Lancaster County Court Records
The Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania in Section 1.0 defines court records as case indices, dockets, and documents (like decrees, opinions, orders, and judgments) created and maintained by a court or custodian. In Lancaster County, the record custodian is the Clerk of Courts. The Clerk operates in accordance with the provisions of the New Local Rules of Court.
There are various reasons why court records are critical judicial documents in the Lancaster County court system. For instance, court records offer accountability and transparency in court operations and make it possible for members of the public to access case information. Court records are useful for auditing purposes, especially in cases regarding financial disputes or transactions.
Are Court Records Public in Lancaster County?
Yes. The Pennsylvania Right to Know Law (RTKL) enables members of the public to access court records maintained by record custodians. Therefore, anyone can inspect or copy court records at the Clerk of Courts Office. Conversely, some court records are excluded from public access in Lancaster County. According to Sections 7.0 and 8.0 of the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, the following court records/information are exempted from public disclosure:
- Confidential Information
- Driver license numbers
- Social Security Numbers
- Financial account numbers
- State identification (SID) numbers
- Abuse victim's addresses and other contact information
- Minors' names and dates of birth, excluding juveniles charged as defendants in criminal cases
- Confidential Document
- Financial Source Documents
- Minors' educational records
- Medical/psychological records
- Income and expense statement
- Agreements between the parties
- Children and youth services' records
- Marital property inventory and pre-trial statement
What Do Lancaster County Court Records Contain?
Lancaster County court records contain details related to legal proceedings within the county. Typically, Lancaster County court records contain the following information:
- Docket number
- Attorney information (name and address)
- Case information (judge assigned, OTN, arresting agency, citation and incident numbers, disposition, county, issue date, file date, arrest date, disposition date, and township)
- Status information (case status, status date, and processing status)
- Calendar events (case calendar event type, schedule start date, start time, room, judge name, and schedule status)
- Defendant information (name, date of birth, address(es), sex, and race)
- Case participants (participant type and name)
- Civil case judgment (date, creditor, description, and amount)
- Charges (charge number, grade, description, offense date, and disposition)
- Disposition/sentencing details (case deposition, disposition date, information on if the defendant was present, offense description, and disposition)
- Docket entry information (filed date, filer, and to whom the docket is applied)
- Payment plan summary (payment plan number and frequency, next due date and amount, overdue amount, responsible participant, payment plan history, payment date applied date, transaction type, payor, participant role, and amount)
- Case financial information (case balance, next payment amount and due date, last payment amount, assessment, adjustment, non-monetary payment, payment amounts, and balance)
Where to Conduct a Lancaster County Case Lookup
A court record is created by record custodians during judicial proceedings. In Lancaster County, requesters can conduct case lookups at the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. However, interested persons can find court records at the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Superior Court if the desired case has been appealed to a higher court.
How to Conduct a Lancaster County Case Records Search
Court records can be retrieved online, by mail, or in person at Lancaster County. Electronic access to court records is granted through the Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal. A search can be conducted by an attorney, citation number, complaint number, date filed, docket number, incident number, organization, OTN, participant name, or SID. Requesters who cannot find their desired records electronically can mail a Request for Access Form alongside the required fees to the Open Record Officer at:
Office of Court Administration
P.O. Box 83480
50 N Duke Street
Lancaster, PA 17608
Email: lancastercourtrule509@co.lancaster.pa.us
Alternatively, interested persons can conduct a case lookup in person by visiting the Lancaster County Courthouse during business hours. Upon arrival, the inquirer can request assistance from the staff to perform the search. The requester might be required to fill out a form and pay a small search or copy fee.
Lancaster County Civil Court Case Records
A civil court case record is an official document related to a legal dispute or civil lawsuit. It typically involves a dispute between two or more legal entities or individuals. The Lancaster County Clerk of Courts is the official body responsible for holding and overseeing the documents and records associated with civil court cases. The Lancaster Magisterial District Courts handle court cases up to $12,000, while the Court of Common Pleas handles civil court cases where the amount in controversy exceeds $12,000.
The Lancaster County Prothonotary Office has an online search portal where individuals can conduct a civil court records search. The search parameters are by case number, participant name, participant address, or reference numbers. Requesters can also visit Lancaster County Courts to request copies of civil court records. A case number or party name will be required to facilitate the search. Note that the court does not charge for viewing civil case information, but fees apply to copying any court record.
Lancaster County Criminal Court Case Records
A criminal court case record is a document created or filed when an individual commits a crime against the state. The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas handles criminal cases such as misdemeanors and felonies, while the Magisterial Courts handles traffic and minor criminal cases. A criminal court case record can be retrieved online or in person at the Lancaster County court where the case was handled. In-person requesters must have a docket number or an OTN to facilitate the search. The Lancaster County Clerk of Courts charges $21.50 for criminal record searches. Payment can be made by cash, bank-certified check, or money order. The processing time for a criminal record search is between 48 and 72 hours.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Individuals can perform a court records search online for free in Lancaster County through the Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal. Upon visiting the portal, click the “Case Information” menu at the top bar and select “Case Search” from the dropdown. Conduct a search by an appellate, attorney, citation number, complaint number, date filed, docket number, incident number, OTN, participant name, or SID.
Courts in Lancaster County
Below is a review of the address of the Lancaster County courthouse:
Lancaster County Courthouse
50 N. Duke St.
Lancaster, PA 17608
Phone: (717) 299-8041
