How do I access court records?

County Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts (county level - each of PA's 67 counties) / Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System (state level)

Step by Step

How to do it

Identify what type of record you need: Court of Common Pleas (major civil, felonies, family/domestic, probate/Orphans' Court), Magisterial District Courts (misdemeanors, small claims up to $12,000, traffic), or Pennsylvania Superior Court / Supreme Court
Search online:
PENNSYLVANIA UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM (UJS) PORTAL: ujsportal.pacourts.us - Pennsylvania's statewide court records portal; provides public access to dockets and case summaries for:
Court of Common Pleas (all 67 counties) - Civil and Criminal
Superior Court, Commonwealth Court, Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Magisterial District Court cases
Excellent and comprehensive statewide coverage
Search by party name, case number, or docket number
For full case documents or certified copies: contact the Prothonotary (civil matters) or Clerk of Courts (criminal matters) in the county where the case was filed
In-person access: visit the county courthouse; bring photo ID and case details

Details

What you need to know

Required Docs

Valid photo ID (for in-person requests)
Case number/docket number or full legal name of parties

Fee

UJS Portal online: free for case docket information; certified copies: typically $0.50-$1 per page; contact specific county Prothonotary or Clerk of Courts for current schedule

Processing Time

Online: immediate; same day or by mail for certified copies

Online Option

Yes - ujsportal.pacourts.us (statewide - very good)

Where to Go

UJS Portal online (statewide); County Prothonotary (civil); County Clerk of Courts (criminal); Register of Wills (probate/Orphans'/marriage)

County-specific variations apply

PA's 67 counties each maintain their own Court of Common Pleas and related offices. Philadelphia (Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County - very large), Allegheny County (Pittsburgh - large), Montgomery, Chester, Delaware, and Bucks Counties (suburban Philadelphia) have the most active courts. Magisterial District Courts (over 500 statewide) handle minor criminal and civil matters at the local level.

Pennsylvania Notes

Important state-specific details

UJS Portal (ujsportal.pacourts.us): PA's excellent statewide court portal; covers most PA courts; free public docket access.
Marriage records: NOT in UJS Portal - contact county Register of Wills where marriage license was issued.
Divorce records: Court of Common Pleas in county where divorce was granted (Family/Domestic Relations Division).
Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) criminal history background checks: access.psp.pa.gov | (888) 783-7972; fee-based.
PA State Police Megan's Law Sex Offender Registry: megan.psp.pa.gov - searchable online.
Juvenile records: sealed; special access rules.
Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (Act 3 of 2008): public agencies must respond within 5 business days.

Official Source

State office contact

State Office

Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System - pacourts.us; UJS Portal: ujsportal.pacourts.us; PA State Police (criminal records) - psp.pa.gov | (888) 783-7972