Court Calendar shows Erie County’s daily court schedule, including court dates, hearings, and docket details. Users can quickly search by case number or judge. The online portal updates hourly for accurate information across the system.
Court calendar search lets anyone find today’s court schedule or upcoming court hearings. Filter results by hearing type, location, or date. If a hearing is rescheduled, status codes appear instantly, ensuring reliable planning for participants.
How to Search Court Calendar
Search the Court Calendar for a scheduled appearance in Erie County Court or the New York State Supreme Court in the 8th Judicial District. Results can connect a case number with a hearing date, time, courtroom, judge, and hearing type through official case lookup to confirm corresponding record details and filings. This lookup helps people involved in a case, attorneys, court staff, and members of the public confirm where an appearance should occur and whether the posted entry changed. Treat each result as a posted court schedule, and check recent notices when a case carries a deadline or an appearance close to the search date.
Official Search Portal: https://www.nycourts.gov/erie
Steps to Search
- Open the official portal and select the relevant Erie County court and case type.
- Enter the case number or search using a party name, attorney, or judge.
- Apply date or hearing filters if needed to narrow the results.
- Open the matching case and review its hearing date, time, courtroom, judge, and status.
- If no match appears, check the search details or contact the court clerk for assistance.
Which Erie County Court Record to Search
Erie County Court and Supreme Court are separate trial courts within the 8th Judicial District. Choosing the wrong court can make a valid case look absent. A case number from one court may not work in another, and family, probate, traffic, or juvenile matters may belong to a different court or division. Read the court name on the filing receipt, hearing notice, or case heading before choosing a search category.
| Case type | Court choice | What the choice covers |
|---|---|---|
| Erie County Court matter | Erie County Court | Cases assigned to the County Court level rather than the Supreme Court level. |
| New York Supreme Court matter | Supreme Court | Cases assigned to New York State Supreme Court, including civil claims and serious criminal matters. |
| Family Court matter | Family Court | Family-law cases involving matters such as support, custody, or guardianship. |
| Probate matter | Surrogate’s Court | Estate and probate cases handled through the Surrogate’s Court docket. |
| Traffic, City Court, or juvenile matter | Use the exact court named on the case papers | These categories can use separate dockets, calendars, and record restrictions. |
A party name can match several unrelated cases across these courts. Confirm the case number and court before treating a result as the same matter. If the papers name a court division, use that division as another filter when the portal offers it.
Court Schedule Details
A schedule entry answers several practical questions at once. The search page may show these details in the result list, the case page, or both, so read the full entry before traveling or joining an online session to check official case search for complete documentation across county departments. Labels and abbreviations can differ by court and case type.
Hearing Time and Courtroom Location
The hearing date and time identify the scheduled court event. Check AM or PM, the calendar date, the assigned courtroom, and whether the event is listed for the courthouse or online. A courtroom assignment can differ from the division named on the case, and a change may appear after an earlier notice was sent. For a courthouse appearance, allow time for security, sign-in, and finding the assigned room. Do not treat the date on a filing receipt as the hearing date when a separate hearing notice exists.
The location shown in a calendar entry may identify a courthouse, courtroom, court part, or online format. Check each label instead of assuming that every field refers to the same place. If one field says “remote” and another names a courtroom, review the latest notice or ask the court clerk which format controls.
Case Number and Listed Parties
A case number is usually the fastest search term because it points to one case within the selected court. Copy the number exactly as it appears on the case papers, including any letters. A one-character error can prevent a match. If the number is unknown, search using the full legal name of a party and narrow the results by court and date.
Party-name searches can return cases with similar names, cases with the same surname, and cases in different court divisions. Compare the party names, case number, filing date, and court before opening a result. A listed attorney is connected to the case record, but that listing does not promise that the attorney will appear at a particular hearing.
Hearing Type and Presiding Judge
The hearing type shows the scheduled purpose of the court event. It can help distinguish a conference, motion, arraignment, pretrial hearing, trial, or sentencing. Read the full event title because some judges use different labels for similar events. A case-management event and a motion hearing may involve different subjects even when they occur on the same day.
The judge name identifies the judicial officer assigned to the posted event. Use judge, court division, and date together when checking a judge’s court schedule, since one judge may handle several parts on the same day. If no judge appears in a public entry, do not infer that the case has no assigned judge. Ask the court clerk whether the assignment has been posted or remains restricted.
Court abbreviations and event codes are source-specific. Read the wording shown by the portal and compare it with the hearing notice rather than expanding an abbreviation from memory. A coded calendar entry can point to a separate event history with fuller details.
Types of Court Hearings
Hearing labels describe what the court plans to do at an event. Labels can differ among judges and case types, so read the case heading, event title, and hearing notice instead of judging by one word. The court named on the notice controls which docket should be searched.
| Common event label | Typical purpose | Details to check |
|---|---|---|
| Civil conference or case management | Reviews case status, pleadings, discovery, settlement efforts, or trial preparation. | Read the event title and any note about whether an appearance is required. |
| Civil motion | Asks the court to rule on a request for relief or another motion. | Check the motion papers, assigned courtroom, and scheduled time. |
| Arraignment or initial appearance | Starts the listed criminal court process. An arraignment addresses the charges and the defendant’s plea. | Confirm whether the defendant must attend in person or through an approved online method. |
| Pretrial conference | Addresses trial preparation, discovery, motions, witnesses, or proposed trial issues. | Check the assigned court part and any new time posted for the event. |
| Trial | Presents evidence and legal issues for a court decision. | Confirm the courtroom, time, case number, and any instructions about appearing. |
| Sentencing | Allows the court to impose a sentence after a conviction. | Check the sentencing date and later docket entries for the outcome. |
| Family hearing | Handles family-law requests involving support, custody, visitation, or guardianship. | Use the Family Court record and check for separate related cases. |
| Probate hearing | Addresses an estate or probate matter. | Use the Surrogate’s Court docket named on the papers. |
| Juvenile matter | Addresses a case involving a minor within the juvenile system. | Check the juvenile court assignment and any record protections. |
| Traffic hearing | Handles a traffic violation, negotiated outcome, or trial. | Check whether the matter is assigned to City Court, County Court, or a named traffic part. |
Some calendars list a broad label such as “civil hearing” or “criminal hearing.” Open the event or case history for the full title. The broader label tells you the case group, but it may not reveal whether the court expects a conference, a motion decision, or a trial.
Civil, Criminal, and Family Dockets
Which court hears a case depends on its legal assignment, not the topic alone. County Court handles civil cases within its jurisdiction and misdemeanor criminal cases. Supreme Court handles civil claims outside the County Court civil limit and serious criminal cases. Family Court uses a separate docket for family-law matters. A search by party name can bring up several cases at once because one person may have a civil case, a family case, and a criminal case in different courts.
Arraignments and Pretrial Hearings
An arraignment is a criminal court appearance where the defendant is informed of the charges and enters a plea. A pretrial conference takes place before trial and often covers discovery, motions, witnesses, and trial planning. The records for these events may contain different documents and instructions. Do not treat the arraignment date as the trial date, and do not treat a pretrial date as the date the trial will begin. Each event has its own schedule and status.
Motions, Trials, and Sentencings
A motion hearing asks the court to decide a request made by a party. A trial hearing presents evidence and legal issues. A sentencing hearing takes place after a conviction and gives the court an opportunity to impose a sentence. The event label alone does not show the result. Review later docket entries for a decision, order, or other outcome. A listed hearing can still require an appearance unless the court states that attendance is unnecessary.
Schedule Changes and Remote Attendance
Posted schedules change as judges, clerks, courtrooms, and hearing formats are adjusted. The main task is to find the date that now controls and to remove an outdated date from your plans through official case information to confirm corresponding record details and filings. Changes can appear in the status field, event history, or a newer notice sent to a case participant.
Rescheduled and Continued Hearings
A rescheduled hearing has moved to another date, time, courtroom, or format. A continued hearing has been carried over to a later date, which becomes the new scheduled event. A canceled hearing is no longer on the court’s active schedule. A postponed hearing has been delayed, but a new date may not have been posted yet. Do not rely on an old notice after one of these changes appears.
| Common status or notation | Plain meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled | The event appears as an active hearing. | Check the time, courtroom, judge, and appearance format. |
| Rescheduled | The event moved to another date, time, courtroom, or format. | Open the updated event and compare it with the latest notice. |
| Continued | The hearing was carried over to a later court date. | Use the new date rather than the date shown on the earlier notice. |
| Canceled | The scheduled event was called off. | Do not appear based on the canceled entry unless a new notice restores the hearing. |
| Postponed | The event was delayed, and the next date may still be pending. | Ask the court clerk whether a replacement date has been posted. |
| Time or courtroom changed | The hearing remains scheduled, but one or more event fields changed. | Review the revised time and location before attending. |
Exact status wording can differ between courts. The full entry and a newer court notice control when a short code appears to conflict with the case history.
In-Person Attendance Rules
Confirm that the event is set for in-person attendance and check the courtroom before leaving. Arrive early enough for security, sign-in, and directions to the assigned room. Bring the case number, identification, and hearing notice that apply to you. Use posted courthouse signs or ask court staff for directions instead of asking parties in the hallway, which may delay proceedings.
Check again on the day of the hearing if the schedule has changed recently. A judge, courtroom, or time can differ from the entry you saw earlier. If the case is not listed under the expected courtroom, contact the court clerk and keep the notice showing the assigned case.
Virtual Hearing Links
Some Erie County matters may use an online appearance, but a public calendar does not make every hearing remote. A hearing notice or case entry may list a platform name, web link, meeting ID, PIN, or dial-in details. Use only the instructions issued for that case. A link from an unknown sender can lead to the wrong session or expose private case details.
Test the camera, microphone, and internet connection before the hearing if the appearance will include video or audio. Join early, keep the case number and notice nearby, and silence unrelated device notifications. Public observers may need to register, while parties may receive separate sign-in credentials. Closed proceedings, conferences in chambers, sealed matters, and other restricted events may not be open to the public. A calendar entry does not grant entry to a private session or to a sealed record.
If a hearing is marked remote but the case entry contains no link or sign-in details, ask the court clerk before the scheduled time. Do not assume that a general court website contains the missing meeting instructions.
Schedule Accuracy and Missing Court Dates
Online schedules draw from court records, but an event can be absent or stale when a filing has not yet reached the clerk, an assignment has changed, or a new notice replaces an earlier event. The portal shows what has been posted for public viewing. It cannot confirm what happened after an event unless a later docket entry records that outcome.
Calendar Update Delays
A newly scheduled event may take time to appear on the public calendar. Changes made close to the hearing time can also produce a short gap between the court’s internal update and the public page. An hourly refresh statement, if shown on a page, does not mean every case changed at the top of each hour. Check the status text and any displayed update time, reopen the entry before relying on it, and compare it with the newest notice you received.
An old screenshot, printed copy, or copied search result can become outdated after a change. Save the latest event details instead of relying on an earlier version. If the public page and the notice disagree, ask the court clerk which entry the office currently treats as controlling.
Confidential, Sealed, and Restricted Hearings
Not every court event appears in a public calendar. A sealed case may have a public case shell with restricted content, or the event may be omitted from the public schedule. Juvenile cases and certain family, guardianship, or other protected matters can have limits on names, filings, and hearing details. A missing hearing can reflect privacy protections rather than the absence of a court date.
Parties and attorneys should use the filing and notice methods provided for their cases. Members of the public should not try to bypass a restriction or attempt to view a sealed filing through another person’s account. If a matter is expected to be open, ask the court clerk whether public attendance is allowed for that event.
Finding a Missing Court Date
- Confirm the court from the papers. County Court, Supreme Court, Family Court, Surrogate’s Court, and City Court records do not replace one another.
- Search the exact case number with optional date, judge, hearing-type, and location filters removed.
- Use the full legal name of a party and broaden the date range when the case number produces no event.
- Check the newest notice and the case-specific event history for a continued, rescheduled, canceled, or postponed entry.
- Ask the court clerk for the posted date when the event should be near. Have the case number, party name, judge name, and original hearing date ready.
Confirming the Controlling Court Record
A calendar result, case history, hearing notice, and certified record serve different purposes. A person planning attendance needs the latest hearing details. A person filing papers needs the filing, service, and deadline rules that apply to that case. When two sources conflict, use the source tied to the requested task and ask the court clerk what record can support the question.
| Source | What it can establish | Point to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Public Court Calendar | The posted hearing date, time, courtroom, judge, and status. | Some restricted or nonpublic events may be absent. |
| Case-specific calendar or docket | Case-linked events and documents visible to the search user. | Public views can omit restricted filings and party details. |
| Latest court notice | The time, place, remote instructions, and format sent for that case. | A later notice can replace an earlier notice. |
| Official court record | What the court or filing office holds for the case, including a certified copy when the proper process is followed. | A web calendar view is not a certified copy, and copy procedures can differ by record. |
For attendance, compare the newest notice with the live calendar entry. For a filing deadline, use the documents and court-issued records that govern that filing rather than a personal calendar note. For an official copy, follow the filing court’s stated copy process or ask the clerk named by that process.
Contact Details
Use the Chief Clerk’s Office for schedule questions that the public entry does not resolve. Have the case number, party name, judge name, and hearing date ready so staff can narrow the court record.
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Office | Chief Clerk’s Office |
| Courthouse | Erie County Court / Supreme Court (8th Judicial District) |
| Address | 25 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202 |
| Phone | (716) 845-9301 |
| Office hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM EST |
| Official County Court portal | https://www.nycourts.gov/courts/8th-judicial-district/erie-county-court |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers on using the Erie County Court Calendar, checking dates, and locating hearings.
How can I search the Erie County Court Calendar?
Visit the official Erie County portal at https://www.nycourts.gov/erie. Choose “Court Calendar” from the menu, then enter a case number, party name, or judge name. The result shows the hearing date, time, courtroom, and type of proceeding. You can also filter by date range or division. If you need help, call the Chief Clerk’s Office at (716) 845-9301 during business hours.
How do I find a court date by case number?
Enter the case number in the search box on the same portal. After submitting, the system displays the scheduled appearance linked to that number. Details include hearing type, judge, and location. If the case number is not found, verify the digits or contact the clerk’s office for clarification.
Where can I view today’s court schedule online?
On the Erie County website, select “Today’s Calendar” under the Court Calendar section. The page lists all hearings for the current day, showing time, courtroom, and presiding judge. This view updates automatically, so you see any last‑minute changes.
What if a hearing on the calendar is marked cancelled?
A cancelled label means the hearing will not occur as shown. Check the portal later for a new date or call the clerk’s office for confirmation. The updated entry will replace the cancelled one once a reschedule is set.
How do I locate the courtroom for a specific hearing?
The calendar entry includes a courtroom number and building address. Use the address 25 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202 to find the courthouse. Parking details and directions are available on the website’s “Directions” page. For virtual sessions, the entry provides a link to the online platform.