Lancaster County Common Pleas Court cases in Lancaster County, Lancaster, PA
The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is a county-level trial court of general jurisdiction within the state's Unified Judicial System. It has original jurisdiction over major criminal cases (felonies and most misdemeanors) and civil actions (tort, contract, real property, equity, and injunctions); handles family and domestic relations matters (divorce, custody, child and spousal support, and protection-from-abuse); hears juvenile delinquency and dependency cases; and operates an Orphans' Court division for probate, estates, trusts, adoptions, and guardianships. The court also has limited appellate jurisdiction, hearing appeals from Magisterial District Courts-including summary offenses and traffic citations-and certain local government and administrative agency decisions, such as zoning and land-use. Cases bound over after preliminary hearings in Magisterial District Courts proceed in this court.
Lancaster County Common Pleas Contact and Location Information
| Court Type: | Common Pleas |
| County: | Lancaster |
| Street Address: | 50 N. Duke St. |
| City: | Lancaster |
| Zip Code: | 17608 |
| Phone: | 717-299-8041 |
| Fax: | 717-295-3599 |
| Hours: | Monday - Friday 8:30AM - 5:00PM |
| Website URL: | http://www.pacourts.us/courts/courts-of-common-pleas/individual-county-courts/lancaster-county |
| Parking: | Parking for jury duty is only provided in the Prince Street Garage (111 N. Prince Street, Lancaster, PA 17603) located at the corner of North Prince and West Orange streets. |
| Directions: | Upon entering the courthouse, jurors should proceed to the elevators. Take an elevator to the third floor, turn right and proceed down the hallway past courtrooms 3, 2, and 1. Go through the double doors to the lobby area on the second floor of the old courthouse. Go through the lobby to another set of double doors to the left. Orientation is held in courtroom A. |
| Restrictions: | Jurors should not bring newspapers, recording devices, weapons of any type, or chemical aerosol sprays to the courthouse. |
| Forms & Filing: | https://lancasterpaclerkofcourts.com/31/Forms |
| Dockets / Schedule / Calendar: | https://www.court.co.lancaster.pa.us/178/Court-Case-Calendar |
| Jury Service: | https://www.court.co.lancaster.pa.us/136/Jury-Services |
| Languages: | Multiple |
| Email: | courtadmin@co.lancaster.pa.us |
| ADA: | Russell A. Glass |
| ADA Phone: | 717-299-8041 |
| ADA Fax / Email: | glass@co.lancaster.pa.us |
| About / Additional Info: | Within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania there are four levels of Judiciary: Supreme Court, Superior Court / Commonwealth Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Minor Judiciary. In Lancaster County two of these levels comprise the court system, Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas, Second Judicial District, and the Lancaster County Minor Judiciary or Magisterial District Courts. |
| Wikipedia: | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancaster_County_Courthouse_(Pennsylvania) |
Services and Case Types Handled in Lancaster County Common Pleas
Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas serves as Pennsylvania's general trial court, handling:
- Criminal cases (felonies, misdemeanors), including arraignments, pleas, trials, sentencing, and appeals from Magisterial District Courts.
- Civil matters (contract, tort, property, equity), including landlord-tenant appeals.
- Family and juvenile cases (divorce, custody, child/spousal support, delinquency, dependency) and Protection From Abuse orders.
- Orphans' Court/probate (wills, estates, adoptions, guardianships).
Core public services include:
- Case filings and docketing; access to case records and certified copies.
- Scheduling and conducting hearings, conferences, and trials.
- Jury services: qualification, summons, orientation, and deferrals/excusals.
- Collection of fines, fees, and restitution; compliance monitoring.
- Court administration support (interpreters, ADA accommodations) and referrals to problem-solving courts where available.