Cattaraugus County Criminal History Records
Cattaraugus County criminal history records are split between the Sheriff's Office on Court Street in Little Valley and the County Clerk's Office a few doors down the same road. The Sheriff handles arrest records, incident reports, and jail data. The County Clerk keeps felony case files from the Supreme Court and County Court. If you want to search pending criminal cases across the state, the Office of Court Administration runs a Criminal History Record Search that pulls from all 62 New York counties. This page walks through every way to find and get criminal history records in Cattaraugus County.
Cattaraugus County Overview
Cattaraugus County Criminal Records Offices
The Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office sits at 301 Court Street in Little Valley. The Sheriff provides patrol, criminal investigations, and runs the county jail. The Records Division handles written requests for incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records. You can submit a FOIL request to the Sheriff's Office by mail or in person. The office can be reached at (716) 938-2205. Email requests can be directed to sheriff@cattco.org.
The Cattaraugus County Clerk's Office is at 303 Court Street, also in Little Valley. The Clerk acts as the official keeper of Supreme Court and County Court records. That includes felony case files, civil actions, and judgments. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Standard copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies run $5.00 plus copy fees. If you don't have an index number, a name search fee may apply. You can review records in person at no charge.
| Sheriff's Office | 301 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755 Phone: (716) 938-2205 |
|---|---|
| County Clerk | 303 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755 Phone: (716) 938-2322 |
| County Court | 303 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755 Phone: (716) 938-9124 |
| District Attorney | 303 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755 Phone: (716) 938-2301 |
The screenshot below shows the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office website, the first stop for arrest records and incident report requests in the county.
The Sheriff's Office processes FOIL requests for arrest and incident records. Requests by mail should go to 301 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755.
Search Criminal History in Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County does not have its own online criminal case search. The best free online tool is WebCriminal, part of the eCourts system run by the New York Unified Court System. It shows pending criminal cases with upcoming court dates. You can search by defendant name or case number. Public access terminals at the courthouse in Little Valley provide the same access at no cost.
For a broader statewide search, the OCA Criminal History Record Search covers court records from all 62 counties. This service costs $95 and returns results from the Office of Court Administration's statewide database. It is useful when you need to know if a person has cases outside of Cattaraugus County. Results include case types, dispositions, and sentencing data where available.
The Division of Criminal Justice Services holds the fingerprint-based criminal history database for New York State. DCJS records are not public. They are not available through FOIL. New York residents who want to review their own record can request a personal review through IdentoGo at about $60.75. Out-of-state requesters pay $44.25.
For people in state custody, the DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup is a free tool. It covers inmates from 1982 to the present. Search by name or Department Identification Number to see conviction charges, sentence data, and release status.
Note: Cattaraugus County is part of the 8th Judicial District, which also covers Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Genesee, Orleans, and Allegany counties.
Cattaraugus County Court and Case Records
The Cattaraugus County Court is at 303 Court Street in Little Valley. Call (716) 938-9124 for case information. The court handles felony criminal matters, appeals from local courts, and some civil actions. Supreme Court and County Court records are kept by the County Clerk's Office at the same address.
Town and village courts spread through Cattaraugus County handle misdemeanors, traffic violations, and local offenses. These local courts operate independently, and their records are not held by the County Clerk. You would need to contact each town or village court directly. The New York Unified Court System maintains a directory of all local courts on its website if you need to find a specific one.
For sex offender data, the New York Sex Offender Registry is managed by DCJS. Level 2 and Level 3 offenders can be searched online. For Level 1 offenders, call 800-262-3257 and provide the person's name along with one identifier such as a date of birth.
The Cattaraugus County District Attorney's Office at (716) 938-2301 prosecutes all felony and serious misdemeanor cases in the county. Active case files are typically exempt from FOIL. The DA's office also handles victim assistance for people affected by crime.
FOIL Requests for Cattaraugus County Records
New York's Freedom of Information Law, found in Public Officers Law Article 6, gives the public the right to request government records. Agencies must acknowledge a request within 5 business days and provide records or an explanation within 20 business days. For Cattaraugus County, FOIL requests to the Sheriff's Office go to 301 Court Street. Requests to the County Clerk go to 303 Court Street. You can also send requests by email where the agency accepts them.
Copies cost $0.25 per page for most records. Electronic records can sometimes be delivered by email instead of paper, which avoids copy fees. Records about open criminal investigations are typically exempt. The same goes for records that could identify a confidential informant or harm an ongoing prosecution. If your request is denied in whole or part, you have the right to appeal to the agency's head. After that, you can go to court under Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
DCJS criminal history records require a separate process and cannot be obtained through FOIL. If you need a statewide record review, use the IdentoGo fingerprint-based review process through the DCJS website.
Note: The New York Committee on Open Government at opengovernment.ny.gov provides free guidance on FOIL rights and how to appeal denials.
Record Sealing Laws That Apply in Cattaraugus County
New York law provides several routes for sealing criminal records. Under CPL 160.50, records are fully sealed when a case ends in the defendant's favor. That includes acquittals, dismissals, and adjournments in contemplation of dismissal under CPL 170.55. These sealed records are not visible to the public and are removed from most court indexes.
CPL 160.55 covers partial sealing when a charge is reduced to a violation rather than a crime. CPL 720.35 seals youthful offender records. Youthful offender status applies to people charged with crimes committed between ages 16 and 18 who meet the eligibility criteria set by the court. These records are sealed from public view.
The Clean Slate Act became law and took effect November 16, 2024. The Office of Court Administration has up to three years to build the system for automatic sealing. When it is running, eligible convictions will be sealed without the person having to file a petition. Sex crimes and non-drug Class A felonies will not be sealed under Clean Slate. Until the system is live, DCJS records continue to reflect convictions that may later qualify for automatic sealing.
The state screenshot below shows the DCJS criminal history portal, which is also the starting point for personal record reviews.
DCJS manages the central fingerprint database for all of New York State, including records from Cattaraugus County arrests.
Cities in Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County has no cities above the population threshold for individual pages. Olean and Salamanca are the largest communities in the county. All criminal history records for locations in Cattaraugus County go through the Sheriff's Office and County Court in Little Valley.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Cattaraugus County. If you are unsure which county handled a case, check the address where the arrest or offense took place.