Surrogate's Court - Richmond County

About This Court

Richmond County Surrogate's Court on Staten Island handles probate, estate administration, guardianship, and adoption proceedings for the borough.

Staten Island Surrogate's Court has the smallest caseload of the five boroughs, which often translates to faster processing and more personalized service. Staff are generally accessible by phone and can guide you through the request process. Despite the smaller scale, the same formal procedures apply.

Proceedings use a mix of digital and stenographic recording. Audio is not provided to requesters. Digitally recorded proceedings are forwarded to an approved vendor for transcription.

Who Can Request

Executors, administrators, estate attorneys, beneficiaries, and interested parties may request transcripts. Probate records are generally public. Guardianship and adoption records may have access limitations.

What You Can Request

• Certified transcript: Yes. Official transcripts are available.
• Audio copy: No. Audio recordings are not provided to litigants.
• On-site listening: Not available.

Recording method: Mixed (digital audio and stenographic)

What You Need (Data Checklist)

• Case name and index/docket number
• Date(s) of the proceeding
• Judge's name and courtroom/part (if known)
• Your contact information (name, phone, address)
• Selected transcription vendor from the approved list

Court-Specific Process

1. Contact the Richmond County Surrogate's Court by phone, email, or in person at the Richmond Terrace courthouse.
2. Provide the file number, decedent or ward name, hearing date, and judge or referee.
3. The court identifies the recording method and routes the request to the appropriate vendor or court reporter.
4. Pay the applicable rate and receive the transcript upon completion.

Fees & Timing

Vendor rates are $1.00-$3.50 per page; court reporter rates follow statute. Staten Island's lighter docket often means faster turnaround, potentially on the shorter end of the 30-60 day range. Fee waivers are available through UCS poor person application forms.

Common Pitfalls

Before You Submit

Required Forms

Fee Waiver (Poor Person Relief)

Fee waiver may be requested for transcript costs

To apply for a fee waiver, you'll need these forms:

• Application to Waive Court Costs, Fees, and Expenses (UCS-FW1)
• Notice of Motion to Waive Court Costs, Fees, and Expenses (UCS-FW2)
• Affirmation of Service (Motion to Waive Fees) (UCS-FW3)
• Order – Application to Waive Court Costs, Fees, and Expenses (UCS-FWO1)