Lehigh County Court Records Search
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Lehigh County is located in eastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, with its county seat in Allentown. The county’s judicial system is anchored by the Court of Common Pleas of the 31st Judicial District, which sits at the Lehigh County Courthouse on West Hamilton Street. This general-jurisdiction trial court is organized into three divisions — Civil/Motion/Family, Criminal/Juvenile, and Orphans’ Court — and handles everything from felony prosecutions and major civil lawsuits to divorce proceedings and estate administration. Fourteen Magisterial District Courts spread across the county’s townships, boroughs, and cities process summary offenses, preliminary hearings, landlord-tenant disputes, and civil claims within statutory dollar limits. A single elected official, the Clerk of Judicial Records, oversees case files across the Civil Division (formerly Prothonotary), Criminal Division, Register of Wills, Clerk of the Orphans’ Court, and Recorder of Deeds, all housed in Room 122 of the Courthouse.
Lehigh County court records can be searched through multiple official channels. The county maintains an Odyssey Public Access portal where registered users can look up dockets across civil, family, and criminal case types. Magisterial District Court dockets are available through the statewide UJS Portal operated by the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Clerk offices also accept in-person and written record requests during business hours. For additional context on Pennsylvania’s court structure, available forms, and electronic services, PennsylvaniaCourts.us can help users orient themselves to the right court and access publicly available case information.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Lehigh County?
The right search method depends on which court handled the case and whether you need to view a docket entry or obtain certified copies of filed documents.
Online — Court of Common Pleas Cases
- Visit the Odyssey Public Access portal.
- Create a free account or log in with existing credentials. (Online Records Access and Attorney Docket Access accounts work for viewing dockets but are separate from e-filing accounts.)
- Search by party name, case number, or filing date. You can filter by case category — civil, criminal, family, or orphans’ court.
- View docket entries, hearing schedules, and case status. Data is current through the end of the previous business day.
Searching is free. Fees apply to view or print document images.
Online — Magisterial District Court Cases
- Go to the UJS Portal.
- Select “Magisterial District Court” as the court type and choose Lehigh County.
- Search by docket number, participant name, or filing date to view docket sheets.
In Person
Visit the Clerk of Judicial Records at the Lehigh County Courthouse, Room 122, 455 West Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101-1614. Public review terminals are available on site.
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Closed weekends, designated holidays, and during severe weather at the President Judge’s discretion.
- Phone: (Civil Division): (610) 782-3148
- Phone: (Criminal Division): (610) 782-3077
By Mail
Send a written request identifying the case by docket number, party names, or other specifics, along with the applicable copy fee, to the appropriate division at the courthouse address above.
Copy and Certification Fees
| Service | Civil Division | Criminal Division |
|---|---|---|
| Photocopies | $0.50/page | $0.50/page |
| Photocopies by mail | — | $1.00/page + $3.00 mailing fee |
| Docket printout | $3.50 | — |
| Transcript copies (paper) | $0.75/page | — |
| Transcript copies (email) | $0.50/page | — |
| Certification | $7.00 | $12.75 |
| Microfilm copies | — | $1.00/page |
A $1.00 per page conversion fee applies to all documents not submitted electronically through the Civil Division. Credit/debit card payments incur a processing fee charged by the card company.
Are Court Records Public in Lehigh County?
Court records in Lehigh County are presumptively public. The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law provides a general framework for access to government records, and the Unified Judicial System’s Public Access Policy (Section 3.0) specifically addresses court records, granting the public the right to access, inspect, and reproduce copies by contacting the record custodian.
Certain categories of information are confidential and must be excluded from public access or redacted before release:
- Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers
- Financial account numbers and source documents
- Medical and psychological records
- Educational records of minors
- Children and Youth Services records
- Income and Expense Statements and Marital Property Inventories filed in domestic cases
- The name and date of birth of minors (except minors charged as defendants in criminal matters)
- An abuse victim’s address and contact information
- State Identification (SID) numbers
- Settlement agreements between parties
- Sealed records, as ordered by a judge
Memoranda, drafts, notes, worksheets, and internal correspondence of the court are not considered court records under the Public Access Policy and are not subject to disclosure.
Lehigh County Criminal Court Records
Criminal matters in Lehigh County are prosecuted in the Court of Common Pleas for felonies and serious misdemeanors, and in the Magisterial District Courts for summary offenses, preliminary hearings, DUI cases, and third-degree misdemeanors. The Criminal Division of the Clerk of Judicial Records maintains all adult and juvenile criminal case files.
Criminal Division Contact Information
Clerk of Judicial Records — Criminal Division
Address: Lehigh County Courthouse, Room 122, 455 W. Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101-1614
Phone: (610) 782-3077
Email for document requests: Criminalrecordrequest@lehighcounty.org
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Court Administration — Criminal/Juvenile Division
Phone: (610) 782-3014
Fax: (610) 871-2779
Searching Criminal Case Records
- Online — Criminal dockets from the Court of Common Pleas can be searched through Odyssey Public Access by party name or case number. Magisterial District Court criminal dockets are available on the UJS Portal.
- In person — Visit Room 122 at the courthouse or contact the Criminal Division by email to request specific documents.
- By mail — Send a written request with case details and the applicable fee to the Criminal Division at the courthouse address.
Selected Criminal Division Fees (Effective January 1, 2026)
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Expungement — Adult | $263.75 (includes $132.00 Act 5 fee) |
| Expungement — Juvenile | $119.00 |
| Summary Appeal | $71.00 (includes $5.00 automation fee) |
| Appellate Court Appeal | $73.50 (+ $91.25 separate check to appellate court) |
| Miscellaneous matters/reports | $29.75 (includes $5.00 automation fee) |
| Bail processing fee | $25.00 |
| Photocopies | $0.50/page |
Statewide Criminal History — PATCH
The Pennsylvania State Police provides criminal background checks through the PATCH system. An online request costs $22.00 per subject (non-refundable), payable by credit card. For a notarized copy, add $5.00. Mail requests require a completed Criminal History Request Form, a certified check or money order for the fee, and should be sent to:
Pennsylvania State Police — Central Repository (RCPU)
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758
Lehigh County Civil Court Records
The Civil Division of the Clerk of Judicial Records — functioning as the Prothonotary — maintains all civil case records for the Court of Common Pleas. This includes complaints, judgments, liens, mortgage foreclosures, contract disputes, personal injury actions, Protection From Abuse (PFA) filings, and appeals from Magisterial District Courts. The Magisterial District Courts handle civil claims within their statutory jurisdictional amounts, landlord-tenant disputes, and ordinance violations.
Civil Division Contact Information
Clerk of Judicial Records — Civil Division
Address: Lehigh County Courthouse, Room 122, 455 W. Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101-1614
Phone: (610) 782-3148
Fax: (610) 871-2895
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
How to Request Civil Records
- Online — Search dockets through Odyssey Public Access. For Magisterial District Court civil matters, use the UJS Portal.
- In person — Visit the Civil Division window in Room 122 at the courthouse. Public review terminals are available during business hours.
- By mail — Submit a written request with the docket number or party names and the applicable copy fee to the Civil Division address above.
Selected Civil Division Filing Fees (Effective January 1, 2026)
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Action at law (commencement) | $190.25 |
| Miscellaneous civil filing | $84.50 |
| Custody action | $220.75 |
| Divorce — no fault | $275.75 |
| Additional divorce counts | $77.50 each |
| Custody & visitation | $88.00 |
| Civil/Family Court motion or petition | $31.00 |
| PFA filing | $219.50 + $100.00 PSP registry |
| Confession of judgment | $84.50 |
| Mechanic’s lien complaint | $127.25 |
| Appeal from Magisterial District Judge | $190.00 |
| Writ of execution | $35.75 |
The complete Civil Division fee schedule (PDF) is published on the Court of Common Pleas website. A $30.00 service charge applies to returned checks. No personal checks are accepted on mortgage foreclosure matters.
Lehigh County Family Court Records
Family law cases in Lehigh County — including divorce, custody, visitation, paternity, child support, alimony, equitable distribution, and Protection From Abuse matters — are administered through the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas. The Civil Division of the Clerk of Judicial Records dockets and indexes these filings.
Searching Family Court Records
Family case dockets are searchable through Odyssey Public Access. To narrow results, select the family case type and check the “family” box in the search filters. You can search by case number or party name. In-person requests can be made at the Civil Division counter in Room 122 during regular hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.), or by calling (610) 782-3148 ahead of time to confirm availability of specific files. Written requests should identify the case and be sent to the Civil Division at the courthouse address.
Certain family court filings — including Income and Expense Statements, Marital Property Inventories, Pre-Trial Statements, and settlement agreements — are treated as confidential under the Public Access Policy and are not available for public inspection.
Marriage Licenses
The Clerk of the Orphans’ Court issues marriage licenses and maintains marriage records dating back to October 1885. The Marriage License Office is located at:
Lehigh County Courthouse, Room 123.5
455 West Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18101-1614
Phone: (610) 782-3173
Applications are by appointment only during hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Walk-in applications and virtual interviews are not available. Both applicants must appear together. To apply:
- Complete the Marriage License Application Packet and the Application for In-Person Interview Appointment.
- Email both completed forms, along with copies of photo IDs for both applicants and any required divorce decrees or death certificates, to marriagelicense@lehighcounty.org at least 20 business days before the scheduled wedding date.
- The office will schedule an in-person interview based on availability and confirmed wedding dates.
A marriage license is valid for 60 days from issuance. Applications should not be submitted more than 60 days in advance of the wedding.
Certified Copies of Marriage Records
Certified copies cost $10.00 each, with an additional $10.10 if sent by priority mail. Requests can be made using the Order Form, submitted by email, mail, or in person at Room 123 of the courthouse. Marriage records are public information; anyone may request a certified copy. Expect processing within 7–10 business days during high-volume periods; in-person pickup is available during regular business hours.
Birth and Death Records
Birth and death certificates for events occurring in Pennsylvania from 1907 onward are issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Health — Division of Vital Records. Only eligible applicants — such as the person named on the record, parents, spouses, children, grandparents, or legal representatives — may obtain copies. Requests can be made online through an authorized vendor, by mail, or in person at a Vital Records office. Mail requests should be sent to:
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Division of Vital Records — Certificate Processing Unit
101 S. Mercer Street, Room 401
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
Lehigh County Probate Court Records
Estate administration and related fiduciary matters in Lehigh County fall under the jurisdiction of the Orphans’ Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas. The Register of Wills Division of the Clerk of Judicial Records handles the day-to-day processing, including probating wills, granting letters testamentary and letters of administration, and collecting Pennsylvania inheritance taxes on behalf of the Commonwealth.
Register of Wills Contact Information
Clerk of Judicial Records — Register of Wills Division
Address: Lehigh County Courthouse, Room 122, 455 West Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101-1614
Phone: (610) 782-3170
Fax: (610) 871-2895
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (appointments recommended)
The Register of Wills page provides access to estate administration forms and the current fee schedule. Staff members are not permitted to offer legal advice or assist in preparing filings; individuals with questions about the estate administration process should consult an attorney or visit the Lehigh Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service.
Types of Probate Records
The Register of Wills maintains wills admitted to probate, letters testamentary and letters of administration, inventories, accounts, inheritance tax returns, renunciations, family settlement agreements, guardianship petitions and decrees, adoption filings, and related Orphans’ Court orders.
Searching Probate Records
- Online — Probate case dockets can be viewed through Odyssey Public Access. Searches can be filtered by case category (Orphans’ Court), case type, assigned judge, filing date, date of death, or Social Security number.
- In person — Visit Room 122 at the courthouse during business hours. Calling ahead at (610) 782-3170 to confirm record availability is recommended.
- By mail — Written requests with sufficient identifying information and the applicable fee can be sent to the Register of Wills at the courthouse address.
Probate Filing Fees
Probate fees in Lehigh County are based on the gross value of the estate and are governed by the current Register of Wills fee schedule, posted under Filling Fees - 2026 on the county website. Fees are due at the time of filing. E-filings through the Lehigh County File & Serve platform incur an additional $5.00 e-filing fee. A pro se filing timetable (PDF) published by the Orphans’ Court Division outlines key deadlines and required documents for self-represented executors and administrators. For assistance calculating specific fees, contact the Register of Wills at (610) 782-3170.