the year. Check "examination or to conform" in the section "papers required for". Fill in your name, address and signature. Give the slip to the clerk [ you may have to wait your turn ] and stay at the counter until the file is returned. The clerk will identify a case file with the plaintiff's name, so remember it. Some files are not available due to limited storage space. You may have to come back another day or go to another close by location. Files may be copied, so bring change. Copies cost 25cents. There is a change machine but it doesn't always work. There is some room to read through files, but it can be very crowded. Mornings and noon are pretty busy. Friday is a good day to go, especially in the afternoon, but the office closes at 3:00 pm.
In New York State all divorce records are confidential and not open to the public. The file folders are a different color and the clerk will not give one to you unless it is yours or you produce a letter of a lawyer for one of the parties. Also, never remove a file from the record room. You can read, make copies, but always return the record to the counter. Never alter a record or write on one. There are serious criminal penalties for such actions.
The judgment dockets are in room 109B. Go into the room and make a left. There are several computer terminals. Since 1987, judgments, mechanics liens, hospital liens, lis pendens, state tax liens are searched by computer. All you need is the debtor's name. Instructions for use of the computer are in Chapter Two, "Filing Systems". Printers are available but you must bring your own print cartridge and paper. As of publication, the printers used OKI 100 cartridges.
Prior to 1987, judgment records were kept in large index books which are now kept in racks directly opposite the computer terminals. To see if a person or corporation has a judgment against them you must check both the computer and the books. The books are set up for individuals and for corporations. The first letter of the last name is used for individuals, the first letter of the firm name is used for corporations. Corporate names starting with a number are filed by spelling the number out. For "123 Corp" spell "one" and check the "O" book.
For corporations, start with the most recent book for that letter. Open the book on the table and you will see tabs on the side with three letters such as "Ber". These letters will direct you to the part of the book you need to check. A firm with the name "Bernz, inc." would be in the "Ber" section. Turn to that section and scan the column "Names Of Parties Against Whom Judgments Have Been Entered" looking for the corporate name you are searching. Search the entire section behind the qualifying tab. After you complete that book go to the next oldest book and continue. The tabs are the same so go to that section. You may have to check ten books to go back as many years.
For individuals the index books are slightly different. You need the first name of the judgment debtor. When you open the individual last name books the tabs on the side are the letters A to Z. Turn to the section with the letter of the person's first name. On the page there are five columns. These columns make it easier to search a name because they stand for the second letter of the last name. So in order to search a name, you determine in which column the last name would fall and just scan down that column in the index book. Of course, you must search a number of books to go back the ten years or so to do a complete search. The index books for each letter are above or below one another.
If you found a judgment for the name you were searching you would need the following information from the docket or the computer screen; time of filing; name and address of judgment creditor; name of judgment creditor's attorney; court the original case came from i.e. Supreme, New York County or State Tax Commission; amount of the judgment; if and when the judgment was satisfied. With the information from the judgment index book you could obtain for review the case file in the appropriate court record room.
The Parking Violations Bureau [PVB] Judgments Docket volumes are next to the judgment computers. The books are alphabetical by last name and contain the name, address, number of outstanding tickets, dollar amount owed and the license plate number of the vehicle.
Room 109B also contains files listing the properties with delinquent taxes, the "IN REM" books. You need the section, block and lot. All tax delinquents are listed with the amount owed. The books are computer printouts with blue covers. Environmental Control Board liens are kept in separate books in alphabetical order by owner.
On the other side of room 109B is the clerk for business records. This is where you would file business papers and it is also where you can check current business filings. The clerk has separate yearly indexes for corporations, partnerships, and DBA (Doing Business As) filings. These indexes go back to 1990. To search before 1990, go into room 117B and check the large index that covers all business filings in New York County back to the early part of the 20th century. This alphabetical index is approximately 95 volumes. All forms of business organizations are indexed together. To look up a name just find the book including the letters in the name you are interested in checking. The books are called the "Business Name Index". Take the book off the shelf, find the name and along side it will be a file number. The file number is the key. It includes a letter at the end. Be sure to write that down, too. "C" stands for corporation; "B" stands for business name or DBA; "M" stands for limited partnership. Also included is the year. There is a tickler book for recent filings and this must be consulted for a thorough search. The tickler book is found on the service counter.
To obtain a file, fill out a requisition slip available on the service counter. Include the name of the business entity, the file number and the year. Check the box "inspection" and fill in your name. Give the slip to the clerk and he or she will return with a file. Corporations before 1946, business certificates before 1925 and limited partnerships prior to 1937 are available at room 703, 31 Chambers Street, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There are three copying machines. You can make copies of any document in the file. Never remove files from the room, and always return them to the return basket on the service counter.
The Civil Court Of The County Of New York is located at 111 Centre Street, room 118. [Across from Criminal Court building. Just north of the Supreme Court on Foley Square.] The Civil Court has a new computer system indexing their cases. The tutorial for the system is at the end of this chapter. Case files can be requested from the clerk in the same room.
Landlord and Tenant Court is a part of the Civil Court. The clerk's office is on the second floor of 111 Centre Street in room 225. A computer is available to check landlord and tenant cases. There is only one terminal available, so there is usually a line. Instructions for this system are in Chapter Two, "Filing Systems". You can request case files in the same room.
The Manhattan Board of Elections is located at 200 Varick Street, 10th floor. To get there by subway take the 1/9 train to Houston Street . You can also take the A/C/E to Canal Street and walk north on Varick Street. The Manhattan Board of Elections has an alphabetical list of all the registered voters in Manhattan as well as a street list with voters by building address. The New York County Board of Elections has a computer system which indexes all voters in New York City. In order to use the computer, go to the service desk and they will show you where to sit. . The computer is very easy to use. The information is accessible by name or by address. Only the clerk can print reports and they charge a quarter a page. The information available from the voter registration records is discussed in Chapter Fifteen.
Copyright © Reyn Inc. And Fred D. Knapp