A court calendar lists the date, time, courtroom, and judge for each scheduled appearance in Onondaga County, New York. This page shows how to read a calendar entry, search by case number or party name, and confirm a hearing before you travel. It covers common hearing types, schedule changes, remote appearances, and the steps to take when a case does not appear on a posted list.
This page starts with Court Calendar Search and points to the court or County Clerk that holds the file. Use the case number and court name, then confirm sealed records, copies, and fees with the clerk. A docket entry is an index, not a certified record.
Court Calendar Search
Use these key points and the official source below.
- Official source: https://www.nycourts.gov/
- Court office: Onondaga Supreme & County Courts, 401 Montgomery St, Syracuse, NY 13202.
- Start with: Use the case number and the court name.
- Verify: Ask the clerk about sealed files, certified copies, and current fees.
Court Schedule Information
A posted schedule usually lists the date, the session, the courtroom, the judge, and the case caption. Some courts post a daily list by courtroom or by judge, and others post a weekly list. The format differs by court and by case type, so read the header first. The header names the court, the date, and the part that controls the room. Read it before you trust a line.
Hearing Time & Courtroom Location
Arrive before the listed time. A calendar may set a morning or afternoon session and call cases in sequence, so the exact hour can slip. The courtroom number, floor, and part appear beside the case, and a change of room is posted at the door and at the court office. Ask a court officer when a room is not open. Allow extra time for screening at the entrance.
Case Number & Listed Parties
Each entry carries an index or case number, the caption, and often the attorney of record. The caption lists the parties, and a criminal entry lists the defendant and the People of the State of New York. Match every digit of the number before you trust any case information or a name match. Two people can share a name, and a wrong match sends a reader to the wrong room.
Hearing Type & Presiding Judge
The entry names the purpose, such as an arraignment, a conference, a motion, or a trial, and it names the judge assigned to the part. A judge may sit by assignment for one day, so the name on the calendar can differ from the name on the case file. Read the purpose before you prepare, and bring the papers the notice asks for with you.
Calendar Status Codes
Short notes beside a case carry meaning that differs by court. Terms such as adjourned, continued, submitted, or appearance required tell a reader whether to attend, and some courts use their own letters and numbers. The clerk can define a code on a specific entry. A code without a date is not a new court date. Ask which version controls before you skip a session.
The table below lists the fields that most Onondaga County calendar entries show. Not every court prints each field, and a local court may use a shorter form. Read the heading of the list first, then match the case number, the date, and the part. A field with no entry can mean the detail is not public or not yet set.
| Field | What it shows | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar date | Day the case is called | Confirms the session you attend |
| Session or time | Morning or afternoon block | Cases are called in order, not by clock time |
| Courtroom and part | Room, floor, and judicial part | Controls where you go |
| Case number | Index number for the file | Ties the entry to one case |
| Caption and parties | Names listed on the case | Helps avoid a name match error |
| Hearing type | Purpose of the appearance | Tells you what to prepare |
| Judge | Judicial officer assigned | Can differ from the trial judge |
| Status note | Short code or remark | Shows adjourned, continued, or submitted |
A field can be blank for a good reason. A new case may lack a courtroom until the clerk assigns one, and a sealed matter may show only a number. Read the note beside the case before you call, and give the clerk the exact wording. A short question about one field gets a faster answer than a broad request for the whole schedule.
Types of Court Hearings
New York assigns cases to courts by subject and by the age of the person charged. Onondaga County handles felony and misdemeanor cases in Supreme and County Court, local city and town courts handle arraignments and lesser charges, and Family Court hears matters involving children and relatives. The calendar for each court follows its own rules and its own list. A single case can move between two courts.
Civil, Criminal & Family Dockets
Civil calendars carry suits for money, contracts, property, and negligence. Criminal calendars carry felony and misdemeanor charges. Family calendars carry support, custody, visitation, and child protection matters, and Surrogate’s Court handles estates. Each docket has a separate list, and a search of civil court records at one court will not show a case filed in another. Read the case papers first to see which court controls the next date.
Arraignments & Pretrial Hearings
An arraignment is the first appearance, where the court reads the charge and sets bail or release. A felony case may then have a preliminary hearing in a local court, or it may go to a grand jury. Pretrial conferences set a schedule for motions and evidence. These dates move often, and a defendant should always confirm each one with counsel and the court clerk.
Motions, Trials & Sentencings
A motion hearing decides a request before trial, such as a request to suppress evidence or dismiss a charge. A trial calendar calls the case for jury selection and testimony, and the court may hold several cases ready for one trial slot. A sentencing follows a plea or a verdict. Each of these events has its own notice, its own room, and its own judge.
The table below groups the appearances that fill Onondaga County calendars and states what each one decides. A single case may have several of these events, and the order follows the charge or the claim. Use the list to read a notice and to ask the clerk a precise question about the next step.
| Appearance | What happens | Who attends |
|---|---|---|
| Arraignment | Charge read; bail or release set | Defendant, counsel, prosecutor |
| Preliminary hearing | Local court decides if a felony charge proceeds | Defendant, counsel, prosecutor |
| Pretrial conference | Schedule set; issues narrowed | Counsel, sometimes the defendant |
| Motion hearing | Court rules on a request | Counsel, witnesses when needed |
| Trial | Evidence heard; verdict reached | Parties, counsel, jurors |
| Sentencing | Penalty imposed | Defendant, counsel, prosecutor |
| Family Court appearance | Support, custody, or protection addressed | Parties, counsel, caseworker |
An appearance can combine two purposes. A judge may take a plea at a conference or set a trial date at a motion hearing. Read the order that follows each appearance, since it states what happens next. A calendar entry alone does not show the outcome, and the case file remains the record of every decision.
Schedule Changes & Remote Appearances
A date on a calendar can change before the session begins. A judge may adjourn a case, a party may ask for more time, or a court may move the matter to another part. Courts post updates in different ways, and not every change reaches a public list at once. Treat a posted date as a starting point and confirm it with the court clerk.
Rescheduled & Continued Hearings
Adjourned and continued both mean the case is set for another day, and the order or the calendar note should carry the new date. A case marked rescheduled has a new date, and one marked canceled may be refiled or decided on the papers. Ask for the new date in writing and keep the old notice with the case file. A new notice should follow.
In-Person Attendance Rules
Court buildings screen visitors at the entrance, and a person must pass through security before reaching a courtroom. Bring a photo ID and the case number, and arrive early. Some proceedings, including grand jury sessions and matters involving a minor, are closed to the public. Court officers control the room and can direct a visitor to the right part. Allow extra time for the line.
Virtual Hearing Links
A virtual appearance uses a link or a phone number that the court sends on the appearance notice. The link is tied to one case, and a person should not share it. Join early, use a quiet space, and keep the camera on when the court asks. A virtual hearing that fails to connect needs a call to the court clerk before the session ends.
The table below lists the words that appear beside a case when a schedule changes, with the plain meaning of each. Courts use these terms in different ways, and a local court may print a short code instead of a word. Read the note with the date and the part, then ask the clerk which entry controls.
| Term | Plain meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Adjourned | Set for another day | Get the new date and part |
| Continued | Carried forward, often without a new date | Ask when the case returns |
| Rescheduled | Given a new date and time | Confirm the new notice |
| Canceled | Removed from the list | Ask whether the case was decided |
| Submitted | Decided on the papers | Check the file for a decision |
| Appearance required | A party must attend | Confirm the room or link |
A term can appear with no date beside it. That gap means the court has not set the next appearance, and a reader should not invent one. Ask the clerk for the last order and the next scheduled event. Keep a copy of each notice, since a later letter may replace the date printed on an earlier one.
Schedule Accuracy & Resolution
Public calendars are a record of what the court plans, and a plan can differ from the current order in the file. A recent change may not reach the public list for a day or more, and some matters never appear in public at all. Confirm a date through the court clerk, the case file, or counsel before you arrange travel or bring a witness.
Calendar Update Delays
Courts enter changes as staff finish the paperwork, and a list printed in the morning may not show a change ordered that afternoon. A holiday, a trial running long, or a closed session can push an update back. A reader should compare the public list with the notice mailed or sent in the case and should call the court when the two differ. A same-day check is wise.
Confidential & Sealed Hearings
Some cases stay off a public calendar. Grand jury sessions are closed, Family Court matters involving children are confidential, and a criminal record sealed by law will not appear even in criminal court records. A sealed file is not a missing case, and a court clerk cannot confirm its details. A person with a direct interest should ask counsel or the court for only the allowed information in the matter.
Missing Schedule Resolution
When a case is absent from a list, check the spelling of the name, the case number, the court, and the date. A case can sit in another part or be marked ready without a hearing. Call the court clerk with the case number and ask for the last order and the next date. Do not treat a missing entry as a dismissal of the case.
The table below lists where to take a question when a calendar entry is missing or unclear. Each office holds a different part of the record, and a caller should have the case number and the last known date in hand. Start with the court that heard the case, then work outward.
| Situation | First contact | Ask for | Have ready |
|---|---|---|---|
| No entry for the case number | Court clerk for the part | Last order and next date | Case number, party names |
| Time or room differs from the notice | Court clerk | Which entry controls | Notice, case number |
| Defendant in custody | Sheriff’s Office or Correction | Custody and transport status | Full name, date of birth, case number |
| Old file or certified copy | County Clerk | Index check and copy order | Case number, year of filing |
| Sealed or family matter | Court clerk | What may be released | Case number, photo ID |
A written record settles most questions about a date. Ask the clerk to read the last order, and note the name of the person who answers. Keep the case number on every request. When a date is close, call rather than write, and ask what time the office opens. A short call costs less than a wasted trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions cover the points that readers ask most about Onondaga County court dates. Each answer states what a public calendar can show, what it cannot show, and which office confirms the record. Court staff speak for the court, and a case number is the fastest way to reach the right part. Call before you travel or arrange a witness. Bring the notice with you.
When are daily court schedules updated?
Times differ by court and by part. Some courts post a list the afternoon before a session, some post it the same morning, and others do not publish a public list at all. A change ordered during the day may appear the next business day. Call the clerk for the part that holds your case, and give the case number. Ask which version the court treats as final.
How do I verify a rescheduled court date?
Read the new notice or order first, since it names the date, time, and part. Then always call the court clerk and read the case number and the new date aloud. Ask whether any later order changed it again. If the notice and the public calendar differ, the court file controls, and the clerk can state what the file shows. Keep each written answer with the case papers.
Are virtual hearings open to the public?
Some are and some are not. A virtual appearance in an open courtroom may allow public viewing, and a court can provide a link or a dial-in number on request. Public viewing depends on the judge and the type of matter. A closed or confidential matter stays closed online. Ask the clerk before the session about public entry, and never share a link that was sent for one case.
Who confirms unlisted court appearances?
The court clerk for the part that holds the case confirms a date that does not appear on a public list. The County Clerk can confirm the file and the last order, and counsel can confirm a date set in chambers. The Sheriff’s Office reports custody status. Start first with the court clerk and have the case number ready in hand. Call the clerk before the session, not after it ends.