Pennsylvania Civil Court Records

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System (UJS) consists of two intermediate Appellate Courts, a Supreme Court, and several Trial Courts.

The Trial Courts hear and start most civil cases in the state. These courts include the Municipal Court, the Magisterial District Court, and the Court of Common Pleas.

Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes asserts that the Courts of Common Pleas can hear any civil case filed in the state. As per sections 1123 and 1515 of that law, Magisterial District Courts and the Municipal Courts have original jurisdiction over civil matters under $12,000.

After a trial court decides on a case, anyone who disagrees with the decision can file an appeal with the state's intermediate Appellate Courts.

The Superior Court of Pennsylvania hears most appeals in civil cases, while the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania handles petitions involving state agencies.

A party displeased with a Superior Court or Commonwealth Court appeal ruling may appeal to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. This court is the highest in Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System.

Are Pennsylvania Civil Court Records public? The Pennsylvania Right to Know Law makes it clear that only the financial records of judicial agencies in the state are open to the public. But with the Public Records Policies of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, you can look at other court records.

Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Records are the government's official records of people who have filed for bankruptcy. Most bankruptcy records in the state include the following:

• The initial bankruptcy claim
• Information about creditors
• The dates of each action
• The total amount of debt

If a person or business is in debt and can't pay its creditors, it can file a bankruptcy claim with the federal bankruptcy court. Depending on the type of bankruptcy a person or business files for, there may be payment plans, the sale of assets, or a home foreclosure.

Here are the most common bankruptcy types in Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Records:

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

When you file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you ask the court to wipe out all your debts by selling your assets. This process, called liquidation or straight bankruptcy, needs a federal court trustee to sell all non-exempt assets.

Under Chapter 7 bankruptcy, there is no way to set up a payment plan. Also, the petitioner's credit score will drop after they file, and the information will stay on their credit report for ten years.

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

With Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a business can restructure or reorganize its debts while still operating. This reorganization or rehabilitation bankruptcy is an option for companies whose debts are too complicated or extensive for protection under other bankruptcy chapters in the state.

This bankruptcy has no set time limit for how long it takes to finish. Some instances take six months, others two years. The length of time usually depends on the case's specifics, such as the type of debt, the number of creditors, whether or not the creditor agrees to the new debt structure, etc.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Chapter 13 bankruptcy lets you pay off some debts while protecting your property from foreclosure or repossession. Under this type of bankruptcy, people who qualify can plan to pay back all their debts over three to five years.

Whether or not you can use Chapter 13 depends on how much debt you have. With the most recent data, the debt limit for this bankruptcy chapter in Pennsylvania is $1,257,850 for secured debts and $419,275 for unsecured debts.

The petitioner must submit a reorganization plan similar to Chapter 11. Also, the person who owes money must have a steady income that can pay for the repayment plan.

How To Find Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Records?

You can get copies of bankruptcy records in Pennsylvania by sending your request (mail, email, or in person) to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. These courts handle bankruptcy cases in the state.

Note that there may be fees for copies or requests. These fees vary depending on factors like the amount and age of the record.

But some courts, like the Pennsylvania Western District Bankruptcy Courts in Erie and Pittsburgh, have public computers that you can use for free to look up records.

You can also find Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Records online by registering on the federal Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). On PACER, to find bankruptcy records in Pennsylvania, you must fill out an online registration form.

Another way to get these records is by phone using the Multi-Court Voice Case Information System (McVCIS). You can use this tool for free by calling (866) 222-8029.

Another example of Pennsylvania Civil Court Records is the property lien. It is a valid claim on collateral property. It lets the lienholder take the debtor's property to recoup debts if they fail to pay. Property liens can be voluntary, in which case the lessee agrees to use the property as collateral in case of a default.

There are several types of property liens, but the most common ones in Pennsylvania Property Lien Records are as follows:

Tax Lien

A tax lien is a levy on a person or business's real or personal property when they fail to pay their taxes. When this occurs, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue files a lien with the county Prothonotary's Office.

In Pennsylvania, the department can file tax liens for all types of state taxes, such as personal income tax, employer withholding tax, company tax, and motor fuel tax.

Judgment Lien

A judgment lien in Pennsylvania is a legal action that lets a creditor take possession of a debtor's property after the debtor breaks a contract—civil litigation results in most judgment liens, which are non-consensual liens.

Pennsylvania only allows real estate judgment liens. These liens are valid for five years but renewable every five years.

To attach a lien, the creditor must register the judgment with the county's Court of Common Pleas clerk.

Mechanic's Lien

Pennsylvania mechanic's lien statute ensures contractors, subcontractors, construction workers, and suppliers get paid. If the owner cannot pay for the labor or construction, the PA lien law allows unpaid artisans to use the property as collateral.

In Pennsylvania, mechanics' liens are on the register of improved properties after filing with a local Prothonotary. It prevents the debtor from selling or transferring the asset to a third party.

Mortgage Lien

A Pennsylvania mortgage lien is a voluntary lien that allows a lending company to take a person's home if they don't make their payments.

UCC Lien

The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) refers to U.S.-based regulations to direct trading activities. UCC liens are claims filed against a person's business assets. It permits a lender to seize the borrower's company assets in the event of nonpayment.

How To Check Pennsylvania Property Lien Records?

The fastest way to check Pennsylvania Property Lien Records is to go to the website for Pennsylvania Centre County.

Liens are public documents on Pennsylvania's assessor's website. They update the data monthly to allow searching for state liens simpler without visiting the county courthouse.

But you can visit or contact the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue to check if you or someone has a tax lien.

For UCC liens that involve an organization, you can check them by asking the Pennsylvania Department of State.

Pennsylvania Civil Driving Violation Records, also called traffic infractions, are a "summary offense" showing a person's driving history from when they got a driver's license or identification card from the Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

In Pennsylvania, some examples of civil driving violation records or summary traffic offenses are:

• Driving a motor vehicle after a license suspension
• Unlicensed driving
• Car racing
• Inappropriate use of a vehicle registration
• Reckless driving
• Texting while driving commercially
• Driving on the incorrect side of the road
• Disobedience to traffic control devices
• Making misleading statements in reports

These infractions are the least severe type of traffic violation and usually contain fines, community service, and other penalties that are not criminal. Most of these minor violations in Pennsylvania don't lead to jail time. But if there are things that make the offense worse or if the person who did it has done it before, the consequences may be harsher.

How To Look Up Pennsylvania Civil Driving Violation Records?

To look up Pennsylvania Civil Driving Violation Records, visit the traffic court in the county that issued the citation or ticket for the violation. If you want to find out about tickets, you can also go to the county court website and do a ticket search if that service is available.

One example of this service is the Traffic Division Hearing List for Philadelphia. Here, you can search for traffic violation cases using the case party name, driver's license number, hearing date, and citation number.

You can also find civil driving violation records in the Pennsylvania traffic record. Thus, you can request this record online or by mail through PennDOT. You can use the Commonwealth's Driver Record System to place orders online. Note that you need the record holder's license number, date of birth, and the last four digits of their social security number.

Pennsylvania Legal Judgment Records are files that show the court's decision in a case. These documents include a case's parties, case summary, case number, judgment date, and judge's name and signature. A judgment record also outlines the case parties' duties and rights.

231 Pa.C.S. 3001 and 41 Pa.C.S. 81 explain the state's laws on judgments. These provisions govern judgment types, adjudications, liens, exemptions from enforcement, petitions, motions, service, and judgment priority. In short, Pennsylvania's judgment statutes emphasize judgment procedures and litigant obligations.

Courts in Pennsylvania maintain judgment records for at least seven years. Additionally, judgments reflect on a debtor's credit record. Consequently, it may lead to worse credit ratings and more difficulty gaining access to loans and other credit instruments.

How To Look Up Pennsylvania Legal Judgment Records?

You can search for Pennsylvania Legal Judgment Records through the state's UJS's electronic databases, terminals, and websites like the Appellate Courts and Disciplinary Board's Court Opinions and Postings search.

The UJS Case Search portal is another way to examine court records. Here, you can search by the court, date filed, complaint number, docket number, and participant name. You can also find documents using the SID (State Identification Number) and OTN (Offense Tracking Number).

Under the UJS website's public access policy, there are restricted records you can't access, such as juror notes in civil cases and complaints filed in Magisterial District Courts.

Another prevalent set of Pennsylvania Civil Court Records is the small claims.

Pennsylvania Small Claims Records provide comprehensive case information about small claims disputes in the state.

The documents or information included in these records are the names and addresses of the plaintiffs, the verdict, the sum sought, and other pertinent information regarding the action.

The Small Claims court division of the Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court hears most civil claims involving $12,000 or less in the state. However, in Philadelphia, the Municipal Courts handle these civil disputes.

Some of the small claims cases in these jurisdictions include:

• Security deposit refund
• Debt collection
• Loan refunds
• Breach of contract
• Erroneous automobile repair

In Pennsylvania, the first step in initiating a small claims action is submitting a Civil Complaint Form to the court and paying the filing fee. You, the plaintiff, must ensure you file in the proper Small Claims Court throughout the filing procedure. File the action where the defendant lives or an incident occurred.

How To Look Up Pennsylvania Small Claims Records?

The Pennsylvania Small Claims Records are available to the public through the Magisterial District Court that took over the case. Thus, visit or send your mail-in request to the appropriate court to look up these records.

In addition, the Pennsylvania judiciary makes court case information searchable and viewable on its website.

Divorce is the dissolution of a marriage or the termination of a marital partnership. A Pennsylvania divorce is only possible if at least one of the partners has lived there for at least six months. The filing of a divorce complaint must be in the county where one spouse resides or in any county if both sides agree in writing.

The court or government agency creates Pennsylvania Divorce Court Records when this action occurs.

Divorce court records in Pennsylvania may include private information about children, money, and sensitive criminal information such as domestic violence. With their nature, these records are often less accessible than other public records.

You can find information about divorces in the state through the following paper forms:

Divorce Certificate

A Pennsylvania divorce certificate has the tiniest information and is the most frequently requested record. It has general information about the marriage and the divorce, like the names of the people involved and the date.

Divorce Decree

In Pennsylvania, divorce decrees have the same information as divorce certificates, the court's decisions about the divorce, and a case number. Most of the time, one party will ask for this document when they want to look over their rights and responsibilities or make changes to them. Included in these rights and obligations are the following:

• Child custody
• Spousal and child support
• Visitation schedules
• Assets and liabilities division
• Insurance responsibilities

Divorce Record

A divorce certificate and decree have less information than a divorce record. Everything in the other two types of documents is in the divorce record, plus every file, paper, and judgment made during the divorce process.

How To Look Up Pennsylvania Divorce Court Records?

The county's Prothonotary's Office frequently has Pennsylvania Divorce Court Records. It has been the case since 1804. So, visit or contact the appropriate office to look up these records.

You can also find these documents in the county courthouse that ended the divorce. Some courthouses have a website where you can search for these court records online. However, if necessary, the court will keep this divorce paperwork private.

You can use the Orphans' Court Clerks website to get the correct courthouse contact information and verify how you can get the divorce court record or document you want.

The local court creates Pennsylvania Probate Court Records following the death of an individual. These records pertain to the division of the estate and the care of dependents.

In Pennsylvania, the probate procedure is straightforward. It entails appointing an Executor or Administrator to manage the estate and ultimately transfer its assets to the beneficiaries.

If the deceased left a will, this governs asset distribution. But if the deceased did not leave a will, the Pennsylvania intestacy laws will disperse the estate assets.

Some files you can find in Pennsylvania Probate Court Records are:

• A will
• Will probate
• Will amendments
• An executor or administrator petition
• List of heirs
• An inventory of the deceased's estate at the time of death
• A partition committee reports when heirs disagree on how to split the estate
• A list of joint-tenancy real estate, stocks, and bonds
• Court closing statement

How To Look Up Pennsylvania Probate Court Records?

Each county in Pennsylvania has a " Register of Wills" office where you can find some documents in Pennsylvania Probate Court Records. Thus, you can send your request by mail (Philadelphia sample) or in person. Ensure you send your request to the appropriate county recording the probate cases.

You can also find records in the Pennsylvania Orphans' Court. Such files include minute books, dockets, hearings, bonds, appeals, distributions of estates, inventories, marriages (since 1885), births and deaths (1893-1905), and adoptions (since 1925).

To get Pennsylvania Civil Court Records, identify first the court that documented the case. If you have already known the court, contact the court record keeper. Either a Clerk of Court or a Prothonotary is responsible for preserving civil records in the state.

But before you can gain access to a Pennsylvania court record, you need to supply case-specific information, such as the docket number and parties' names. The charge payment may also be necessary to get copies of these records. This cost varies by county, court, and requested record category.

For instance, Allegheny County charges $20 for certified court records and $25 for civil record searches. In contrast, Montgomery County charges $0.25 for paper records, $1.75 for docket printouts, $0.75 for paper transcripts, and $0.50 for electronic transcripts.

In addition, the UJS Web Portal provides free online access to some court case information and calendars.