Understanding Civil Court Records in Pennsylvania

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    Civil court records in Pennsylvania are maintained by the judiciary and include non-criminal case documents. These documents are considered public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law and Section 1.0 of the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. These make civil court records accessible to interested parties, but sensitive information is redacted before public release. Civil court records are typically stored and indexed by the Clerk of Court or Prothonotary in the county or judicial district where the case was filed.

    Civil Court Record Statistics Reported by Pennsylvania Courts

    Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas received approximately 127,997 new civil filings, processed 149,854 civil cases, and received 732 cases transferred from other jurisdictions in 2023. During the same year, approximately 330,125 civil cases were available for processing, and 5,515 cases were reinstated to active status. Approximately 47,614 of the civil cases involved contracts, 29,336 were tort cases, and 27,212 were related to real property disputes. In that same year, there were 232,476 domestic relations case filings in the Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas, with approximately 231,120 cases processed. The Pennsylvania Superior Court received approximately 2,790 new civil appeals in 2023 and concluded about 2,618 appeals that year.

    Civil Case Type

    New Case Filing

    Case Processed

    Cases Available for Processing

    Protection from abuse

    41,736

    41,686

    53,511

    Spousal & Child Support

    116,339

    118,284

    164,050

    Custody

    41,495

    39,269

    87,139

    Divorce

    32,906

    31,891

    110,116

    Adoptions

    3,951

    4,016

    5,225

    Relinquishments/ Terminations

    4,328

    4,163

    7,486

    Accounts

    2,012

    2,027

    3,233

    How Civil Records Differ from Criminal Records in Pennsylvania

    Civil and criminal records are two types of court files maintained by Pennsylvania courts that serve distinct purposes and structures. Civil records involve non-criminal disputes filed by private individuals or organizations seeking compensation or legal remedies. Conversely, criminal court records document proceedings where the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania prosecutes individuals accused of committing offenses against the state.

    Category

    Civil Record

    Criminal Record

    Legal Focus

    Disputes between individuals/entities

    Violations prosecuted by the state

    Case Titles

    Plaintiff v. Defendant

    Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Defendant

    Potential Outcome

    Damages, injunctions, custody orders

    Fines, jail/prison, probation

    Public Access

    Generally public

    Generally public, with more restrictions

    Code

    Rules of Civil Procedure

    Rules of Criminal Procedure

    Structure of the Civil Court System in Pennsylvania

    The Pennsylvania court systemcomprises the Supreme Court, the Superior Court, the Courts of Common Pleas, and the minor courts. The Courts of Common Pleas are Pennsylvania trial courts where major civil cases, involving contested amounts exceeding $12,000, are filed, while minor cases are heard in municipal courts and magisterial district courts. The Supreme and the Superior Courts handle civil appeals. The table below shows the types of cases dealt with by the Pennsylvania trial courts:

    Court

    Type of Civil Cases

    Courts of Common Pleas

    Lawsuits involving money or property, custody disputes, divorce, guardianships, estates, child support issues, adoptions, and civil appeals from lower courts.

    Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Municipal Courts

    Civil cases where the amount in controversy is $12,000 or less for small claims, landlord-tenant cases, and $15,000 in real estate cases.

    Magisterial District Courts

    Civil claims where the amount in controversy does not exceed $12,000.

    Orphans' Court

    Adoptions, guardianships, accounts, and estate litigation

    Public Access to Civil Court Documents in Pennsylvania

    Civil court records are public under Section 3.0 of the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System and the Pennsylvania Right-To-Know Law. Anyone may inspect or copy civil court records by making an oral request to the court that handled the case. However, a written request may be required if the desired record is complex or voluminous in nature. Requesters may be required to pay a fee for accessing civil court records. The court will not charge any amount that exceeds $0.25 per page to photocopy or print records from electronic media or microfilm. Court clerks will redact all confidential information from civil records before public release. Confidential civil documents will not be made public under any circumstances. Examples of confidential civil documents and information are:

    • Social Security Numbers
    • Income and expense statement
    • Medical and psychological records
    • Children and Youth Services' records
    • Marital property inventory and pre-trial statement
    • Abuse victim's address and other contact information
    • Financial account numbers and financial source documents
    • Agreements between the parties as used in 23 Pa.C.S.§3105.

    Anyone seeking civil court records or information may consider the methods below:

    • Online: Record seekers may conduct a free statewide civil court records search via the Case Search Portal. The search parameters are attorney, date filed, docket number, or participant name. Some Prothonotary Offices in Pennsylvania offer online portals that allow individuals to access civil case information without incurring charges. For example, the Cumberland County Prothonotary offers a Case Search Portal, where users may search for case information by case number, case type, name, filing date, filing type, assigned judge, or attorney.
    • In-person: Interested persons may obtain copies of civil court documents at the court where the case was heard. In-person requests may be made during business hours for a fee. The clerk of the court might require the requester to complete a form if the request is complex.
    • By mail: Individuals may submit a Request for Access Form to the court where their case was heard to obtain copies of civil court records. The mail package must contain the necessary fees.

    Types of Civil Cases Filed in Pennsylvania Courts

    Below are the most common civil case types filed in Pennsylvania:

    • Contracts: These civil cases involve lawsuits relating to breaches of written or oral agreements between private parties. Contract cases are handled by the Courts of Common Pleas Civil Divisions.
    • Real property and landlord/tenant disputes:Cover eviction cases, lease violations, security deposit issues, property ownership conflicts, and foreclosures. These cases are handled by the Magisterial District Courts and the Civil Divisions of the Courts of Common Pleas.
    • Tort: These are civil cases involving injuries or wrongs committed against a person or the property of another. Remedy for torts may be sought in the Courts of Common Pleas.
    • Domestic relations: Encompass custody, divorce, child or spousal support, and protection-from-abuse orders. Courts of Common Pleas Family Divisions handle domestic relations cases.
    • Probate: Involve trusts, wills, estate administration, and disputes over inheritance or fiduciary duties. Probate cases are handled by the Orphans' Courts.
    • Small claims: These are civil cases where the amount in controversy is less than $12,000. People may file their small claims at the Magisterial District Court and represent themselves instead of hiring an attorney.

    Information Captured in Pennsylvania Civil Court Files

    Pennsylvania civil court files contain all proceedings and actions taken in a civil case. These files include pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, and other filings that reflect each party's claims and the court's decisions. Civil court files are stored and indexed by the Clerk of Court in the county or judicial district where the case was filed, and they contain the following information:

    • Docket number, case type, and case title
    • Case information (judge assigned, claim amount, file date, case status, and county)
    • Calendar event (case calendar, event type, judge name, schedule start date, start time, room)
    • Case participants (participant type, participant name, and address)
    • Disposition summary (docket number, plaintiff, defendant, disposition, civil disposition details, and disposition date)
    • Docket entry information (filed date, entry, filer, and who the entry applies to)

    Retention and Archiving of Civil Court Records in Pennsylvania

    According to the Pennsylvania Courts Record Retention and Disposition Schedule, all civil records are classified as either permanent or non-permanent. Permanent records do not have specified retention timeframes and cannot be destroyed unless they have been properly replicated. In contrast, non-permanent records are retained for a defined period and are disposed of once the retention period has expired. Below are the timeframes of civil records:

    • Civil dockets: 7 years
    • Adoption records: permanent
    • Custody records in matters not involving divorce: 20 years
    • Dockets and indices of domestic relation records: permanent
    • Notes of Testimony (including audio, digital, and video recordings): 1 year
    • Entry of judgments, excluding civil case records disposed of under Pa. R.J.A. No. 1901: 7 years
    • Some divorce and annulment papers (complaints, property, custody, and alimony): permanent
    • Discharge, verdict, or other disposition without judgment, excluding civil case records disposed of under Pa. R.J.A. No. 1901: 3 years.
    • Some divorce or annulment actions (masters' reports, notices of counseling, inventories and appraisements, notes of testimony, income and expense statements, and hearing notices): 5 years
    • Some domestic relation files (complaint for support, transcripts of court proceedings, acknowledgments of paternity and genetic test results, court opinions, petitions for modification, support orders, and custody records in matters not involving divorce): permanent.

    References and Official Resources

    Here are the key official links and agencies that govern or manage civil court records in Pennsylvania:

    • County Clerk of Courts / Prothonotary Offices: Maintain and index civil court filings, judgments, and case records within each county or judicial district.
    • The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal: Provides online access to court dockets, opinions, and case information across all Pennsylvania courts.
    • Self-help law library: Provides free resources for the public to research basic procedures in some civil matters.
    • Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC): Oversees court administration, policy, and record management standards statewide.
    • Orphans' Court Clerks: Manage probate, estate, guardianship, and trust case records at the county level.