Search Clinton County Arrest Records
Arrest records in Clinton County are managed by a few different offices, but the Sheriff at 25 McCarthy Drive in Plattsburgh handles the bulk of them. Whether you need to pull up a booking, check on a case, or find out if someone is being held at the county jail, most paths lead back to the Sheriff's Office or the County Clerk. Clinton County sits in the far northeast corner of New York, right along the Canadian border, and the 4th Judicial District court system covers all criminal matters here. This page lays out the main ways to search for arrest records and what each office can do for you.
Clinton County Overview
Clinton County Sheriff's Office Records
The Clinton County Sheriff's Office is at 25 McCarthy Drive, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. Call 518-565-4300 for general questions or 518-565-4333 for the Records Division. Sheriff David N. Favro and Undersheriff Robert Craig run the office. They handle arrest records, incident reports, and booking data for the areas the Sheriff patrols across Clinton County.
To get copies of arrest records, you file a FOIL request. FOIL is the Freedom of Information Law, set out in Article 6 of the Public Officers Law, sections 84 through 90. Put your request in writing. Include the full name of the person, the date of the arrest if you know it, and any case numbers. Send it to the Records Access Officer at the Sheriff's Office. They have five business days to respond.
The Corrections Division can be reached at 518-565-4343. If you need to know whether someone is in custody at the Clinton County jail, that is the number to call. They can tell you about charges and bail status for people held at the facility on McCarthy Drive.
Copy fees for records are $0.25 per page under Public Officers Law section 87. The Sheriff's Office also provides fingerprinting and civil process services.
Court Records in Clinton County
The Clinton County Clerk is at 137 Margaret Street, Suite 101, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. Phone is 518-565-4700. John H. Zurlo serves as the County Clerk. The office keeps files from Supreme Court and County Court cases, which includes felony arrest records that moved to trial or plea. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
Clinton County is in the 4th Judicial District. The Supreme and County Court Chief Clerk is Denise Durkin, reachable at 518-536-3840. The courthouse sits at 137 Margaret Street in Plattsburgh. Court records here go back years and cover all criminal cases that passed through the county court system. You can visit in person to search records or mail a written request. Bring a photo ID if you go in person.
The Office of Court Administration runs a statewide Criminal History Record Search for $95 per name. It is name-based, not fingerprint-based. You need an exact match on name and date of birth. Results come back in one to two business days. Sealed records do not show up.
You can also check WebCrims for pending criminal cases with future court dates in Clinton County. Guest access is free. You need at least three letters of the last name and two of the first. This tool does not show closed cases or sealed matters.
Clinton County District Attorney
The Clinton County District Attorney's Office is at 137 Margaret Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. Phone is 518-565-4430. The DA reviews every arrest made in the county and decides what charges to file. If you need to know the status of a case after an arrest, the DA's office is often the best point of contact for that kind of update.
Victim services are part of what this office does. If you were a victim of a crime in Clinton County, you can get help with the court process, referrals, and notification about case progress. The office also works with treatment courts and diversion programs for certain defendants.
State Resources for Clinton County Records
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services is the only source for official state criminal history records. DCJS keeps fingerprint-based records. You cannot get your own rap sheet without submitting fingerprints through an authorized IdentoGO location. The fee is between $50 and $65. Results come by mail in 7 to 10 business days.
Official DCJS records cannot be obtained through FOIL. Third-party background check sites do not have access to the state database. Only the named person, authorized criminal justice agencies, and certain employers with legal authority can get these records. Under CPL section 160.50, dismissed cases are automatically sealed. The Clean Slate Act, which took effect November 16, 2024, seals eligible misdemeanor convictions after 3 years and felony convictions after 8 years from sentence completion. Sex offenses and Class A felonies are not eligible.
The DOCCS Inmate Lookup tool lets you search for people in state prison. If someone was arrested in Clinton County and later sent to a state facility, you check here. Search by last name or Department Identification Number. The data is live.
The Sex Offender Registry is free to search by name, county, or ZIP code for Level 2 and Level 3 offenders.
How FOIL Works in Clinton County
Freedom of Information Law gives the public a right to see government records. In Clinton County, you can file a FOIL request with the Sheriff's Office, the County Clerk, or the District Attorney. Each office has its own Records Access Officer. Put your request in writing. Be specific about what you want.
The agency has five business days to respond. They can give you the records, deny the request with a reason, or say they need more time. Denials can be appealed. Fees are $0.25 per page for copies. Some records are exempt. Ongoing investigations, sealed cases, and materials that would cause an unwarranted invasion of privacy are common reasons for denial. Under Public Officers Law section 89, any denial must be explained in writing.
Sealing and Expungement in Clinton County
New York has several ways to seal arrest and conviction records. Under CPL section 160.50, arrests that end in dismissal, acquittal, or a non-criminal outcome are sealed automatically. No application needed. The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act also wiped out certain cannabis convictions.
For other convictions, CPL section 160.59 lets you apply to seal up to two criminal convictions if at least 10 years have passed since your last sentence ended. You can have no more than one felony. Sex offenses, violent felonies, and Class A felonies are not eligible. The application goes to the court where the conviction happened. The NY Attorney General's office has details on who qualifies.
Clinton County Jail and Inmate Data
The Clinton County Correctional Facility is at 25 McCarthy Drive, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. Call 518-565-4343 for the Corrections Division. The jail holds people waiting for trial and those serving sentences under one year. You can find out if someone is in custody, what they were charged with, and what bail is set at.
Visiting hours follow a set schedule. You need a photo ID to visit. Mail sent to inmates must include the full name and booking number. The Sheriff's Office runs the facility and handles all record requests for people held there. If someone has been moved to state prison, use the DOCCS lookup instead.
The Clinton County government website shown above provides access to Sheriff's Office services and records request information for county residents.
Nearby Counties
If you need records from areas next to Clinton County, these neighboring counties each have their own Sheriff's Office and court system: