A criminal history is a record of arrests, charges, and court outcomes tied to one person. New York does not offer a free name-based public criminal history, so no single county website lists every case. This page shows which Onondaga County offices hold arrest, court, and custody files, what each record can contain, and how to check a result for accuracy. Use the verified contacts below and confirm each detail at the source.
This page starts with Criminal History Search and points to the New York DCJS for fingerprint-based record review. A name-only public search is not a criminal history, and sealed records follow separate rules. Confirm the current process with DCJS or the court.
Criminal History Search
Use these key points and the official source below.
- Official source: https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/
- Office: New York State DCJS for fingerprint-based record review.
- Start with: A name-only public search is not a criminal history.
- Verify: This site is not a consumer reporting agency; do not use it for eligibility decisions.
Record Contents & Offense Types
A criminal history file can hold more than one document, and each one answers a different question. A 24 hour booking sheet shows the arrest, the agency, and the charge at intake. A charging document names the statute and the count. A court file adds the plea, the findings, and the sentence. Read the documents in date order. One arrest can produce more than one charge, and one charge can end in more than one way.
Subject Identity & Arrest Logs
Identity fields tie a record to one person. Look for the full name as booked, any alias, the date of birth, and a booking or case number. The arrest log adds the date, the time, the place, and the agency that made the stop. Two people can share a name and a birth year. Match at least three fields before you treat two entries as the same person.
Misdemeanor & Felony Charges
New York groups offenses by severity. A misdemeanor carries a shorter possible term, and a felony carries a longer one. The charging document lists the statute, the class, and each count. A single arrest can include more than one count, and a prosecutor can add or drop charges later. Read the class and the count together. The top charge on a booking sheet may not decide the case.
Sentences, Fines & Case Dispositions
A disposition is the final result of a case. It can be a plea, a trial verdict, a dismissal, or an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal. The sentence follows the disposition and may include jail time, probation, a fine, community service, or a conditional discharge. The court file holds the order. A fine is paid to the court that imposed it, and that court keeps the payment record.
Differentiating Arrests & Convictions
An arrest records a detention. A conviction records a plea or a trial finding of guilt. The two sit in different files and carry different weight. A charge that is filed does not prove guilt, and a charge that is dropped leaves no conviction. Background screens often blend the terms. Read the disposition line before you describe a person as convicted. A pending case is neither a conviction nor a clean record.
The table below groups the fields that appear most often in an Onondaga County criminal file. The first column names the field, the second shows what it records, and the third names the office that usually holds it. Use the last column to decide whom to call, and bring the case number or booking number with you.
| Field | What it records | Office that holds it |
|---|---|---|
| Name, alias, date of birth | Ties the file to one person | Booking sheet, court file |
| Arrest date and place | When and where the detention happened | Arrest report, booking entry |
| Arresting agency | Which office wrote the report | Sheriff or local police |
| Charge and statute | What was alleged and its class | Charging document, court index |
| Case number | Links the arrest to one court case | County Clerk, court |
| Disposition | Plea, verdict, dismissal, or other result | Court file |
| Sentence | Jail, probation, fine, or discharge | Court file, sentencing order |
| Custody status | Held, released, or transferred | Justice Center, Correction |
A field can exist in one file and be absent from another. The jail roster may list a charge without a case number, and the court index may list a case number without the arrest date. Write down each number you find and note which office gave it to you. That note saves time when a clerk asks for the record you want.
Case Status & Public Availability
New York court files are usually open to the public, but not every file is online. Supreme and County Court indexes sit with the County Clerk, and town and village justice courts keep their own records. A case can be active, pending, closed, sealed, or destroyed after a set period. Ask the clerk for the status and for the document that shows it, or check current bookings online. A website listing is not proof of current status.
Active, Pending & Closed Cases
An active case has future court dates. A pending case waits for a plea, a hearing, or a decision. A closed case has a final disposition, though a later appeal or a post-judgment motion can reopen it. The court file shows the dates and the next appearance. A jail roster shows custody, not case status. Check both when you need the current picture, and ask for the next date in writing.
Dismissals, Acquittals & Convictions
A dismissal ends the case without a conviction. An acquittal follows a trial and a not-guilty finding. A conviction follows a plea or a guilty verdict. Each result appears on the disposition line, often with a short code and a date. Some dismissals are sealed under state law, and some stay visible in the court file. Ask the clerk to read the code with you if the meaning is unclear.
Online Directories & Public File Rules
Many websites sell criminal record summaries, and most of them buy data from courts, agencies, or other vendors. A directory can be out of date, and a hit can belong to another person. New York does not run a free public name search for criminal history. Use the court index and the agency file as the source, and treat a directory as a pointer that needs confirmation.
Expunged, Sealed & Juvenile File Rules
New York seals more records than it expunges. A dismissal or an acquittal is usually sealed, with exceptions. A youthful offender finding is confidential. A 2021 state law vacated and expunged many marijuana convictions. Sealing limits public view, but police, prosecutors, and some licensing agencies can still see the record. A sealed record is not erased from every file. Ask the clerk which rule applies.
Record Accuracy & Resolution
A record can be wrong, incomplete, or attached to the wrong person. Clerks enter dispositions by hand, agencies send updates on their own schedule, and a common name can pull more than one file into a search result. Fixing an error takes a written request and proof of identity. Start with the office that created the entry, not with a website that copied it. Keep a copy of every request you send.
Identity Verification & DOB Matching
Date of birth is the strongest field for separating two people with the same name. A full middle name, a suffix, and a booking number help. A court file or jail records may show a birth year but not a full date. Ask the clerk to compare the date on the file with the one you supply. Do not accept a match based on name alone. One wrong match can put another person’s case in your file.
Handling Multiple Name Matches
A common name can return dozens of entries. Narrow the list with the birth date, the middle name, the county, and the years you expect. Compare the arresting agency and the case number next. Drop any entry that fails two or more fields. Write a short note for each remaining entry that names the field that matched. That note shows why you kept or dropped a file.
System Delays & Missing Record Resolution
A missing entry often means a delay, not a clean record. A court may send a disposition weeks after the hearing, and an agency may hold a paper file that never reached a database. Call the clerk of the court that handled the case and ask for the disposition date. If the file is sealed or destroyed, ask for a written statement that says so. Keep that letter with your notes.
The table below lists the status labels you are likely to see and what each one means for a public check. A label can differ between a jail roster and a court file, so read the source before you rely on the word. Use the last column to see where to confirm the status in writing.
| Status label | What it means | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Future court dates are set | Court file, case index |
| Pending | Waiting for a plea, hearing, or decision | Court file |
| Closed | Final disposition entered | Court file |
| Dismissed | Case ended without a conviction | Court file, disposition |
| Acquitted | Not guilty after trial | Court file, verdict |
| Convicted | Plea or guilty verdict | Court file, sentencing order |
| Sealed | Public view limited by law | Clerk, court order |
| Expunged | Record destroyed under a specific law | Clerk, state agency |
Status words carry legal weight, and a casual label can mislead. A jail entry that reads released does not mean the case ended. A court entry that reads closed can still be under appeal. Ask for the disposition document, not a verbal summary. Keep the document with your notes so a later check can compare the same field.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions cover the points readers ask most often about criminal history in Onondaga County. Each answer names the office or the rule that applies and keeps the limits in view. New York does not offer a free name-based public criminal history, and a private website is not an official source. Use the contacts above, and confirm each answer with the office that holds the file.
Are criminal history records public in Texas?
Texas and New York follow different rules, and a Texas search does not cover Onondaga County. New York has no free statewide name-based criminal history for the public. A person can ask DCJS for a fingerprint-based review of their own record. Court files in Onondaga County are usually open, and the County Clerk can confirm a Supreme or County case. A private website is not an official state source, so ask each state separately.
Do criminal records list dismissed charges?
Often yes. A court file keeps the charge and the disposition, so a dismissed count can stay visible with a note that it was dismissed. A DCJS record can show the arrest and the outcome. Sealing rules can limit later public view of a dismissal. Read the disposition line, not the charge label, before you treat the entry as a conviction. Ask the clerk whether a seal applies to the file.
How long after disposition do records update online?
No single deadline applies. A court clerk enters the disposition in the case file, and the state repository updates after it receives the paperwork. That can take days in one court and weeks in another. A jail roster drops a name at release, which is not a disposition. Check the court file for the date and call the clerk if a database still shows the case as pending.
Who confirms missing criminal history files in Onondaga County?
Start with the office that created the file. Sheriff Police Records at (315) 435-3010 answers questions about arrest reports written by deputies. The Onondaga County Clerk at (315) 435-2227 checks the Supreme and County Court index. A city or town court holds its own case file. For a personal record review, contact New York DCJS through its official site. Ask for the case number and disposition date in writing.