Clerk Services

Duties and Functions of the Genesee County Clerk

Agent for the Office of Court Administration

• Processes notes of issue, jury demands, small claims assessment review petitions, requests for judicial intervention, notices of appeal, and related filings.

Business Names

• Indexes, files, searches, and certifies all Assumed Name Certificates and corporations.

Civil Court Records

• Indexes, files, microfilms, searches, and certifies court proceedings including judgments, changes of name, matrimonial actions (sealed for one hundred years), foreclosures, lawsuits, guardianships, conservatorships, separation agreements (sealed for one hundred years), contracts, torts, and tax certiorari proceedings.

Criminal Court Records

• Indexes, files, and searches court proceedings for criminal cases including indictments, conditions of probation, court minutes, and appeal proceedings. Issues Certificates of Conviction and certifications of commitments. Youthful Offender and sex offense files are sealed or have restricted access.

Genealogical and Research Records

• Maintains and searches historical records including military records (Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, and others), church formations, cemetery records, library records, oaths of officers, early court records (Oyer and Terminer, Circuit Court, Court of General Sessions), election records, tax collector bonds, and adoption records (sealed).

Judgments and Liens

• Files, indexes, searches, and certifies judgments, federal tax liens, Uniform Commercial Code filings, mechanics and producers liens, building loan agreements, notices of lending, crime victim liens, hospital welfare liens, and criminal surety bond liens. Issues income and property executions for collection of judgments.

Miscellaneous Recordings

• Records military discharges, Exempt Volunteer Firefighter Certificates, powers of attorney, water and sewer district proceedings, trust agreements, notices of pendency, and related documents.

Passport Applications

• Reviews and processes passport applications as an Acceptance Agent for the United States Department of State.

Pistol Permits

• Maintains files for pistol permit holders, processes background checks, issues non-destruction certificates, and registers handguns.

Public Inspection and Access

• Maintains records for public inspection and access, excluding sealed or restricted categories such as adoptions, youthful offender and sex-related criminal cases, divorce and separation agreements, coroner’s inquests, and judicial decisions.

Oaths of Office

• Administers, indexes, and files oaths of office for notaries public, county officials, and town officers, and provides notarial services.

Real Property Records

• Records, indexes, microfilms, and searches documents related to county land records including deeds, mortgages, easements, rights-of-way, agreements, leases, affidavits, assignments, releases, discharges, contracts, maps, subdivisions, land separations, and highway proceedings.

Specialized Taxes

• Collects, apportions, and distributes mortgage tax and real estate transfer tax as an agent for the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance to the State of New York, the Rochester Regional Transportation Authority, the New York State Mortgage Agency, and municipalities within Genesee County.