Lackawanna County
Lackawanna County, named after the Lackawanna River, is located in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1878 and has a total land area of 458.9 square miles and a population of 215,896 residents. Its county seat is Scranton, which is also the largest city in the county.
Lackawanna County's court system is made up of the Court of Common Pleas and the Magisterial District Courts. However, the Court of Common Pleas is subdivided into four, namely, civil division, criminal division, family court division, and the Orphan's court. The Court of Common Pleas has general jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters, including felony trials, civil disputes over $12,000, and family law cases like divorce, child custody, and probate matters.
The Lackawanna Magisterial District Courts handle all minor criminal offenses, small claims under $12,000, landlord-tenant disputes, and traffic violations. These courts also handle preliminary hearings for criminal cases bound for the Court of Common Pleas.
Lackawanna County public court records are official documents filed at courthouses to initiate and facilitate court processes. These documents include filings, affidavits, court dockets, court orders, court calendars, originating processes, and minutes. These records are available to Lackawanna residents following the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law. Interested individuals can access the following records:
- Criminal court records
- Probate records
- Family law records
- Civil records
However, some records, particularly those involving juveniles or adoptions, are confidential and only available to authorized individuals. To request court records from any of the Court of Common Pleas, individuals can contact the Lackawanna County Clerk of Judicial Records by phone or in person at:
Lackawanna County Government Center
123 Wyoming Avenue, First Floor
Scranton, PA 18503
Phone: (570) 963-6723
Interested parties can also obtain Lackawanna County court records online via the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal. Users can search for cases using docket numbers, party names, or other identifiers. While online access is free, obtaining certified or physical copies of records from the Clerk's Office will involve certain fees.
