How does the process of registering a state civil judgment in county land records work in New York, and how can the public search those filings?
Executive summary
Registering a state civil judgment as a public lien in New York is a two-step legal and administrative process: first the court enters (files) the judgment, and then the judgment-creditor must obtain and file a certified “transcript of judgment” with the County Clerk where a lien is desired (making it searchable in land records) [1] [2]. Public access to those filings is available through a mix of statewide e-filing/search systems and county clerk land-record portals, but availability, fees and formats vary by county and by whether a case was e-filed or sealed [3] [4] [5].
1. How a judgment becomes “entered” in court and why that matters
A judgment is not enforceable until it is entered—meaning the court clerk signs and files the judgment in the court docket—and some courts require the prevailing party to prepare and present the judgment for entry; the notice of entry then starts the clock for appeals and enforcement [1] [6]. Once entered by the court, the judgment exists as a court record and can be the basis for enforcement remedies, but it is not automatically a lien on real property in any county other than where it was entered unless further steps are taken [1] [7].
2. Transcripts of judgment: turning a court judgment into a county lien
To make a money judgment into a lien against real property in any county, the judgment-creditor must obtain a certified transcript from the court where the judgment was entered and file that transcript with the County Clerk in the county where the debtor owns property; that transcript contains the essential certified information necessary to create a lien and may be filed in multiple counties as needed [2] [7]. The transcript procedure is the routine mechanism courts and collection practitioners use to “spread” a judgment across counties for enforcement against real property [2] [8].
3. The County Clerk’s role and local variations in practice
County Clerks are the custodians of land records and will index and record judgments, liens, deeds and related instruments, but clerks’ practices—fees, e-recording portals, signature requirements and whether older records have been digitized—vary widely from county to county, and some counties restrict online access or charge search/print fees [5] [9] [10] [11]. Local rules matter: some small claims or town justice judgments must first be obtained in local courts before any transcript proceeds, and county offices may prepare executions for levy once a judgment is properly recorded [12] [11].
4. Duration and renewability of lien rights
A judgment entered by a court is generally enforceable for money for twenty years, while a transcript of judgment filed with a County Clerk creates a lien against real property for ten years and can be renewed for an additional ten years by re-filing procedures allowed under state rules [6]. These statutory time frames determine how long the public lien will appear in land records and how long a creditor can pursue enforcement against real property.
5. How the public searches for recorded judgments and court filings
Public searching is available through multiple channels: NYSCEF/NYS eFiling guest search and NY eCourts offer access to e-filed case dockets and documents (with limits), while many counties operate their own land-record search portals (some paywalled) where recorded judgments and instruments can be located; users can also request records directly from the Clerk of Court or County Clerk [3] [13] [4] [14]. Practically, a search often begins with the county clerk’s land records database or statewide e-court case search if the underlying judgment was e-filed, but the format and searchable fields (name, index number, instrument number, year) differ across systems [13] [5].
6. Practical procedural steps for creditors and curious members of the public
A creditor typically: secures an entered judgment from the court; requests a certified transcript from the court clerk; files that transcript with the County Clerk where lien protection is sought and pays the required recording fee; and follows up with executions or sheriff/marshal procedures to levy if needed—county offices can provide forms, fees and next steps [2] [6] [9]. Members of the public who want to check for liens should search county land-record portals first, use NYSCEF or NY eCourts for e-filed case dockets, or contact the relevant clerk’s office to request searches or certified copies [4] [14] [3].
7. Caveats, privacy limits and what reporting does not cover
Access is not uniform: confidential or sealed records (for example, certain matrimonial files) are excluded from public online view; counties may limit remote access or apply fees to deter fraud and “signature harvesting,” so an absence of an online hit is not definitive proof no judgment exists without a clerk inquiry [3] [15] [5]. Reporting sources do not provide a single statewide index of all county-recorded judgments; where a comprehensive search is required, multiple county searches and direct clerk contact remain necessary [5] [2].