Philadelphia County
Philadelphia County was originally founded in 1682 before being consolidated with the City of Philadelphia on February 2, 1854. With an estimated population of 1,566,836, it is Pennsylvania's most populous county despite being the second-smallest by area (the county has a total area of 143 square miles, of which six percent is water).
Philadelphia County's court system comprises a Court of Common Pleas and a Municipal Court. The Court of Common Pleas has three divisions: a Trial, Family, and Orphans' Division. The Family Division handles cases involving family law and juvenile delinquent matters, while the Orphans' Division handles matters involving the personal and property rights of individuals who cannot manage their own affairs. The Trial Division has jurisdiction over criminal and civil matters not under the purview of the other two divisions and typically handles felony cases and civil matters involving amounts more than $10,000. This division also hears appeals from criminal and civil cases heard in the Municipal Court.
Similarly, the Municipal Court consists of Civil, Criminal, and Traffic Divisions. The Civil Division handles civil matters involving conflicts between people or organizations, small claims cases up to $12,000, and code enforcement cases up to $15,000. The Criminal Division processes all arrests in the county and handles summary trials, misdemeanor trials, and felony case preliminary hearings, while the Traffic Division handles traffic law violations.
Philadelphia County public court records are documented information on court proceedings in Philadelphia County. These generally include court filings, orders, motions, trial dispositions, transcripts, judgments, and sentencing records. The Philadelphia County Clerk of Court/Prothonotary is responsible for storing, maintaining, and making copies of these records available to members of the public when necessary.
You can obtain copies of Philadelphia County court records by completing and submitting a Request for Access to Case Records to the Philadelphia County Clerk of Court/Prothonotary's office via the details provided on the form. A 25-cent per page fee is typically charged for these records; however, be aware that additional fees may apply. You can also search and view case information on Philadelphia County public court records online via the state's Judiciary Web Portal. However, information on civil cases handled by the Court of Common Pleas is not available on this portal; these types of court records can be accessed online via the Philadelphia Courts Civil Dockets Access portal.
