NYSCEF.com
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NYSCEF Search as Guest: Look Up NY Court Cases Without Logging In

You don’t need a NYSCEF account to search New York court cases. As a guest you can look up cases by index number, party, or attorney, and view publicly filed documents — no login required.

Search NYSCEF as Guest → Opens the official NYSCEF guest case-search page in a new tab.

What can you do as a NYSCEF guest?

You cannot file documents or receive e-service notifications as a guest. To file or receive service, attorneys must register for a full NYSCEF account →

Step-by-step: searching NYSCEF as a guest

  1. Go to the NYSCEF case search page (the button above).
  2. Select your search method:
    • By index number (format: year/number, e.g. 2024/100234)
    • By party name (last name, first name)
    • By attorney name
    • By filing date range
  3. Select the county where the case was filed.
  4. Click Search. Results show the case caption, court, filing date, and case type.
  5. Click the case to view the full docket and access publicly available documents.

What is an index number?

An index number is the unique identifier assigned to every civil case filed in New York Supreme Court. The format is year/sequential number — for example, 2024/100234 in New York County. You can find the index number on any filed document in the case caption, or by searching the party name in guest search.

A note on privacy and restricted documents

Most documents filed through NYSCEF are publicly accessible. However, certain case types — matrimonial, sealed cases, juvenile matters, and cases involving minors — may have restricted documents not visible to guests. If a document is restricted, you will see a notice in the docket but will not be able to download the file.

Guest search FAQ

Do I need to create an account to search NYSCEF?
No. NYSCEF case search is open to the public — you can search cases and view publicly filed documents as a guest without registering or logging in. An account is only required to file documents or to receive e-service notifications.
Can I download court documents without a NYSCEF account?
Yes. Most documents filed in civil cases through NYSCEF are public and can be viewed and downloaded as a guest. Some documents in sealed, matrimonial, or confidential matters are restricted and will not be downloadable.
How do I find a case index number?
A New York index number is formatted as year/sequential-number (for example, 2024/100234). You can find it in the caption of any filed document, or by searching the party or attorney name in NYSCEF guest search and reading it off the results.
Can I search NYSCEF by attorney name?
Yes. NYSCEF guest search lets you search by index number, party name, or attorney name, and to narrow by county and filing date range. Attorney-name search is a quick way to find all of a firm’s or lawyer’s e-filed matters in a county.
Why can’t I see some documents in a NYSCEF case?
Certain case types — matrimonial, sealed cases, juvenile matters, and cases involving minors — have documents that are restricted from public view. When a document is restricted you will still see the docket entry, but you will not be able to open or download the file.
Is NYSCEF case information public record?
Generally, yes — court filings in New York are presumptively public, and NYSCEF makes most civil filings accessible to anyone. The main exceptions are matters or documents that a statute or court order has sealed or made confidential.

Need to file, not just search? See the NYSCEF attorney login guide →. Not sure whether e-filing is required for your matter? Use the Eligibility Checker →. Trouble reaching NYSCEF? Check the live status page →.

Disclaimer: This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. This site is not affiliated with the New York State Unified Court System. Verify all deadlines with the applicable CPLR provisions and consult qualified legal counsel.