Access Smithtown Family Court Records

Smithtown family court records are filed at the Suffolk County Family Court, which runs two locations on Long Island. Smithtown residents typically use the Central Islip courthouse at 400 Carleton Avenue for family law cases. This court handles custody, child support, family offenses, and all other matters under Family Court jurisdiction. Case assignment depends on where the parties live, but most Smithtown cases go to Central Islip. The phone there is 631-740-3800. You can search for case info online through the WebFamily portal. Court hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.

Suffolk County Family Court Serving Smithtown

Suffolk County Family Court has two locations. The main one for Smithtown is the Cohalan Court Complex at 400 Carleton Avenue, Central Islip, NY 11722. The phone is 631-740-3800. The other location is the Arthur M. Cromarty Court Complex at 210 Center Drive, 2nd Floor, Riverhead, NY 11901, with phone 631-852-3905. Case assignment depends on where the parties live. Most Smithtown cases go to Central Islip.

The Supervising Judge is Hon. Caren Loguercio. The Chief Clerk is Dawn Kettle. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The court closes on weekends and state holidays. The Family Court was set up in 1962 as a replacement for the old Children's Court. For over six decades it has served residents of Smithtown and all other towns in Suffolk County.

The General Clerk's Office at Central Islip can be reached by email at suffolkfamilycourt@nycourts.gov, by phone at 631-740-3800, or by fax at 631-853-4283. The court keeps a full bench of judges, support magistrates, and court attorneys to handle the large caseload that comes with being one of the most populated counties in New York.

The Suffolk County Family Court page on the NYS Courts website has full details on judges, staff, and services for Smithtown residents.

The official court page lists contact info and services available to Smithtown families.

Smithtown Family Court Case Types

The Suffolk County Family Court handles custody and visitation, child support, adoption, paternity, child abuse and neglect, domestic violence (family offense), juvenile delinquency, and persons in need of supervision. The court cannot grant a divorce. That goes to Suffolk County Supreme Court. Child support payments are handled through the Child Support Enforcement Bureau, a state agency. Questions about arrears, license suspensions, tax intercepts, and asset restraint go to CSEB, not the court.

Under Family Court Act Section 166, records from these cases are not open to general public inspection. The court has discretion to allow access. Parties and attorneys get access under 22 NYCRR 205.5. Others must ask the court for permission. This applies to all records, including pleadings, orders, and hearing transcripts.

The Suffolk County Family Treatment Court is in the Cohalan Court Complex. It provides services to parents found neglectful due to substance abuse. The program uses a strength-based approach with weekly judicial supervision and support from case managers. CASA workers monitor children and make sure they are in stable settings. Working partners include community treatment providers, the Department of Social Services, and the Department of Health.

How to Get Smithtown Family Court Records

Contact the Suffolk County Family Court General Clerk's Office at 631-740-3800 or suffolkfamilycourt@nycourts.gov. Bring photo ID. The clerk can provide copies of court orders, petitions, and other filed papers. You must be a party to the case or an attorney of record to get access without a court order.

The WebFamily portal gives online access to case information. Search by case number or attorney name. The system covers Family Courts across the state. It shows case status and hearing dates but will not display sealed or confidential content. For Supreme Court cases (including divorce), the NYSCEF guest search works for e-filed matters.

Transcription services are available on a fee basis for parties who need transcripts. For proceedings that were recorded electronically, the General Clerk's Office can give you a list of approved transcription firms. Rates vary. You can order transcripts up to five years after the hearing date. Do-It-Yourself forms are available at computer workstations outside the General Clerk's Office for people who need to fill out petitions on their own.

The Suffolk County Clerk's Office at 310 Center Drive, Riverhead, NY 11901 (phone 631-852-2000) handles records for Supreme Court and County Court matters. They offer online access to land records from 1987 forward. For family court records specifically, go through the Family Court clerk.

Getting to Court From Smithtown

The Central Islip courthouse is about a 15-minute drive from Smithtown. From the Long Island Expressway, take Exit 56 South (Route 111). Go about one block, bear left at the fork onto Wheeler Road, which becomes Carleton Avenue at the railroad tracks. Keep going for about six traffic lights. The court complex will be on the left.

The court has a Facility Nursery with limited spots, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It takes kids aged one to thirteen who are walking. Only eight children at a time, so arrive early if you need this. Library Resource Program offices are in both Central Islip and Riverhead. They offer general info on court rules, sample forms, and computer workstations for legal research.

Note: E-filing through NYSCEF is available for custody, visitation, guardianship, paternity, and support cases and is free to use around the clock.

Suffolk County Family Court Records

Smithtown is in Suffolk County. The Suffolk County Family Court at the Cohalan Court Complex in Central Islip serves Smithtown and all other communities in the county.

Nearby cities with family court pages include Brookhaven, Islip, and Southampton.