Court files in Lancaster County begin in one of several offices. A criminal charge starts in a magisterial district court and moves to the Court of Common Pleas for serious counts. Civil suits, family matters, and appeals follow their own paths. This page shows how to search a docket, read a case file, and order a certified copy from the clerk who keeps it. Most searches start online and end at a counter.
Court Record Search
- Office: Lancaster County Courthouse
- Official website: https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/
- Before you file: confirm the current hours, fees, and identification requirements with the office.
| Case type | Where it is filed | What the public docket shows |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal | Magisterial district court, then Court of Common Pleas | Charges, bail, plea, sentence |
| Civil | Court of Common Pleas, Prothonotary | Complaint, answers, motions, judgment |
| Family | Court of Common Pleas, family division | Custody, support, divorce entries |
| Probate | Register of Wills | Estate filings, wills, inventories |
| Juvenile | Juvenile court | Limited entries; many files closed |
A table points you to an office, but the docket decides what is public. Some family and juvenile entries show only a case number and a hearing date. A divorce file may list a settlement figure that is later sealed. Ask the clerk which pages can be copied and which need a judge's order. Keep the docket number on every request you send. A written request gives you a record of the date.
Required Search Details
Bring the full name of each party, the case number if known, the filing year, and the court that heard the matter. A middle initial or a suffix can separate people with similar names. Note the docket number from any prior letter. If you have only an address, ask the clerk to search by the property or the incident date. Write the details on one page before you call.
Case Filings & Proceedings
A case file grows one paper at a time. The complaint or the criminal information opens it, and the answer or the arraignment follows. Motions ask the judge to decide a point before trial. Notices set hearing dates, and exhibits carry the evidence. A judgment or a settlement ends the dispute, and a dismissal can end it sooner. Read the entries in date order, and note which party filed each one.
Complaints, Petitions & Answer Responses
The complaint states the claim and the relief the plaintiff wants. A petition asks the court for a specific order, such as a name change or an estate appointment. The defendant answers within a set time, and a late answer can lead to a default judgment. Read the filing stamp on each paper. The stamp date decides whether a deadline was met, and it can differ from the date typed on the page.
Motions, Notices & Filed Exhibits
A motion asks for a ruling on one issue, such as a continuance or a dispute over documents. The court issues a notice that sets the response time and the hearing date. Exhibits are the letters, photos, and reports attached to a filing. A proposed order often rides with a motion. Check the docket for the judge's ruling and for any exhibit that was withdrawn or replaced.
Presiding Judge & Courtroom Jurisdiction
Each case is assigned to a judge, and the assignment can change. The docket caption names the judge and the courtroom. Jurisdiction decides which court may hear the matter, and a filing in the wrong court can be transferred or dismissed. Ask court administration which judge holds the file and which floor hosts the list. Write down the courtroom number and the judge's name before a hearing day.
Hearings, Judgments, Settlements & Dismissals
A hearing date on the docket is a schedule entry, not a promise. A judgment records the court's decision and the amount owed. A settlement ends a civil case when the parties file the terms, and some terms stay confidential. A dismissal can follow a failure to prosecute or a procedural defect. Read the last three entries before you treat a case as finished. Ask the clerk for a copy of the final order.
Court Records: Public Availability & Official Copies
Most court files are open to the public, though some parts are restricted. The clerk's office keeps the official record, and the online portal offers a summary, and the lancaster county pa overview maps the county record offices. Certified copies carry a seal and are the version that other agencies accept. Bring a photo ID and the docket number to the counter. A mailed request needs a self-addressed envelope and the current fee. Ask the clerk which copy the receiving agency will accept.
Public Case Directories & Search Logs
The statewide portal lists dockets for the appellate courts, the Courts of Common Pleas, and the magisterial district courts. A search log shows what the portal recorded when you ran a query, but it is not a court record. The clerk's index is the official list. Compare the two when a case seems to be missing. Ask for the index entry if you need proof that a search was made.
Sealed, Expunged & Juvenile File Rules
A judge can seal a file, limit who may see it, or expunge an arrest that led to no conviction. Juvenile files are usually closed, and a court may release them only by order. An expunged record is removed from public view, though a court or a police agency may keep a copy. Ask the clerk for the order that sealed the file before you request a copy.
Court Clerk & Certified Copy Requests
Send the request to the Clerk of Courts for criminal and civil filings in the Court of Common Pleas, and to the Prothonotary for the civil matters that office keeps. Name the case, the docket number, the document, and the date. Ask for a certified copy and state the purpose. Include payment and a phone number. The clerk will confirm the fee before copying. Ask which payment methods the office takes.
Copy Fees & Processing Timelines
Copy charges are set by state rule, and a certification adds a per-document fee. A short file may be copied during a counter visit, and a large one takes days. Certified copies often need a signature from the clerk, so plan for a second visit or a mailed return. Ask for the total before you send money. Keep the receipt with the copy, and write the fee on your notes.
Court Records: Record Accuracy & Resolution
A docket entry can be wrong, and a portal can lag the paper file. Compare the party name, the docket number, and the filing date, and the probate court records page explains how an estate file is opened. A common name may return another person's case, and a case number with one wrong digit points to a different file. Do not rely on a single screen. Ask the clerk to read the caption and the last entry back to you.
Matching Party Names & Docket Numbers
Middle initials, suffixes, and maiden names decide many matches. Read the full caption, then check the address and the birth year when the docket shows them. A docket number usually carries a year and a sequence, so copy every character. Two cases can share a party name and still involve different people. Ask the clerk to confirm the caption before you order a copy. Keep the caption with the copy.
System Delays for Recent Filings
A paper filed at the counter may take a business day to reach the portal. A criminal complaint can post before the bail entry appears. Images often load after the docket text. If a filing is missing, note the date and the time you checked, then call the clerk. Ask whether the paper was accepted, rejected, or sent to another office for filing. Ask for the entry date, not the post date.
Unlisted Court File Resolution
Some cases do not appear in a name search. A sealed file, a juvenile matter, a case filed under a different spelling, or a record sent to storage can hide from the portal, while the case search guide shows how to search by case number. Try the docket number and the filing year. The clerk can search the internal index. Ask for a written no-record answer when nothing turns up, and keep it with your notes.
Location and Contact Information
The Lancaster County Courthouse sits on North Duke Street in downtown Lancaster, within walking distance of the Government Center and several parking garages. The Clerk of Courts and court administration share the building but keep separate phone lines. Filing hours can differ from counter hours, and some divisions close earlier than the main lobby. Call the number for your division before you travel. Ask for the division desk and the counter location.
| Office | Address | Phone | Hours | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County Courthouse, Clerk of Courts and Court Administration | 50 N. Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17602 | Clerk of Courts: (717) 299-8275; Court Administration: (717) 299-8041 | Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (confirm division and filing hours) | https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/ |
The statewide portal is a good place to start a search, but the courthouse holds the paper file. Give the clerk the docket number and the exact document title in your request. Ask whether the office can certify a copy from a digital image. Bring photo identification to the counter, and allow time for a security screening at the entrance. A printed docket helps the clerk find the file.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers below cover what readers ask most about Lancaster County court files. Each one names the office that holds the paper and the detail that confirms a match. Fees, hours, and portal rules can change, so call before you travel or mail a payment. A short call to the clerk often saves a second trip to the courthouse. The docket number is the key to every request.
Are court records open to the public in Lancaster County?
Yes, most files in the Court of Common Pleas are open. Any reader may view a docket and request copies of papers that are not sealed. Family, juvenile, and expunged matters carry limits, and a judge can restrict a document. Bring photo identification and the docket number to the clerk's counter. Ask which pages can be copied before you pay. A sealed file needs a court order before any copy leaves the office.
What documents are included in an official court file?
A file holds the papers the parties filed and the court issued. Expect the complaint or the criminal information, the answer, motions, notices, exhibits, and the judgment or sentence. A docket sheet lists every entry with a date. Some papers may sit in a sealed envelope or in storage. Ask the clerk for an index before you order the whole file. Ask for the page count before you pay.
How do I request certified copies from the court clerk?
Write to the Clerk of Courts and give the case name, the docket number, and the title of each document. State that you need certified copies and give the reason. Include your address, a daytime phone number, and payment for the fee the clerk quotes. A self-addressed envelope speeds a mailed return. Keep the receipt and the certified copy together. Ask the clerk to confirm the total before you mail the request.
Who confirms missing or unlisted court case files?
The clerk who keeps the file can confirm whether it exists. A search may miss a sealed matter, a juvenile case, a misspelled name, or a file sent to storage. Give the clerk the docket number, the party name, and the filing year. Ask for a search of the internal index and a written answer if nothing is found. Court administration can route you to the right office.
