New City, New York

Take Route 287 west to Route 87 to the Tappan Zee Bridge. Stay on 87 after bridge to exit 14 - Route 59. Take route 59 East to Route 304 north. Stay on 304 until you reach New City. The exit for the Rockland County offices is designated. Turn left, once you are off 304, and you are on Congers Road. Take Congers Road one block to the next intersection [ Main and Congers ]. The Rockland County Courthouse is directly in front of you. There is parking in a municipal lot to the left of the courthouse.

In the basement of the courthouse is the Surrogate's Court record room. The Estate records are kept here. To search a name you must look at three different indexes. The first index is a large book to the left of the service counter. This book starts in the 1700's and ends in 1966. Records for the years of 1966 to 1985 are kept in a large rolodex behind the counter. The clerk will search the name for you. Records since 1985 are listed alphabetically in a computer printout that is updated weekly. Once you have found the name, request the file. Files after 1985 need the index number, which is available in the computer printout.

The County Clerk's office is in another building. To get to the clerk's office, turn right on Main Street from Congers Road and go one block to New Hempstead Road, and turn left. The clerk's office is on the left - 27 New Hempstead Road. There is plenty of parking in the adjacent lot. The office hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 - 5:00. On Wednesdays they are open till 7:30. The computers are shut down every day at 4:45 and at 7:00 on Wednesdays. Once you walk in the door, the room on the left is the clerk's office. The room on the right is the Civil Court record room where you request copies of court files and judgments. Court papers are also filed in this office.

Access to the records in Rockland County are on computer. The computers are easy to use. Step-by-step instructions are next to the terminals. One computer lets you access land records, Federal Tax Liens, Uniform Commercial Code Financing Statements, judgments against individuals or corporations, lis pendens, all types of liens and litigation records by plaintiff and defendant. Land records are back to 1930. Liens, UCC's and judgments are indexed back to November 1982. Court records are indexed back to 1986.

Once you have located a name, the land records are filed by book and page number. The land records are in both books and on microfiche reels. To view any corporate record or litigation case, the files are located in the room to the right as you enter the building. To view a record, just fill out a requisition form. Litigation files are not allowed to leave this room.

Judgments are in index books from 1969 to 1988 by judgment debtor. After 1988, judgments are on computer.

Uniform commercial code financing statements (UCC's) are on computer after 1986. From 1982 to 1986 UCC's are on microfiche cards, The index is alphabetical and it is located near the computer terminals. Before 1982, UCC's are in index books.

Corporate filings, partnership records, doing business as (DBA's) are indexed in separate books by type of record. To obtain a copy of these records, refer to the clerk to the right of the main entrance.

The Board of Elections for Rockland County is located across the street from the clerk's office at 18 New Hempstead road. The office is on the first floor to the left as you enter the lobby.

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