Adams County Court Records
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Adams County is part of Pennsylvania's 51st Judicial District. All trial-level court business in the county runs through the Court of Common Pleas, which sits at the Adams County Courthouse in Gettysburg. That court handles criminal cases, civil litigation, family law matters, and — through its Orphans Court Division — probate and estate proceedings. Four Magisterial District Courts spread across the county take care of preliminary hearings, summary offenses, traffic violations, landlord-tenant disputes, and civil claims up to $12,000.
Record-keeping responsibilities are divided among several elected row officers. The Clerk of Courts holds criminal and Orphans Court files, the Prothonotary keeps civil and family division records, and the Register of Wills maintains probate filings.
You have several ways to research court records here. PennsylvaniaCourts.us publishes statewide court information, public access policies, and downloadable forms. The UJS Portal case search lets you pull up docket sheets from any Court of Common Pleas or Magisterial District Court in Pennsylvania at no charge. If you prefer to work in person, each custodial office at the Adams County Courthouse offers counter access during business hours. You can also submit requests by mail, fax, or through the county's Right-to-Know process. Public-access computers are available inside the Clerk of Courts office for on-site research.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Adams County?
Start with the Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal, which offers free, searchable docket sheets for both Common Pleas and Magisterial District Court cases statewide. You can search by:
- Participant name — enter a first and last name, with optional filters for date of birth or county
- Case number — enter the docket number assigned by the court
- Organization name — for business-entity searches
- Offense tracking number or police complaint number — useful for criminal matters
Docket sheets display case type, filing date, charges (in criminal cases), scheduled hearings, and disposition information. If you register for a PACFile account, you gain access to secure docket sheets and can file documents electronically.
Requesting records in person or by mail:
- Identify the right custodial office — the Clerk of Courts for criminal and Orphans Court matters, the Prothonotary for civil and family cases, or the Register of Wills for probate.
- Download and complete the appropriate form: a UJS Request for Access Form for court records, or the Adams County Right-to-Know Request Form for county-held records.
- Submit the completed form in person, by mail, fax, or email to the appropriate office.
- Include applicable fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope if you are mailing your request.
All courthouse offices share the same general address and hours:
Adams County Courthouse
Address: 117 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
| Office | Room | Phone | Fax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clerk of Courts (Criminal / Orphans Court) | Room 103 | (717) 337-9806 | (717) 334-9333 |
| Prothonotary (Civil / Family) | Room 104 | (717) 337-9834 | (717) 334-0532 |
| Register of Wills / Recorder of Deeds | Room 102 | (717) 337-9826 | (717) 334-1758 |
Right-to-Know requests related to court records can also go to the Open Records officer by email at openrecord@adamscountypa.gov or by mail to 117 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325.
Are Court Records Public in Adams County?
Pennsylvania broadly presumes that court records are open to the public, but two separate legal frameworks govern how that access works. The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) applies to records held by county executive offices and administrative agencies. Access to records filed with any court in the Commonwealth is separately controlled by the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System, which was adopted by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Under the UJS Public Access Policy, most case docket information and filings are generally accessible — both at the courthouse and through remote electronic search tools. That said, certain categories of records are restricted or sealed entirely:
- Adoption proceedings and termination of parental rights
- Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
- Mental health and involuntary commitment filings
- Domestic violence and protection-from-abuse case details (with partial restrictions)
- Records sealed or expunged by court order
- Grand jury proceedings
- Information protected by attorney-client privilege
- Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and other personal identifiers embedded in filings
When a document contains both public and confidential information, the custodial office redacts the protected portions before releasing the rest. The Clerk of Courts public access page notes that records relating to crimes against juvenile victims of sexual or physical abuse are confidential and unavailable without prior court authorization.
If you need access to sealed or confidential records, you will typically need a court order. General questions about access policies can go to the Adams County Office of Open Records at (717) 337-5911.
Adams County Criminal Court Records
Criminal cases in Adams County — felonies, misdemeanors, and summary offenses — are filed in the Court of Common Pleas and the Magisterial District Courts. The Clerk of Courts is the custodian of all criminal case records. The office handles more than 1,500 new criminal filings each year and also manages summary appeals, juvenile delinquency matters, and miscellaneous criminal dockets.
Searching criminal records online:
The UJS Portal gives you free access to criminal docket sheets from both the Court of Common Pleas and the Magisterial District Courts. Search by defendant name, case number, or police complaint number. Results show charges, bail information, hearing dates, and case dispositions.
In-person research at the Clerk's office:
Two public computers in the Clerk of Courts office (Room 103, 117 Baltimore Street) allow searches of criminal records going back to 1986. Records from 1910 through 1986 are available on microfiche and in docket books within the office. If you need records from 1800 to 1910, those are held at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Anything predating 1800 is at the York County Historical Society.
Fees for record copies from the Clerk of Courts:
| Record Period | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1986–present | $12.50 per name |
| 1800–1985 | $25.50 per hour, per name |
Mail requests must include a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment.
Statewide criminal background checks:
The Clerk of Courts does not provide certified criminal record checks. For those, you need to go through the Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system (Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History). Each name-based check costs $22. As of April 2026, online PATCH requests also carry an additional 2% credit card processing fee.
Arrest records and law enforcement reports:
The Adams County Sheriff's Office, located at 117 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325, Phone: (717) 337-9828, handles warrant service and civil process. For local incident reports, contact the municipal police department with jurisdiction over the area where the incident occurred. You can use the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Inmate Locator to search for individuals currently in state custody.
Adams County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Adams County — including contract disputes, personal injury claims, property actions, name changes, and mortgage foreclosures — is filed with the Court of Common Pleas. The Prothonotary is the clerk of the Civil Division and has administrative control over all civil and family case documents. Beverly Boyd currently holds this office.
Prothonotary's Office
Address: 117 Baltimore Street, Room 104, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 337-9834
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Filing fees are payable by cash, check, or money order. Key civil filing fees from the Prothonotary fee schedule (effective January 1, 2026) include:
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Civil complaint (law or equity) | $209.00 |
| Civil complaint with confession of judgment | $209.00 |
| Mortgage foreclosure | $209.00 |
| Mechanics lien | $236.00 |
| Declaratory judgment | $209.00 |
| Name change | $209.00 |
| Arbitration proceedings ($50,000 limit) | $209.00 |
| Motion or petition (general) | $29.00 |
| Certification | $6.50 |
| Copies (per page, file and docket) | $0.25 |
| Copies from microfilm (per page) | $1.00 |
| Transcript of judgment from Magisterial District Justice | $27.00 |
| Satisfaction / assignment / release of judgment | $10.50 |
| Default / consent / foreign judgment | $27.00 |
Appeals to Superior, Commonwealth, or Supreme Court require $91.25 payable to the appellate court (separate check), plus the Prothonotary's filing fee.
Small claims and landlord-tenant matters are handled by the four Magisterial District Courts. Civil filing fees at the district court level depend on the claim amount and range from $125.25 for claims up to $500 to $227.75 for claims from $4,000.01 to $12,000. Landlord-tenant filings range from $189.75 to $258.25, including constable service costs. An additional $11 per defendant applies for mail service. The four district courts and their locations are:
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| District Court 51-3-01 | 525 Boyds School Road, Suite 900, Gettysburg, PA 17325 | (717) 334-7913 |
| District Court 51-3-02 | 45D West Hanover Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325 | (717) 334-7810 |
| District Court 51-3-03 | 40 Church Road, East Berlin, PA 17316 | (717) 337-5770 |
| District Court 51-3-04 | 525 Boyds School Road, Suite 800, Gettysburg, PA 17325 | (717) 337-3870 |
District court hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Official court forms for self-represented litigants can be found on the Unified Judicial System forms page. The Prothonotary's office also keeps a limited selection of forms, and additional resources are available at the Adams County Law Library on the third floor of the courthouse.
Adams County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Adams County — dissolution of marriage, custody and visitation, child support, protection from abuse, paternity, alimony, and name changes — are litigated in the Court of Common Pleas. The Prothonotary's office is the custodian of all family division records.
Selected family law filing fees (effective January 1, 2026):
| Case Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Divorce (3301 and/or 3301(d)) | $224.00 |
| Additional count: equitable distribution | $66.50 |
| Additional count: alimony and/or APL | $66.50 |
| Additional count: counsel fees/costs/expenses | $66.50 |
| Additional count: custody | $190.00 |
| Divorce with custody count (combined) | $413.00 |
| Custody complaint | $313.00 |
| Custody petition to modify or special relief | $129.00 |
| Custody petition to intervene or contempt | $29.00 |
| Custody home study | $200.00 |
| Paternity | $209.00 |
| Retake maiden name (filed to divorce action) | $21.00 |
| QDRO | $29.00 |
| Protection from abuse petition | No filing fee |
Appointment of a master in divorce cases requires a motion filing fee of $29, plus the master's fee of $500.
Restricted family records: Under both the UJS Public Access Policy and the RTKL, certain family records are partially or fully restricted. Adoption files are sealed. Information concerning child abuse investigations, Social Security numbers, and financial account details is routinely redacted from publicly accessible documents. Protection from abuse records have limited public visibility in order to protect petitioner safety.
Marriage licenses:
Marriage licenses in Adams County are issued by the Clerk of Orphans Court (Kelly A. Lawver). You can submit your application online through the Adams County Clerk of Orphans Court documents center or via the free Adams County Clerk of Courts mobile app. Both applicants must appear together by video to complete the process. The marriage license fee is $83, which includes one certified copy, payable by cash, check, or credit card. A three-day waiting period applies; a waiver costs $5 and requires approval from Court Administration at (717) 337-9846. If you need certified copies of existing marriage records, complete a Certified Marriage Records Request form and submit it with $12.50 per copy to the Clerk of Orphans Court, Room 103, 117 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325.
Birth and death certificates are not maintained by the county courts. They are administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and can be ordered through the online vital records portal or by mailing a completed application (birth or death) with payment and identification to the Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103.
Adams County Probate Court Records
Probate and estate administration in Adams County fall under the Orphans Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas. The Register of Wills, currently Karen Heflin, is the custodial officer responsible for probating wills, granting letters testamentary and letters of administration, processing inheritance tax returns, and maintaining estate records.
Register of Wills / Recorder of Deeds
Address: 117 Baltimore Street, Room 102, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Phone: (717) 337-9826
Fax: (717) 334-1758
Email: registerrecorder@adamscountypa.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Note that this office accepts payment by cash or check only — credit cards are not accepted.
Selected probate filing fees from the Register of Wills fee schedule (effective December 1, 2025):
Probate of will and letters testamentary fees are assessed on a sliding scale based on estate value:
| Estate Value | Fee |
|---|---|
| Not exceeding $1,000 | $28.00 |
| $1,001–$5,000 | $34.00 |
| $5,001–$10,000 | $44.00 |
| $10,001–$20,000 | $50.00 |
| $20,001–$50,000 | $60.00–$80.00 |
| $50,001–$100,000 | $90.00–$100.00 |
| First $1 million | $550.00 |
| Each additional $100,000 or fraction | $50.00 |
Additional per-estate charges include a $41.25 Judicial Computer Project fee and a $10 automation fee. Where there is a will, each page beyond the first costs $5.
Other probate-related fees include certified copies at $15 (plus $5 per additional page), filing an inventory at $13 (three pages, $5 each additional), inheritance tax return filing at $24, short certificates at $5, and subpoenas at $10.
Searching probate records:
The Register of Wills offers a public records search portal where you can create a free account and search estate and land records online. In-person research is also available during office hours. Alternatively, probate case information may be found through the UJS Portal by searching Orphans Court docket sheets. Right-to-Know requests for probate records can be sent to the Clerk of Courts office or the Register of Wills by mail, fax, or email at adamscountycourtsrighttoknow@adamscountypa.gov.
Requesting transcripts: Court transcripts from probate or any other proceeding must be obtained by filing a Request for Transcript with the Clerk of Courts along with the required deposit. A court reporter will follow up if the deposit does not fully cover the preparation costs.