New Rochelle Family Court Records
New Rochelle family court records are handled at the Westchester County Family Court location right in New Rochelle. This is one of three Family Court sites in Westchester County, which makes it convenient for local residents. If you need to look up a custody case, find a support order, or file a new family court petition, the New Rochelle courthouse at 26 Garden Street is your local option. The court moved to a state-of-the-art facility in June 2021, with modern courtrooms and expanded services. You can also use the White Plains or Yonkers locations if those are more convenient.
New Rochelle Overview
Family Court Records in New Rochelle
The Westchester Family Court in New Rochelle is at 26 Garden Street, 3rd floor, New Rochelle, NY 10801. The phone number is 914-831-6590 and the fax is 914-831-6588. For virtual appearance matters, the email is VirtualWestchesterFamilyCourtNewRochelle@nycourts.gov.
The court relocated in June 2021 to a new 35,000 square foot space on the third and fourth floors of a six-story building. The facility has two courtrooms, three hearing rooms, judge's chambers, offices for non-judicial staff, and space for the Office for Women, Department of Probation, and other county agencies. It features assisted-listening capabilities and modern HVAC systems. The ribbon cutting was attended by 9th Judicial District Administrative Judge Hon. Kathie E. Davidson and Westchester County Executive George Latimer.
Family Court Judges at the New Rochelle location include Hon. Allison E. Burke and Hon. Emily R. Rubin. Support Magistrates include Rosa Cabanillas-Thompson and Risa Aggrey. The Court Attorney Referee is Stephanie Lammers. Clerk's Office staff include Chief Clerk Stephen G. Byrnes, Principal Court Clerk Michael Salcito, and Associate Court Clerk Maureen Kavanagh.
| Court | Westchester Family Court - New Rochelle |
|---|---|
| Address | 26 Garden Street, 3rd Floor New Rochelle, NY 10801 |
| Phone | (914) 831-6590 |
| Fax | (914) 831-6588 |
Public transportation to the courthouse is available through Bee-Line Bus and Metro North train service. Paid parking lots and city parking facilities are located nearby. The building is near North Avenue on Garden Street.
Search New Rochelle Family Court Records
You can look up family court records online or visit the New Rochelle courthouse in person. Online searches give basic case info. In-person visits give you access to the full case file.
The WebFamily search system covers Family Court cases statewide. Search by name or case number. Family court records are not freely available to the public. Under Family Court Act Section 166, these records are "not open to indiscriminate public inspection." The judge has full discretion over who sees what. Parties and their attorneys get access under 22 NYCRR 205.5 without needing special permission.
The Legal Aid Society of Westchester court directory lists all court locations in the county. Westchester has three Family Court locations: New Rochelle, White Plains at 111 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd (914-824-5500), and Yonkers at 131 Warburton Avenue, 3rd Floor (914-831-6555).
New Rochelle City Court at 475 North Avenue (914-358-8000) is a separate court that handles criminal cases, traffic violations, and preliminary felony proceedings. It does not handle family court matters. If you show up there looking for a custody file, they will send you to the Family Court on Garden Street.
Note: NYSCEF e-filing is available for custody, visitation, guardianship, paternity, and support case types.
Family Court Cases in New Rochelle
The Westchester Family Court at New Rochelle handles the full range of family matters. This includes custody and visitation, child and spousal support, paternity, adoption, guardianship, family offense proceedings for orders of protection, juvenile delinquency, PINS, and child protective cases. Divorce is not handled here. Only the Supreme Court can grant a divorce. But the Family Court can modify or enforce custody and support orders that came from a divorce.
Child support payments in Westchester go through the Child Support Enforcement Bureau, a state agency. Questions about arrears, license suspension, tax intercepts, or asset restraint should go to that bureau, not the Family Court clerk. The clerk handles case records, filing, and scheduling.
Westchester County sees a significant caseload because of its large population. The three courthouse locations help spread the load. New Rochelle residents can file at any of the three locations, though the Garden Street courthouse is the most convenient for most people in the city. The 9th Judicial District covers Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester counties, and the district forms page has all the official forms you need.
Getting Copies of New Rochelle Family Court Records
Access to family court records depends on your relationship to the case. Parties and their lawyers can view pleadings, decisions, orders, and hearing transcripts under the court rules. Others need to apply to the judge. The clerk's office at 26 Garden Street processes these requests.
Under Family Court Act Section 216-a, each county has a clerk of court who keeps all official records. For Westchester, the clerk's office is split across the three locations. Certified copies carry a fee. Transcripts require that you be a party or attorney of record with photo ID. For electronically recorded proceedings, contact an authorized transcription service.
Address confidentiality is available for people in family offense cases. Tell the clerk you want an Address Confidentiality Order to keep your home address off court papers. New York also has a statewide program for domestic violence victims. The NY CourtHelp records page has guides on getting court records and understanding your options.
Legal Resources for New Rochelle
The Legal Aid Society of Westchester provides legal services for qualifying residents. They handle family court matters and can help with custody, support, and protection order cases. The Family Legal Care helpline at 212-343-1122 offers free legal information about New York family law.
The court staff at New Rochelle can help you find forms and explain filing steps, though they cannot give legal advice. The new facility includes offices for the Department of Probation and Office for Women, which means some support services are right in the building. For self-represented litigants, this makes it easier to get help without having to travel to multiple offices across the county.
Westchester County Family Court Records
New Rochelle is in Westchester County. The county operates three Family Court locations in White Plains, Yonkers, and New Rochelle. For more about the full county court system and resources, visit the Westchester County page.