Pike County Court Records
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Pike County sits in the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania, in the heart of the Pocono Mountains. The county seat of Milford is home to the main judicial offices, including the Court of Common Pleas, Magisterial District Courts, and a network of elected offices responsible for maintaining and distributing court records. Knowing how records are organized across these offices can save you a lot of time — whether you're running a background check, researching property records, or tracking a pending civil case.
Pennsylvania residents and out-of-state requesters can both access a wide range of publicly available court records through official channels. A useful first stop is PennsylvaniaCourts.us, which can help orient you toward Pennsylvania's court structure before diving into county-specific offices. From there, the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal offers free, direct access to docket sheets for appellate courts, criminal courts, civil courts, and more across all 67 Pennsylvania counties, including Pike.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Pike County?
Most court record searches in Pike County start either online through the state's unified portal or in person at the relevant clerk's office in Milford. The right approach depends on whether you know the case type, the approximate filing date, and the names of the parties involved.
Step-by-step online search:
- Go to the UJS Portal Case Search provided by the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System.
- Select the type of court you are searching (Common Pleas, Magisterial District, Appellate).
- Enter the participant's name, case number, or offense tracking number.
- Review the returned docket sheets, which can be printed or saved directly from the browser.
Step-by-step local court search:
- Visit the Pike County Court online record search maintained by the local court system.
- Enter search criteria including name, hearing date, case number, file date, or ticket number.
- For verified or certified copies, contact the appropriate clerk's office directly.
In-person access is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Pike County Courthouse in Milford. Note that cash or money order is the only accepted form of payment when filing documents with the Prothonotary's Office.
Key court contacts:
| Court / Office | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Pike County Court of Common Pleas | 412 Broad Street, Suite 4, Milford, PA 18337 | (570) 296-3556 |
| Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts | 412 Broad Street, Suite 1, Milford, PA 18337 | (570) 296-7231 |
| Register of Wills | 506 Broad Street, Milford, PA 18337 | (570) 296-3508 |
For general court administration matters, the Court Administration office at court.pikepa.org maintains updated contact information, judicial schedules, and procedural guidance.
Are Court Records Public in Pike County?
Pennsylvania's Right to Know Law (RTKL), enacted through Act 3 of 2008, sets a default presumption that government records — including court records — are public unless a specific statutory exemption applies. That presumption covers Pike County court records held by the various offices within the county's judicial system.
Under Section 708(b) of the RTKL, agencies may withhold records that fall into specific exempt categories. In Pike County, the following types of records are typically restricted or withheld from public access:
- Juvenile and dependency proceedings (not available on the UJS Portal)
- Adoption records maintained by the Clerk of the Orphans Court
- Records sealed by court order or filed under confidentiality
- Medical, psychiatric, or individually identifiable health information
- Personal identifying details such as Social Security numbers and financial account data
- Information about crime victims or witnesses whose safety could be compromised
- Criminal investigative records compiled by law enforcement agencies
- Records identifying the name, address, or date of birth of a child under 17
All other records are generally available upon oral or written request to the custodial office, or through the UJS Portal for cases filed in the Common Pleas court system. The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records provides guidance on submitting Right to Know requests and appealing denial decisions.
Pike County Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records in Pike County are maintained by the Clerk of Courts, who serves as the official custodian of all criminal filings. These records include motions, pleadings, transcripts, and any other documents submitted in connection with a criminal case at the Court of Common Pleas level.
The Pike County Clerk of Courts is located at:
Address: 412 Broad Street, Suite 1, Milford, PA 18337
Phone: (570) 296-7231
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Criminal records viewable through the Clerk's office include summary appeals, miscellaneous petitions, and constable bond records, in addition to felony and misdemeanor cases. Juvenile and dependency records are explicitly excluded from the public-facing UJS Portal and are not available through standard record request channels.
If you need a criminal history background check — commonly required for employment, licensing, or personal review — Pennsylvania centralizes this function through the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) system operated by the Pennsylvania State Police. PATCH accepts online submissions and returns results electronically. The fee for an individual background check is $22, with an additional $5 charge for notarized copies. Notarized requests cannot be processed online and must be submitted by mail.
Mail-in criminal history requests:
Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758
The SP 4-164 Criminal History Request Form is required for mail submissions. Requesters must include the subject's full name, address, phone number, Social Security number, and the reason for the request. How criminal record data may be shared by state and local police agencies is restricted under the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), 18 Pa. C.S.A. 9121.
For lower-level offenses, Pike County has four Magisterial District Courts handling summary offenses, misdemeanor arraignments, preliminary hearings, and traffic matters:
| District Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| MDJ 60-3-01 | 103 W. High Street, P.O. Box 632, Milford, PA 18337 | (570) 295-8108 |
| MDJ 60-3-02 | 106 Shook Road, Suite 100, Hawley, PA 18428 | (570) 226-9650 |
| MDJ 60-3-03 | 502 Little Walker Road, Shohola, PA 18458 | (570) 296-7726 |
| MDJ 60-3-04 | 213 Silver Lake Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328 | (570) 828-2880 |
Pike County Civil Court Records
Civil court matters in Pike County run through the Court of Common Pleas. The Prothonotary — currently Yvonne Merrill — is the elected clerk responsible for recording all civil proceedings, managing an extensive range of filings that includes personal injury, medical malpractice, contract disputes, driver's license suspension appeals, mechanics liens, federal tax liens, and name change petitions.
Prothonotary / Civil Records Office:
Address: 412 Broad Street, Suite 1, Milford, PA 18337
Phone: (570) 296-7231
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Accepted Payment: Cash or money order only (for document filings)
When submitting documents for filing, bring one original and three copies. Filing fees vary by case type and are listed on the Pike County Bar Association's fee schedule page, which compiles the official schedules for the Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, and Register of Wills.
For remote access, civil docket sheets are searchable through the UJS Portal at no charge. The Pike County Courts' own online record search tool also lets you look up cases by name, case number, hearing date, or file date. If you need certified or exemplified copies, contact the Prothonotary's office directly or submit a written request to:
Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts
Information Technology / Public Access Unit
P.O. Box 62307
Harrisburg, PA 17106-2307
Phone: (717) 795-2000
Property-related civil matters — including liens, deeds, and mortgages — are recorded by the Pike County Recorder of Deeds, searchable at pikepa.avenuinsights.com. Property assessment records are accessible through the Pike County Assessment Office, which also offers a subscription-based My C.O.L. service through Courthouse Online for users who need parcel-level assessment data across the county.
Pike County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Pike County — including divorce, custody, support, and protection from abuse — are handled within the Court of Common Pleas. The Prothonotary's office receives and maintains filings for divorce proceedings, custody modifications, child support enforcement actions, name change petitions, and protection from abuse orders. These case types are recorded alongside civil matters and are generally searchable through the UJS Portal unless sealed or filed under confidentiality.
The Clerk of the Orphans Court, which shares staff with the Clerk of Courts office (Yvonne Merrill, First Deputy Victoria Horacek), maintains separate dockets for adoption proceedings, guardianship appointments, and matters involving incapacitated persons. Adoption records are expressly confidential and are not available through the public-facing UJS system or any other standard records request channel.
Marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of Courts / Orphans Court Office:
Address: 412 Broad Street, Suite 1, Milford, PA 18337
Phone: (570) 296-7231
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Both applicants must appear in person and present a valid government-issued photo ID. Marriage records are considered public under Pennsylvania's Right to Know Law and can be requested in person at the Clerk's office.
For birth and death certificates — often needed in connection with estate and family law matters — the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records maintains these statewide. Eligible requesters include the record subject, parents, spouses, siblings, children, or a person holding power of attorney. The fee for a birth or death certificate is $20, with a non-refundable $10 service fee for online orders. Mail-in requests go to:
Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
Phone: (724) 656-3100
Pike County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Pike County — including the administration of decedents' estates, will validation, inheritance tax collection, guardianships, and conservatorships — fall under the jurisdiction of the Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans Court. The Register of Wills is currently Sharon Schroeder, assisted by Deputy Trudy Barbaro and Second Deputy Marie Yorke.
Register of Wills:
Address: 506 Broad Street, Milford, PA 18337
Phone: (570) 296-3508
Email: sschroeder@pikepa.org
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
An index of probate records is available through a subscription-based online service (infoconcountyaccess.com), but full document access requires an in-person visit to the Register of Wills office. All checks for probate fees must be made payable to the Pike County Register of Wills.
The 2026 fee schedule for probate services is as follows:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Probate (petition, letters, oath, death certificate, bond) | $101.25 |
| Short Certificate | $5.00 |
| Inheritance Return or Supplemental Return | $10.00 |
| Inheritance Return (No Letters Issued) | $15.00 |
| Exemplified Copies Testamentary (includes probate paperwork) | $50.00 |
| Each additional page of the Will | $5.00 |
| Exemplified Copies Administration | $50.00 |
| Certified Copy of Will | $25.00 |
| Citation / Caveat (Filing or Issuing) | $25.00 |
| Small Estate Affidavit | $150.00 |
| Family Settlement Agreement | $25.00 |
| Affidavit of Death | $10.00 |
| Release | $25.00 |
| Request for Hearing | $10.00 |
Letters fees are collected at the time the inheritance return is filed, scaled to the total gross estate value. For estates up to $1,000, the fee is $20. Estates between $1,001 and $5,000 are charged $30, rising incrementally — $10 per tier through estates valued at $100,000 ($130) — and continuing upward at $30 per additional $100,000 bracket thereafter.
The Clerk of the Orphans Court also maintains guardianship dockets and proceedings involving incapacitated adults. These records, while held at the Clerk of Courts office at 412 Broad Street, are separate from probate files handled by the Register of Wills. If you have questions about a pending guardianship or conservatorship matter, contact the Clerk's office directly at (570) 296-7231. All court filings in probate and Orphans Court matters are handled through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System, which provides official guidance for court-related processes across Pike County and all other Pennsylvania judicial districts.