Westmoreland County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Westmoreland County was founded in 1773 and is the second-largest county in the southwestern region of Pennsylvania. It has a total land area of 1,028 square miles, with about 354,400 residents as of 2022. The county seat is the City of Greensburg. Westmoreland County's Court system comprises the Courts of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. The County Courts are under the 10th Judicial System in the Commonwealth of Pennslyvania.

The Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas is located in Greensburg. It is the general jurisdiction court in the county and has several Divisions that handle different cases. While the Criminal Division hears serious criminal cases involving felonies, the Civil Division handles breaches of contract, torts, real property, appeals from administrative agencies, and other non-criminal matters. The Court of Common Pleas Court's Family Division processes cases concerning divorces, child support and custody, alimony, and certain juvenile cases. Orphans' Court Division proceedings involve matters such as estates, wills, guardianship of incapacitated individuals and minors, termination of parental rights, and adoptions. Westmoreland County has 16 Magisterial District Courts, each serving specific or multiple townships and boroughs within the county's jurisdiction. These courts have judges who decide cases concerning landlord-tenant issues, traffic offenses, minor criminal matters, and small claims matters not exceeding $12,000.

Westmoreland County had a crime rate of 12.2 per 1,000 residents (total index crime of 4,304) in 2023. Based on the 2022 Caseload Statistics, the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas finalized 5,058 criminal cases and 2,904 civil cases. Additionally, The Orphans' Court Division closed 321 cases involving adoptions, relinquishment of parental rights, and the appointment of guardians for incapacitated persons. On the other hand, the Magisterial District Courts resolved 6,123 criminal cases and 34,174 traffic cases. Moreover, there were 3,061 new civil filings and 1,119 pending civil cases across all Magisterial District Courts. Within the year, the courts disposed of 3,078 civil cases, including 1,415 landlord/tenant cases. The Clerk of Courts Office maintains the records of all cases that are brought before the Westmoreland County court system. Individuals can perform public court record searches online or obtain copies at the Clerk's Office. However, such persons may require court orders to inspect or open copies of confidential documents/information like juvenile or adoption records.

In summary, the judiciary in Westmoreland County contributes to the county's effective governance by resolving legal matters through a fair judicial process. The Court System includes the Courts of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. To ensure transparency, the court ensures public accessibility to its records and information online.