Lancaster County
Located along the Susquehanna River in south central Pennsylvania, Lancaster County houses a population of over 500,000 residents. It is known as the sixth-most populous county in the Commonwealth with a significant Amish population, 60 municipalities, and approximately 50,000 people under the age of 18.
The Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts are the main courts that facilitate the accessibility of judicial services to Lancaster County residents. The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Second Judicial District, comprises various divisions, such as the Civil Division, Criminal Division, and Orphans' Court. Collectively, this court addresses cases involving the administration of estates, felonies, property disputes, family law, juvenile delinquency, torts, and contract disputes.
There are 19 Magisterial District Courts within Lancaster County. These courts serve as the first point of contact for people entering the judicial system. They often deal with everyday legal matters, including traffic violations, small claims for amounts up to $12,000, minor misdemeanors, and landlord-tenant conflicts. Furthermore, the Magisterial District Courts have the authority to issue arrest and search warrants as well as emergency protection orders in domestic violence cases.
Lancaster County public court records include docket sheets, opinions, rulings, and filings generated by the courts during court proceedings, which are available to the public. These records are created by filing complaints or criminal charges at the appropriate office or filing system, such as the Clerk of Courts (criminal and juvenile cases), Prothonotary (civil cases), or Register of Wills (guardianship), along with the required fees.
In Lancaster County, the public can access the following court records both online and in the office of the appropriate court clerk:
- Criminal court record
- Civil court record
- Probate court record
- Traffic court record
- Non-traffic court record
- Landlord/tenant court record
To access Lancaster County court records personally, you can visit the office of the clerk where the case was filed during normal business hours. It is important to note that voluminous requests require the submission of a written request. Alternatively, the Pennsylvania Judicial web portal provides remote access to publicly available court records and docket sheets for both the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts.
