Franklin County Court Records
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Franklin County, Pennsylvania sits within the 39th Judicial District, a two-county district that serves both Franklin and Fulton counties. At its core is the Court of Common Pleas, supported by a network of Magisterial District Courts spread across Chambersburg, Waynesboro, Greencastle, Mercersburg, and the surrounding townships. These courts collectively produce civil, criminal, family, and probate records, all maintained by the clerk of each respective court division. You can reach those records in person, by mail, or through online access tools.
Under Section 1.0 of the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, court records include documents, indices, and dockets filed with or kept by a court or its custodian. That covers orders, opinions, judgments, decrees, and case dockets. It does not cover judicial work products such as drafts, internal memoranda, or correspondence between court staff.
If you're starting your search from scratch, PennsylvaniaCourts.us connects you to the official resources of the Unified Judicial System. From there you can reach clerk offices, public access terminals at courthouses, and the state's online case search portal.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Franklin County?
The main tool for searching Franklin County cases online is the UJS Web Portal, which the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania operates and makes available free of charge. You can search by attorney name, participant name, citation number, complaint number, docket number, incident number, or filing date. If you're looking for an appellate case, select the Appellate or Docket Number option from the search dropdown.
Franklin County Court Locations
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Court of Common Pleas (39th Judicial District) | 2 N. Main Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201 | (717) 261-3848 |
| MDJ 39-2-01 (Borough of Chambersburg) | 218 North Second Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201 | (717) 263-5808 |
| MDJ 39-3-02 (Waynesboro, Washington Township) | 22 North Oller Avenue, Waynesboro, PA 17268 | (717) 762-9411 |
| MDJ 39-3-03 (Fannett, Hamilton, Letterkenny, Lurgan Townships) | 9724 Cumberland Highway, P.O. Box 135, Pleasant Hall, PA 17246 | (717) 532-7672 |
| MDJ 39-3-04 (Orrstown, Shippensburg West End, Greene, Southampton) | 1157 Garver Lane, Chambersburg, PA 17202 | (717) 263-7949 |
| MDJ 39-3-05 (Antrim Township, Greencastle) | 401 South Washington Street, Greencastle, PA 17225 | (717) 597-8581 |
| MDJ 39-3-06 (Mercersburg, Montgomery, Metal, Peters, St. Thomas, Warren) | 20 Veterans Way, Mercersburg, PA 17236 | (717) 328-3521 |
| MDJ 39-3-07 (Mont Alto, Guilford, Quincy Townships) | 2038B Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA 17201 | (717) 263-5820 |
Court hours for the Court of Common Pleas and all clerk offices run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
In-person access is available at whichever court handled the case. Bring the case party's name, a case or docket number if you have one, and a valid photo ID. Copies at the Court of Common Pleas level cost $0.05 per page.
By mail, you can submit a completed Request for Access Form along with any applicable fees to the relevant clerk's office. For Superior Court records on appeal, send the form and fees to one of the Superior Court Prothonotary's locations. Superior Court copy fees are $0.50 per page, certifications are $8.00, and additional copies run $1.00 per page.
Are Court Records Public in Franklin County?
Most Franklin County court records are generally public under the Pennsylvania Right-To-Know Law and Section 3.0 of the Unified Judicial System's Public Access Policy. Members of the public may inspect and copy most records during regular business hours at the custodian's office. For county agency records, you can also direct requests to the Franklin County Office of Open Records.
That said, certain categories of information are designated confidential and must be kept out of publicly filed documents. These identifiers must instead be submitted on a separate Confidential Information Form:
- Social Security numbers
- Driver's license numbers
- State Identification (SID) numbers
- Financial account numbers (except the last four digits when the account itself is the subject of the case)
- Minors' names and dates of birth, except when the minor is charged as a criminal defendant
- An abuse victim's address and other contact information, including employer name, address, and work schedule
Certain document types are treated as confidential and must be filed together with a Confidential Document Form:
- Financial source documents
- Minors' educational records
- Medical and psychological records
- Children and Youth Services records
- Marital property inventory and pre-trial statements
- Income and expense statements
- Agreements between parties under 23 Pa.C.S. 3105
Adoptions, gestational births, and termination of parental rights proceedings are not public record. The full framework for public access is detailed in the UJS Public Access policies, which the Unified Judicial System publishes and updates on its website.
Franklin County Criminal Court Records
The Clerk of Courts keeps the official records for all criminal matters handled by the Court of Common Pleas. Criminal records are open to the public and can be reviewed during regular office hours. The Clerk's office has two public computers available for in-person research. Electronic docket entries go back to 1993; anything earlier is stored in physical docket books.
You can ask to review an actual case file in person and request copies or docket printouts for a fee. Written, emailed, or faxed records requests are processed only for government agencies such as law enforcement or military recruitment offices. If you're a member of the general public, you'll need to visit in person or use the UJS Web Portal to conduct a criminal case search.
The Clerk of Courts does not issue certified criminal record checks. If you need a background check for employment, licensing, or another official purpose, you must request it directly from the Pennsylvania State Police through the PATCH (Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History) system. PATCH is available online to both registered and non-registered users. The standard fee is $22.00, payable by credit card or through a pre-established billing account. Note that as of April 22, 2026, a 2% fee applies to all PATCH credit card transactions processed online. A notarized copy costs an additional $5.00. For mail-in requests, complete Form SP 4-164 and submit it with a check or money order payable to:
Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository
Address: 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758
For arrest records specifically, the Franklin County Jail maintains in-person access. You can provide the arrestee's name, arrest date, or jail number to search records. The jail is located at:
Franklin County Jail
Address: 1804 Opportunity Ave, Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: (717) 264-9513 | Fax: (717) 264-6766
Email: jail@franklincountypa.gov
Felonies and serious misdemeanors are tried before the Court of Common Pleas. Magisterial District Judges handle lower-level criminal matters, including parking violations, summary offenses, and preliminary hearings for felony and misdemeanor charges.
Franklin County Civil Court Records
Civil cases in Franklin County are divided by the amount in controversy. The Court of Common Pleas handles all major civil matters, including civil complaints, equity actions, and appeals. The Magisterial District Judges hear civil and landlord-tenant complaints up to a jurisdictional cap of $12,000.
At the Court of Common Pleas level, the Prothonotary's Office is your filing destination. It handles civil complaints, judgment and lien filings, magisterial appeals (including money judgment and landlord-tenant cases), and Protection From Abuse (PFA) petitions. You can reach the Prothonotary here:
Franklin County Prothonotary's Office
Address: 14 N. Main St., Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: (717) 261-3858 | Fax: (717) 264-6772
Filing fees effective January 2, 2026:
| Action | Fee |
|---|---|
| Civil & Equity Complaint | $116.00 |
| Divorce (domestic relations) | $168.50 |
| Additional Courts in Divorce | $56.25 each |
| Superior/Commonwealth Court Appeal | $89.00 (includes $47.00 filing fee + $42.00 postage) |
All filing fees for self-represented parties must be paid in cash or money order. The Prothonotary's Office does not accept personal checks from pro se litigants and does not process debit or credit cards. Faxed pleadings are not accepted from any party. Fees are non-refundable once paid.
You can search civil case records online through the UJS Web Portal using a participant name, attorney name, docket number, or filing date. In-person access is available Monday through Friday during business hours, and mail requests should include a completed Request for Access Form with the applicable fee.
Franklin County Family Court Records
Family court matters are spread across several offices depending on the case type. The Prothonotary's Office handles divorce and custody filings. The Clerk of Orphans Court handles adoptions, guardianships, and marriage licenses. The Domestic Relations Section manages child support and paternity matters.
Divorce Records
Divorce decrees are filed with and maintained by the Prothonotary's Office. Certified copies are available in two formats: a certified gold seal copy for $10.00 or a regular certified court seal copy for $5.00. Payment is accepted in cash. Contact the Prothonotary before your visit to confirm what documentation you'll need to bring.
Marriage Records
Marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of Orphans Court. Both applicants must appear in person at 14 North Main Street, Chambersburg, at least three business days before the ceremony. Licenses are valid for 60 days. The filing fee is $60.00, payable in cash or by credit card (subject to a 2.2% service charge or a minimum $1.00 fee). You'll need a valid photo ID, proof of a Social Security number, and the most recent divorce decree or death certificate if either applicant was previously married.
Certified duplicate marriage certificates from 1885 to the present are available at $10.00 each (fee effective January 1, 2025). You can request copies through the Duplicate Marriage License Request Form, by phone at (717) 261-3805, or in person. Historical marriage docket indices from 1885 to 1918, license applications from 1885 to 2011, and license returns from 1885 to 2020 are housed at the Franklin County Archives & Records Management Department.
Child Support and Domestic Relations
The Franklin County Domestic Relations Section handles the establishment and enforcement of child support and spousal support orders, paternity determinations, and absent-parent location services. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Support petitions can be filed in person or online through the PA Child Support website. Scheduled appeal hearings take place in person at the Franklin County Hearing Annex, 31 North Second Street, Chambersburg.
Fees associated with Domestic Relations proceedings include:
- Judicial Conference Fee (JCF): $40.25
- Genetic testing: $22.00 per person within Franklin County (fees vary for out-of-county, out-of-state, or incarcerated individuals)
- Annual federal fee: $35.00, charged to the custodial parent upon receiving $2,000 in support during the federal fiscal year
Birth and Death Records
Pre-1906 birth and death records are maintained by the Franklin County Archives & Records Management Department, located at 340 N. Second Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201, Phone: (717) 261-3154 Many of these records have been digitized and are freely available through the department's online repository. The Archives are open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
For records from 1906 forward, the Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Vital Records is the official custodian. Access is restricted to authorized individuals 18 years of age or older, including direct relatives, legal representatives, and government representatives with a qualifying interest. Each certified copy of a birth certificate or death certificate costs $20.00. Online requests carry an additional $10.00 processing fee payable by credit card. Mail requests require a completed application form, an acceptable photo ID, and the appropriate fee, sent to:
Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Vital Records
Address: P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103
In-person requests are processed at any Vital Records Public Office, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Same-day service is typically available for requests submitted by 2:30 p.m. Processing times run approximately two weeks for birth certificates and three weeks for death certificates.
Franklin County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Franklin County are split between two offices: the Clerk of Orphans Court and the Register & Recorder's Office. The Clerk of Orphans Court is the filing office for the miscellaneous division of the Court of Common Pleas and handles accounts, adoptions, appeals, claims against estates, guardianships, minors' estates, small estate proceedings, and trusts. Orphans Court records extend back to 1785.
The Clerk of Orphans Court office is located at:
Franklin County Clerk of Orphans Court
Address: 14 North Main Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: (717) 261-3805 | Fax: (717) 261-3896
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Available records include formal and informal accounts, trust filings, small estate settlements, and marriage applications. Adoptions, gestational births, and termination of parental rights matters are confidential and are not available to the public.
The Register & Recorder's Office handles the probate of estates for executors and administrators following a death, and also records property documents, deeds, and mortgages. You can find the Register & Recorder at:
Franklin County Register & Recorder's Office
Address: Administration Building, 272 North Second St., Suite 205, Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: (717) 261-3872 | Fax: (717) 709-7211
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Orphans Court forms for estate and guardianship matters are available through the UJS Portal forms library. All filing fees are due in full at the time of filing, payable by cash, check, or money order. A $35.00 returned check fee applies. The Clerk of Orphans Court also accepts credit card payments subject to a 2.2% service charge or a $1.00 minimum.
Probate case dockets are searchable online through the UJS Web Portal by participant name or docket number. You can also contact the Clerk's office directly to review physical records during regular hours. Property records administered through the Register & Recorder can be searched remotely through a third-party portal or reviewed in person at the office's public counter. Property record copies cost $0.25 per page. Parcel information is also accessible through the county's Parcel Mapper Plus GIS tool.