If you need certified copies of legal documents for personal use or for your lawyers to initiate legal action, the best way to go about it is to hire experienced process servers. Serve Index LLC can help you with this. Each agency in New York has its own procedures for processing requests for records, so there is no standard procedure for obtaining them. The process of obtaining certified copies in New York depends on the type of document that needs to be certified. Remember that only official document custodians can certify copies, so each source may have its own standard operating procedures.
Divorce records are sealed in New York and are only available to parties involved in the divorce process. The availability of public records varies from state to state, depending on the type of record you are looking for and its currency or age. The ease of access also varies; some are available online, while others are only available on paper and require an application by mail to the specific government office where they were filed. Adoption records for adoptees under 18 years of age are sealed and not available to the general public in New York State. The purpose of this page is to provide links to public record document portals, as well as links to some frequently requested or specific agencies in New York City. This ensures that the state's various government agencies operate in a transparent manner and that New York citizens can be held accountable.
