Common Questions About Philadelphia County Court Records
How do I search Philadelphia County court records online?
Start at the First Judicial District Calendars and Case Information page and pick the case type first. Criminal cases use the statewide UJS Web Portal, while civil, family, Municipal, and Orphans' Court cases use the First Judicial District docket links. Search by docket number or party name, and select Philadelphia as the county. The Philadelphia County court records page walks through each portal step by step.
Are Philadelphia criminal dockets free?
Yes. Public docket sheets are free through the Pennsylvania UJS Web Portal. A docket shows the case number, parties, charges, bail action, and disposition. It usually does not include free copies of every filing, so full documents may need a clerk request or a courthouse visit. See court dockets for how to read one.
Which court handles small claims in Philadelphia?
The Philadelphia Municipal Court Civil Division handles small claims up to $12,000, landlord-tenant cases, and code enforcement up to $15,000. Its public contact is 1339 Chestnut Street, 215-686-2910. Larger civil cases and appeals move to the Court of Common Pleas. The Court of Common Pleas page explains how the two courts fit together.
Which court handles felony cases?
The Municipal Court Criminal Division processes every arrest in the county and holds felony preliminary hearings. Many felony cases then move to the Court of Common Pleas Trial Division for trial or final disposition. That is why one arrest can show up on both a Municipal Court docket and a Common Pleas docket. See arrest records for the full path.
Does Municipal Court Traffic handle DUIs?
No. The Traffic Division handles city vehicle-law citations such as speeding or a broken headlight. It does not handle parking tickets, red-light camera tickets, or DUI. DUI is a criminal matter that goes to the Criminal Division and often the Court of Common Pleas. See traffic court records for what the Traffic Division does cover.
How do I find someone in a Philadelphia jail?
Use the city's locate-an-incarcerated-person service. You need a full name and date of birth, or a police identification number. The locator covers only Philadelphia Department of Prisons facilities and returns the facility where the person is held. For help, call 215-685-8394. The inmate records page has the facility list and phone lines.
Does Philadelphia publish a full jail roster?
No. The official locator finds the facility where a person is held, but it does not post a mugshot, charges, bond, or release date on the public page. For those details, call the Department of Prisons or the Office of Community Justice and Outreach. The inmate records page explains what the locator does and does not show.
How do I get notified when someone is released?
Register for PA SAVIN, also called VINE, through the Pennsylvania victim services page or the City's release notification service. The free service can alert you by phone, text, email, or app when a person in a county jail, state prison, or state parole is released, transferred, or escapes. See released inmates for how to set it up.
Where do I get marriage records?
Contact the Philadelphia Register of Wills, which also serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court. The office keeps marriage records dating back to 1915. The official request form carries a $15 money order research fee payable to the Clerk of the Orphans' Court. The marriage and divorce records page covers the form and steps.
Where do I file probate in Philadelphia?
Start with the Register of Wills at City Hall, Room 180. The probate line is 215-686-6255. The office probates wills, issues letters of administration when there is no will, keeps estate records, and maintains the Orphans' Court dockets. Probate fees rise with the estate value. The Orphans' Court records page lists the fee tiers and the process.
Are family court records public online?
Only limited information is public online. Pennsylvania's court policy restricts remote access in family cases to dockets, orders, and opinions, plus limited party and counsel information. Income statements, property inventories, medical records, and abuse-victim contact information stay confidential. See marriage and divorce records for what a divorce docket search shows.
How do I clear a bench warrant?
Search the docket to confirm the warrant, then contact your attorney or the court. Some warrants require a court appearance, a bail payment, or a surrender. For a Municipal Court criminal matter, the Criminal Division can be reached at MCCriminal@courts.phila.gov or 215-686-7000. The warrant records page explains how warrants appear and how to resolve them.
How do I expunge a criminal record?
Eligibility is governed mainly by 18 Pa.C.S. section 9122, with the petition procedure in Pa.R.Crim.P. 790. You file in the judicial district where the charges were disposed, unless a special rule applies. Not every case qualifies, and limited access is narrower than full expungement. The arrest records page covers the framework and where to get legal help.
How do I file a public records request?
For a city or county agency record, file a Right-to-Know request with that agency's open-records officer. For a court case file, use the court custodian or the docket portals instead, since court records follow a separate policy. If an agency denies a request, you can appeal to the Office of Open Records for free. See public records for the full process.
Where are federal cases searched?
Federal cases for the region are in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, searched through PACER rather than the county portals. Philadelphia's federal courthouse is at 601 Market Street, and bankruptcy is a separate federal court. The court records page explains the difference between county and federal cases.
Who runs the Philadelphia jails and who is the sheriff?
The Philadelphia Department of Prisons runs the jails, not the sheriff. The Sheriff's Office, led by Rochelle Bilal, handles court security, prisoner transport, civil enforcement, sheriff sales, and a Fugitive Warrant Unit. This split surprises many people. The inmate records page covers custody, and the warrant records page covers the sheriff's warrant role.
How do I pay a traffic ticket in Philadelphia?
The First Judicial District offers ePay for Philadelphia traffic tickets. You can plead guilty and pay, plead not guilty and request a hearing, or set up an installment plan. First confirm the ticket is a Traffic Division matter, not a parking ticket, a red-light camera ticket, or a DUI, since those route to other systems. The traffic court records page explains how to pay or contest.
How do I pay bail?
The Department of Prisons links PAePay Bail, the official system maintained by the Unified Judicial System. Use the official PAePay Bail instructions and confirm the eligibility, amount, and case information first. Some people are held without bail, with a detainer, or under non-monetary conditions, so a payment alone does not always lead to release. The inmate records page covers booking and bail.
What is the Office of Judicial Records?
It is the First Judicial District office that performs many court-record and filing functions for Common Pleas and Municipal Court matters, including passport filings. Because Philadelphia splits its records duties, marriage and probate records go to the Register of Wills instead. The Office of Judicial Records page explains which office holds which record.
Can I get an interpreter or ADA accommodation?
Yes. The First Judicial District states that named parties, witnesses, victims, and persons in loco parentis have a right to a free interpreter, and people with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to file claims, take part in proceedings, or use court services. Use the FJD ADA and language-rights processes. The court records page links to these court services.
Are juvenile records public in Philadelphia?
Generally no. Pennsylvania law restricts juvenile proceedings and records, including summary juvenile matters in the Municipal Court or Common Pleas. Access usually requires party status, a statutory right, or a court order. Juvenile delinquency, dependency, and adoption matters are especially sensitive. The arrest records page explains what is public and what is restricted on the criminal side.
Why do I see two dockets for the same arrest?
It is usually not a duplicate. A felony often starts in the Municipal Court, which covers the arrest and the preliminary hearing, and then moves to the Court of Common Pleas for trial. That creates a Municipal Court docket and a later Common Pleas docket for the same underlying case. Follow the offense tracking number to link them. The court dockets page explains docket numbers and status.
Still Have Questions?
For the right office, see Office of Judicial Records. For broader access rules, see public records. For records-by-topic, browse court records, criminal records, inmate records, warrant records, marriage and divorce, or probate.