Court Filings

Court Refunds

Refunds of court filing fees must be filed through the clerk's office in the jurisdiction where the filling occured. Should you wish to request a refund for County/Supreme Court filing fees through the Monroe County Clerk's Office please send original copies of the following to the Downtown Filing Office at Monroe County Clerk's Office 38 West Main Street, COB Room 101 Rochester, NY 14614 ATTN: Refund Request.

1) Attached NYSUCS refund request form completed with wet signature

2) Copy(s) of all related NYSCEF receipts, including from other jurisdictions

3) Cover letter to County Clerk's Office stating reason for refund request, and current contact information of filer.

All court filing fee refund requests are reviewed by the County Clerk's Office then sent to the 7th Judicial District for final approval/denial.

Index Numbers

Index numbers are assigned to open a file where all later papers are kept and which bear that same number. Index numbers are assigned only to those actions and proceedings issued by the New York Supreme or Monroe County Courts.

The index application must be completed and filed at the Monroe County Clerk’s Office. The fee per number is $210.

Please remember that all instruments filed with the Monroe County Clerk’s Office must bear original signatures.

Civil Actions

A $210 check payable to the County Clerk for assigning an index number, starts a civil action proceeding. Please remember that instruments filed with the County Clerk’s Office must bear original signatures.

A civil action file may include court orders, affidavits, summons, complaints or any document pertaining to that action and bearing the assigned index number. If you do not know the index number assigned to your action, a $5 fee will be charged for every two years searched.

Note: For information on court dates, jury duty, bail bond hearings or small claims, please see the courts listed in the blue pages of your telephone book.

Criminal Proceedings

Individuals may not initiate criminal proceedings directly, therefore, if you wish to initiate a criminal proceeding please consult an attorney, law enforcement agency or the district attorney’s office.

The Monroe County Clerk’s Office is the source for criminal records filed by the New York State Supreme and Monroe County Courts. Only felony convictions are filed in the Monroe County Clerk’s Office. It will be helpful in locating a criminal file if you know the index number and year of filing. Only the parties involved and/or their counsel may have access to any sealed records, otherwise a court order for unsealing is required.

Federal, city and town proceedings are the responsibility of those government bodies and are not filed with this office.