Court records of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, are available through several channels. PhiladelphiaCourt.us allows you to find public information about court cases in the county. Additionally, records can be searched through the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania portal, directly at the offices of the First Judicial District courts, and through public terminals located in court buildings.
Philadelphia Court System & Jurisdictions
Philadelphia is the only city-county in Pennsylvania where the court system forms the First Judicial District (FJD). It consists of two main courts, each handling different categories of cases.
Court of Common Pleas
This is the county's court of general jurisdiction. It is divided into several divisions:
- Trial Division — felony and serious misdemeanor criminal cases, as well as civil lawsuits.
- Family Division — divorces, child custody, adoptions, protection from abuse orders (PFA), child support cases. Family cases can be searched through the Family Division Domestic Relations Docket Search.
- Orphans' Court Division — probate matters, trust administration, guardianship of incapacitated persons. The office is managed by the Register of Wills.
Philadelphia Municipal Court
This court handles less serious cases:
- Misdemeanors and summary offenses, including traffic violations.
- Civil claims up to $12,000 (small claims).
- Preliminary hearings in criminal cases that are then transferred to the Court of Common Pleas.
- City code violation cases.
Federal cases concerning the county are handled by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Court Calendar & Upcoming Hearings
To find out the schedule of hearings for today, tomorrow, or the current week, use the official website of The Philadelphia Courts. Calendars for the Trial Division, Family Division, and Municipal Court are published there.
Search procedure:
- Go to the courts.phila.gov website and select the desired court division.
- Find the "Court Calendars" or "Court Listings" section.
- Enter the date or party name to see scheduled hearings.
Additionally, on the UJS portal, you can view information about a specific case, including future hearing dates listed in the docket sheet. If you do not know the case number, try searching by participant's last name through Case Search.
Some judges publish their own daily case lists. Check with the office of the respective division or call the court.
How to Get a Copy of a Philadelphia Court Document
Copies of court documents in Philadelphia are issued by the Office of Judicial Records (OJR), which acts as the Clerk of Courts for criminal cases and Prothonotary for civil cases.
Certified and Non-Certified Copies
- Non-Certified Copies — simple copies of documents from a case. Usually cheaper, suitable for review.
- Certified Copies — have the official court seal and clerk's signature. Required for submission to other institutions, immigration procedures, employment, etc.
Ways to Obtain
- Online: Docket sheets are available for free through UJS Portal Case Search. However, certified copies of individual case documents (orders, decisions, judgments) usually need to be ordered in person or by mail.
- In Person: Visit the Office of Judicial Records at the Justice Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice (criminal cases) or City Hall (civil cases).
- By Mail: Send a written request specifying the case number, document name, number of copies, and payment. For certified copies of divorce decrees, there is a separate FJD instruction.
Mailing address for requests:
To check criminal history at the state level, use the Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (ePATCH) system. Historical court documents (up to the mid-20th century) are stored in the City Archives.
Philadelphia Court Records Fees & Payment
Fees are set by administrative orders of the First Judicial District and may change. Below are approximate rates current at the time of publication. To confirm exact amounts, contact the Office of Judicial Records.
| Service | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|
| Case search by last name (at the office) | Free through UJS Portal |
| Printing docket sheet (online, UJS Portal) | Free |
| Regular copy of a case document | $0.25 per page |
| Document certification | $7.00–$12.00 per document |
| Certified copy of a divorce decree | $17.00 (confirm with OJR) |
| Criminal history check (ePATCH) | $22.00 per request |
Payment methods depend on the channel of request:
- In Person: cash, money order, certified check. Some offices accept credit/debit cards.
- By Mail: money order or certified check payable to "Office of Judicial Records."
- Online (ePATCH): credit or debit card.
Personal checks are usually not accepted. Before visiting, confirm acceptable forms of payment by calling the office of the respective court division.