| Prothonotary (civil records) | Office of Judicial Records — Civil Division (Prothonotary function) |
|---|---|
| Clerk of Courts (criminal records) | Office of Judicial Records — Criminal Division (Clerk of Courts function) |
| Clerk address | Civil Division: City Hall, Broad and Market Streets, Suite 284, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Criminal Division: Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice, 1301 Filbert Street, Suite 310, Philadelphia, PA 19107. |
| Phone | Civil Division (215) 686-6654; Criminal Division (215) 686-6640 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Philadelphia County and the City of Philadelphia are the same government, and its trial courts — the Court of Common Pleas and the Philadelphia Municipal Court — make up the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. Instead of separate elected Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts offices, Philadelphia uses a single Office of Judicial Records, with a Civil division and a Criminal division that operate out of different buildings. A third office, the Register of Wills, is a separate elected City department that also serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court.
Civil dockets (lawsuits, custody, divorce, landlord-tenant appeals) are searchable through the City's civil docket search tool. Criminal dockets (Common Pleas felonies and Municipal Court misdemeanors) are searchable through the statewide UJS Web Portal rather than a separate city criminal system. Because Philadelphia runs both a Court of Common Pleas and a Municipal Court, the same address can have cases in either court depending on the charge.
The most common mistake is looking for one combined "Philadelphia court records" search. There is no single index: civil, criminal, and Orphans'/probate records each have their own office and, for civil and probate, their own online tool.
Search Philadelphia County court records online
Prothonotary (civil records)
Office of Judicial Records — Civil Division (Prothonotary function)
- Cost
- Free to search; fees for certified copies
- Coverage
- Court of Common Pleas civil, family, and custody case dockets
- Records
- Civil, Family
Philadelphia does not have an elected Prothonotary; the Office of Judicial Records — Civil Division performs that function. Reached at OJRCivil@courts.phila.gov, (215) 686-6654.
Clerk of Courts (criminal records)
Office of Judicial Records — Criminal Division (Clerk of Courts function)
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Court of Common Pleas felony and Philadelphia Municipal Court misdemeanor and traffic dockets
- Records
- Criminal, Traffic
Criminal dockets are searched on the statewide UJS Web Portal rather than a separate Philadelphia system. The Office of Judicial Records — Criminal Division, at the Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice, handles in-person requests and certified copies.
Other courts
Philadelphia Register of Wills / Clerk of the Orphans' Court
- Cost
- Free to search in person; fees for certified copies
- Coverage
- Wills, estates, letters of administration, and Orphans' Court dockets, including adoptions
- Records
- Probate
Also issues marriage licenses and serves as the Commonwealth's agent for inheritance tax filings.
What is available online
The civil docket search covers Court of Common Pleas civil filings and generally goes back to the late 1990s for index data; document images depend on when the case was filed and whether it was e-filed. Criminal case information for both the Court of Common Pleas and Philadelphia Municipal Court is on the statewide UJS Portal rather than a city-run criminal database. Register of Wills probate records can be searched at the office; some estate index data is available online.
Which clerk has your record
In Pennsylvania, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Pennsylvania page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Court of Pennsylvania | Appeals in most civil and criminal cases from the Courts of Common Pleas; Family law and custody appeals | Prothonotary of the Superior Court (docket sheets on the UJS Web Portal) |
| Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania | Civil actions by and against the Commonwealth and its agencies; Appeals from state agencies and licensing boards; Some local government and election matters | Prothonotary of the Commonwealth Court (docket sheets on the UJS Web Portal) |
| Courts of Common Pleas (60 judicial districts) | Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases; Civil lawsuits, contracts, and personal injury; Divorce, custody, and support | Prothonotary (civil) and Clerk of Courts (criminal) of the county; Register of Wills (Orphans' Court) for probate |
| Magisterial District Courts | Summary offenses and traffic citations; Landlord-tenant and small claims up to the statutory limit; Preliminary arraignments and hearings in criminal cases | Magisterial District Judge's office for that magisterial district |
| Philadelphia Municipal Court and Pittsburgh Municipal Court divisions | Misdemeanors and summary offenses within city limits; Landlord-tenant and small civil claims; Traffic within the city | Clerk of the Municipal Court division (Philadelphia); handled within the Court of Common Pleas structure in Allegheny County |
Request records in person or by mail
Philadelphia County clerk offices
Civil Division: City Hall, Broad and Market Streets, Suite 284, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Criminal Division: Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice, 1301 Filbert Street, Suite 310, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
Phone: Civil Division (215) 686-6654; Criminal Division (215) 686-6640
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Civil records. Search online at the civil docket search tool, or visit the Office of Judicial Records — Civil Division at City Hall, Suite 284. Certified copies require an in-person or mailed request with the case number and a per-page fee.
Criminal records. Search the UJS Web Portal by name or docket number. For certified copies or documents not shown online, contact the Office of Judicial Records — Criminal Division at the Stout Center for Criminal Justice.
Probate and estate records. Contact the Register of Wills at (215) 686-6640 or visit in person. Ask for the will, letters testamentary, or the order admitting the will to probate.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
Copy fees are set locally by each Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, and Register of Wills under fee schedules authorized by the Judicial Code (42 Pa.C.S.) and county fee ordinances, so the per-page and certification charges differ by county and change periodically. Confirm the current fee with the specific office before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Pennsylvania court records are presumed open under the Unified Judicial System's public access policy, but the policy itself carves out categories that are not published even though a file exists:
The Pennsylvania guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
How do I search Philadelphia civil court records?
Use the City's civil case docket search tool, which covers Court of Common Pleas civil, family, and custody filings. No account is required to view basic docket information.
How do I search Philadelphia criminal court records?
Use the statewide UJS Web Portal. Philadelphia does not run a separate public criminal docket search; both Court of Common Pleas felony cases and Philadelphia Municipal Court misdemeanor cases appear on the UJS Portal.
Does Philadelphia have a Prothonotary?
Not as an elected office. The Office of Judicial Records — Civil Division performs the Prothonotary's traditional civil-filing function for the First Judicial District.
Where do I get a Philadelphia probate record?
From the Register of Wills, a separate City office that also serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court. It keeps wills, letters of administration, and estate records.
Are Philadelphia Municipal Court cases the same as Court of Common Pleas cases?
No. The Municipal Court is a separate court within the First Judicial District that handles misdemeanors, smaller civil claims, and traffic matters; more serious felony and larger civil cases are in the Court of Common Pleas. Both are searchable through the UJS Portal.
Sources
- The Philadelphia Courts — First Judicial District of Pennsylvania — https://www.courts.phila.gov/
- City of Philadelphia — Search civil case dockets — https://www.phila.gov/services/crime-law-justice/search-civil-case-dockets/
- City of Philadelphia — Register of Wills — https://www.phila.gov/departments/register-of-wills/
- UJS Web Portal (statewide, used for Philadelphia criminal dockets) — https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/
- Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania — Courts — https://www.pacourts.us/courts
- Unified Judicial System — Public Records — https://www.pacourts.us/public-records
- Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania — https://www.pacourts.us/Storage/media/pdfs/20210524/020901-publicaccesspolicy_2010-000836.pdf
- PATCH — Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Search — https://www.pa.gov/agencies/psp/programs/records-request/overview-of-patch
- 18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91 — Criminal History Record Information (expungement, Clean Slate) — https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/18/00.091..HTM
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania — https://www.paed.uscourts.gov/
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania — https://www.pamd.uscourts.gov/
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania — https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/
- PACER — Federal court records — https://pacer.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Pennsylvania counties.