Blair County Court Records Search

Blair County occupies the central-western portion of Pennsylvania, with the borough of Hollidaysburg serving as the county seat. The county’s judicial system operates under the Court of Common Pleas of the 24th Judicial District, which exercises jurisdiction over all major criminal, civil, family, and orphans’ court matters. Supporting this court are six magisterial district courts that handle preliminary hearings, minor criminal offenses, landlord-tenant disputes, and civil claims up to $12,000. Three primary row offices at the Blair County Courthouse manage day-to-day record keeping: the Prothonotary (civil records), the Clerk of Courts (criminal records), and the Clerk of Orphans’ Court (probate, vital records, and marriage licenses).

Locating court records in Pennsylvania typically begins with the local clerk’s office or the statewide electronic tools maintained by the Unified Judicial System. The Pennsylvania courts website hosts docket-sheet searches, e-filing capabilities, and public-access resources for every county. For Blair County specifically, PennsylvaniaCourts.us can help users find publicly available case information. Records can also be retrieved by visiting the Blair County Courthouse in person, submitting written requests by mail, or contacting the appropriate office by phone.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Blair County?

Blair County court cases can be located through several complementary channels depending on the type of case and the level of detail required.

Online Docket Search via UJS Portal

The UJS Portal Case Search is the primary free tool for finding Blair County cases electronically. The portal provides access to docket sheets for Courts of Common Pleas, magisterial district courts, and appellate courts across the Commonwealth. Users may search by:

Participant name (first and last)
Docket number
Organization name
Offense tracking number (OTN)
Police incident or complaint number
State ID number

Results display the case caption, case status, filing date, county, court office, primary participants, and date of birth. Docket sheets can be viewed and printed directly from the portal. A help guide explains each search parameter in detail.

In-Person Record Requests

All three record-keeping offices are located in the Blair County Courthouse and share the same general address:

Blair County Courthouse
Address: 423 Allegheny Street, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
Phone: (814) 693-3000
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Office	Suite	Phone	Records Maintained
Prothonotary (Civil)	Suite 144	(814) 693-3080	Civil cases, divorce, custody, equity
Clerk of Courts (Criminal)	Suite 144	(814) 693-3080	Criminal cases, sentencing, appeals
Clerk of Orphans’ Court	Suite 144	(814) 693-3080	Probate, estates, marriage licenses, vital records

Robin G. Patton currently serves in the combined role of Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, and Clerk of Orphans’ Court.

Magisterial District Courts

Blair County has six magisterial district courts for cases of limited jurisdiction:

Court	Address	Phone
MDJ 24-1-02	2601 Fifth Ave., Altoona, PA 16602	(814) 941-4550
MDJ 24-1-03	615 Fourth Street, Altoona, PA 16602	(814) 942-6421
MDJ 24-3-01	5628 East Pleasant Valley Blvd., Tyrone, PA 16686	(814) 684-4617
MDJ 24-3-02	5929 California Ave., Altoona, PA 16602	(814) 944-4371
MDJ 24-3-03	311 Union Street, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648	(814) 693-3210
MDJ 24-3-04	310 Airport Drive, Martinsburg, PA 16673	(814) 793-2495

A detailed overview of magisterial district judge assignments and geographic coverage is available through the Blair County website.

Mail Requests

Written requests for copies of court records can be mailed to the appropriate office at 423 Allegheny Street, Suite 144, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648. Include the case number or party names, the type of document requested, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment by check or money order.

Are Court Records Public in Blair County?

Pennsylvania law establishes a presumption of public access to court records. The Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) requires government agencies, including judicial agencies, to provide financial records in accordance with the act. For case-specific court records, however, the controlling authority is the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System, codified at 204 Pa. Code § 213.81.

Under this policy, the public may request and obtain case records unless they fall within specifically enumerated exceptions. Blair County courts follow these statewide rules when processing access requests.

Records that are generally accessible to the public include:

Criminal docket sheets and filings in the Court of Common Pleas
Civil complaints, answers, motions, orders, and judgments
Probate filings such as wills, estate accountings, and letters testamentary
Magisterial district court case dispositions
Marriage license applications (after issuance)

Categories of records excluded from public access include:

Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and driver’s license numbers
Records sealed or expunged by court order
Juvenile delinquency records
Grand jury proceedings
Ongoing criminal investigation materials
Mental health and substance-abuse treatment records
Trade secrets and proprietary information
Protective-order details identifying victims
Jury selection lists and juror questionnaires

Filers bear responsibility for redacting protected information before submitting documents to the court. If protected identifiers are inadvertently included, the affected party or the court may order redaction. Requests for sealed or otherwise restricted records require a formal petition and court order.

Blair County Criminal Court Records

Criminal cases within Blair County are prosecuted by the District Attorney’s office and adjudicated in the Court of Common Pleas for felonies and most misdemeanors, or in the magisterial district courts for preliminary hearings and summary offenses. The Clerk of Courts maintains all criminal case files generated in the Court of Common Pleas.

Searching Criminal Case Records

Visit the UJS Portal Case Search and select the appropriate search parameter (participant name, docket number, or OTN).
Filter by court type, date range, and county to narrow results to Blair County criminal matters.
Review the docket sheet, which displays charges, bail information, hearing dates, dispositions, and sentencing details.

Docket-sheet results viewed through the UJS Portal are informational and do not constitute official certified records. To obtain certified copies or court transcripts, contact the Clerk of Courts at (814) 693-3080.

Court Transcripts

Anyone requesting a transcript of criminal court proceedings must complete the Request for Transcript or Copy form and submit it to the Clerk of Courts. Transcript costs per page are:

Ordinary: $2.50
Expedited: $3.50
Daily: $4.50
Same-day delivery: $6.50

Each category incurs additional per-page surcharges for copies, and hard copies add $0.25 per page to the base rate.

Criminal History Background Checks

The Blair County Clerk of Courts does not issue comprehensive criminal-history reports. A statewide criminal-history check is available through the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) system maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police. Requests may be submitted online or by mailing the completed Form SP 4-164. The fee is $22.00 per individual check, with an additional $5.00 for a notarized report. As of April 2026, online PATCH requests via credit card incur a 2% processing surcharge.

Dissemination of criminal-history record information is governed by Pennsylvania’s Criminal History Record Information Act under Title 18, Chapter 91. Criminal justice agencies may access CHRI at reasonable times; non-criminal-justice agencies and record subjects must follow the statutory request procedures.

Blair County Sheriff’s Office

The Blair County Sheriff’s Office processes warrants, provides courtroom security, and handles civil process service. Inquiries about active warrants or arrest information can be directed to:

Blair County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 423 Allegheny Street, Suite 111, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
Phone: (814) 693-3100
Fax: (814) 695-4737

Blair County Civil Court Records

The Prothonotary serves as the official custodian of civil records for the Blair County Court of Common Pleas. This office handles the filing, docketing, and certification of all civil-division matters, including personal-injury litigation, contract disputes, equity actions, divorce proceedings, custody cases, and protection-from-abuse petitions.

Searching Civil Records

Civil case docket sheets are searchable through the UJS Portal at no charge. The portal allows searches by participant name, docket number, or other identifiers. For more detailed file review or certified copies, visit the Prothonotary’s office during business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) or submit a request by mail to:

Prothonotary’s Office
423 Allegheny Street, Suite 144
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
Phone: (814) 693-3080
Fax: (814) 317-1600

Civil Filing Fees

Blair County follows the fee schedule established by the Prothonotary’s office. Selected fees from the Prothonotary fee bill include:

Divorce complaint: approximately $210.20 (inclusive of surcharges)
Appeal to appellate courts: Prothonotary fee $65.00 plus appellate court fee $90.25 plus assessment $145.00
Board of Viewers: $132.00

Certified copies are available for a per-page fee. The Prothonotary’s complete fee schedule can be reviewed at the office or on the Blair County website.

Small Claims and Magisterial District Court Civil Cases

Civil claims of $12,000 or less may be filed in one of Blair County’s six magisterial district courts. These courts handle landlord-tenant disputes, minor contract claims, and other civil matters in an expedited format. Docket sheets for magisterial district court cases are also available through the UJS Portal.

Property Records

Real-property documents such as deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements are maintained by the Register of Wills & Recorder of Deeds, located at 423 Allegheny Street, Suite 145, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648. In-person copies cost $0.25 per page. Requests submitted by mail, email, or fax cost $1.00 per page plus a self-addressed stamped envelope; certified copies add $2.00 per document. Recording fees for deeds start at $87.75 for the first page plus $3.00 for each additional page, with a $2.00 certification fee. The office also provides remote online access to recorded land records through the Landex document search system.

Blair County Family Court Records

Family-law matters in Blair County are divided between two offices. The Court of Common Pleas hears divorce, custody, equitable distribution, and protection-from-abuse cases, with records maintained by the Prothonotary. Support orders, paternity determinations, and enforcement proceedings fall under the Domestic Relations section of the court. The Clerk of Orphans’ Court manages adoption records and marriage licenses.

Divorce Records

Divorce complaints are filed with the Prothonotary’s office. Certified copies of divorce decrees can be obtained in person or by mail. To request a copy by mail, send the names of both parties, the approximate date the divorce was finalized, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order for the applicable fee to the Prothonotary’s Office at 423 Allegheny Street, Suite 144, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648.

Marriage Licenses

Marriage license applications are processed by the Clerk of Orphans’ Court. Both applicants must appear in person at the office with:

Valid government-issued photo identification (driver’s license, passport, or military ID)
$54.00 fee (cash or card; no checks)
A certified copy of the final divorce decree (with a judge’s signature) if either party was previously married, or a death certificate if widowed

An online marriage application can be completed in advance through the Blair County Orphans’ Court Marriage License Bureau, but the application is not finalized until both parties appear at the office. Pennsylvania law (Title 23) requires a three-day waiting period after in-person application. Marriage licenses are valid for 60 days and may be used anywhere in the Commonwealth. Application hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

To obtain a certified copy of a marriage license after issuance, send a written request to the Prothonotary’s Office with the year of marriage, names of both spouses (including maiden names), a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order for $9.00 payable to the “Prothonotary’s Office”.

Birth and Death Records

The Clerk of Orphans’ Court holds historical birth and death records dated 1893 through 1906. Records from 1906 to the present are maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records. To request a certificate, applicants may:

Download and complete the official application for a birth certificate or death certificate.
Submit the completed form with a copy of valid photo identification and a fee of $20.00 (payable to “Vital Records”) by mail to:

Division of Vital Records
Birth Certificate Processing Unit
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103

Alternatively, visit any of the Division’s public office locations in person.

Eligible requesters include the record subject, immediate family members, legal representatives, and persons with a direct interest in the record.

Adoption Records

Adoption proceedings in Blair County are heard by the Orphans’ Court. Adoption records are confidential and sealed upon finalization. Access is restricted to the parties involved and requires a court order.

Blair County Probate Court Records

Probate matters in Blair County are handled by the Orphans’ Court division of the Court of Common Pleas, with administrative functions carried out jointly by the Clerk of Orphans’ Court and the Register of Wills. The Register of Wills receives filings for the probate of decedent estates, while the Clerk of Orphans’ Court maintains dockets and files for estate accountings, guardianship proceedings, and petitions involving incapacitated persons.

Searching Probate Records

Probate case docket sheets may be available through the UJS Portal for electronically filed matters. Many probate records, however, remain in paper format and must be reviewed in person at the Clerk of Orphans’ Court or Register of Wills office at 423 Allegheny Street, Suite 144 (Clerk) or Suite 145 (Register of Wills), Hollidaysburg, PA 16648. The Orphans’ Court forms page on the Unified Judicial System website provides downloadable forms for guardianship reports, estate inventories, and other filings.

Estate Administration

When a Blair County resident dies, the personal representative typically files the original will and a petition for grant of letters with the Register of Wills. Estates below a certain threshold may qualify for small-estate proceedings. Key steps in the probate process include:

Filing the decedent’s will (if one exists) and a petition for probate or letters of administration
Receiving letters testamentary or letters of administration
Publishing a notice to creditors
Inventorying and appraising estate assets
Filing an accounting with the Orphans’ Court
Petitioning for distribution and closing the estate

The Clerk of Orphans’ Court fee bill details the applicable filing, certification, and service fees for probate and guardianship proceedings.

Guardianship and Incapacitated Persons

Petitions for guardianship of an incapacitated person are filed with the Orphans’ Court. The court appoints counsel for the alleged incapacitated person, and a hearing is held to determine whether a guardian should be appointed. Guardianship records are generally accessible to the public, although medical and psychological evaluations filed in the case may be restricted.

Register of Wills

The Register of Wills office accepts wills for probate, issues letters testamentary, and processes inheritance-tax returns. The office shares its physical location with the Recorder of Deeds at Suite 145 of the courthouse. Contact information and the FAQ page for the combined Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office provide guidance on accessing estate and property records, including information about available online search tools.