Allegheny County Court Records

Court records consist of any document processed by a court of law. Such records contain essential information on any case, such as date, case type, and parties' names. Examples include a writ of summons, claim form, or court order. Court records are necessary as they help keep judicial processes transparent and courts accountable. The Department of Court Records is responsible for maintaining court records in the county.

Are Court Records Public in Allegheny County?

Under the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, court records are public records in Allegheny County. Interested parties can physically visit the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas or its website to request court records. However, not all court records are publicly accessible. For instance, custodians tend to restrict court records regarding child custody or divorce to immediate family members.

Allegheny County Court Records Search

There are many ways you can search for Allegheny Court records. You can go through Allegheny County’s Department of Court Records’s Electronic Filing and Retrieval System. You can get marriage and court records using this portal. Alternatively, you can visit the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas at the following address.

Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
Allegheny County Courthouse
436 Grant St, #114
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Allegheny County Court Records Search by Name

The Allegheny County Department of Court Records’s Electronic Filing and Retrieval System allows interested individuals to conduct searches by name. To do so, you'll need to fill in the person’s first and last name.

Allegheny County Courts

Allegheny County’s court system includes three courts: The Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, The Allegheny County Magisterial District Courts, and the Pittsburgh Municipal Court.

• The Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas: This court has jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases and those not within other courts' jurisdiction. It is split into four divisions which are:
  • Civil Division
  • Criminal Division
  • Orphans’ Court Division
  • Family Division (Adult and Juvenile)
• The Allegheny Magisterial District Courts: This court presides over specific criminal and civil cases. For instance, criminal cases brought here include most summary offenses, preliminary hearings, some DUI, third-degree misdemeanors, and ordinance violation cases. At the same time, civil cases heard by this include specific landlord/tenant cases and some general civil claims.
• Pittsburgh Municipal Court: This court handles criminal, housing, and traffic cases. It may also handle cases for Emergency Protection in its Arraignment Court division.

Allegheny County District Court Records

Allegheny County has a Court of Common Pleas that has jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases in the county. You can utilize the Department of Court Records’s Electronic Filing and Retrieval System to find court records on these cases. Alternatively, you can request court records by visiting the Department at:

Department of Court Records
414 Grant St,
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Allegheny County Criminal Records

The Pennsylvania State Police keeps track of all criminal records within the state. Interested parties can make requests online through the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History website. You can also make inquiries by mailing a completed Criminal History Request Form to:

Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository - RCPU
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758

Note: You must pay $22 for standard record check requests and $5 for notary fees. These fees can be paid by money order. Call (888) 783-7972 toll-free if you find criminal records difficult.

The Allegheny County Courthouse also houses criminal records from the current year and the four prior years. Older cases are also available but may need to be ordered from a storage facility. Computer terminals are available for researching criminal records. For any questions concerning case files, Allegheny County Arrest Records, criminal records, or background checks, call (412) 350-5320.

Allegheny County Criminal Court Case Lookup

You can look up criminal court cases at the Allegheny County Department of Court Records’ Electronic Filing and Retrieval System. This search tool allows you to look up cases by person, type, or number. If you cannot check for a court case online, visit the Department to use their computer terminals to look up a criminal case.

Get Allegheny County Civil Court Records

You can get Allegheny County civil court records from the Department of Court Records’ Electronic Filing and Retrieval System. When searching on the system, include the case type, name of parties, and the case number. You can also visit the department physically to use its computer terminals to look up civil court cases.

The system stores various kinds of civil information, including domestic relations, juvenile matters, adoptions, and family law cases.

Allegheny County Family Court Records

The Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas’ Family Division hears family law cases in the county. The Department of Court Records’ Civil and Family Division maintains Allegheny County family court records. Use the Department’s Electronic Filing and Retrieval System to search for family court records. Ensure you have the case type, number, and parties' names. You can also conduct searches at the Civil and Family Division, located at:

Department of Court Records, Civil/Family Division
City-County Building
414 Grant Street, First Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2469

Since family court records are considered public records in Pennsylvania, the general public can access them. However, this does not apply to court records sealed under a statute or court order. For example, juvenile case information and adoption records are inaccessible to the general public. Only authorized individuals may access them.

Note: Depending on the number of copies requested, requesting copies of available family court records may attract a nominal fee.

Allegheny Dissolution of Marriage Records

The Department of Court Records records and keeps dissolution of marriage records in Allegheny County. The Department provides a database for checking dissolution of marriage records from the county. You can also use computer terminals at the Department’s office to search for records.

Allegheny County Marriage and Divorce Records

There are two different processes for accessing Allegheny County marriage and divorce records.

Marriage Records

Interested persons who want to conduct an online marriage search may access marriage records via the county’s Marriage License Search portal. You will be required to submit their email address to search the online tool, after which they will pay search and copy fees using their credit or debit cards.

An alternative means for obtaining marriage records is visiting the Wills and Orphans’ Court Records Division located on the first floor of the Allegheny City-County Building. The Records Division charges $4 for using the online search system. The charge for obtaining a plain or non-certified copy of a marriage license is also $4. It costs $10 to search and get a Triple Seal-certified marriage license.

Divorce Records

You can access divorce records in Allegheny County at the office of the Allegheny County Department of Court Records, Civil and Family Division, where someone can obtain certified copies of divorce records for $20. Interested persons can obtain copies of records by picking up a request form at:

Department of Court Records Civil and Family Division
Allegheny City-County Building
414 Grant Street, First Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2469

Beyond obtaining divorce records, interested persons can search for divorce records through the County's E-filing and Retrieval System. Requesters may use the search tool by inputting the case number in the provided search box. The public's access to divorce records is thanks to Pennsylvania's Rights to Know laws, which make divorce records public unless they are sealed following a court order. Nevertheless, only eligible persons, the divorcees, and their legal representatives may access certified copies of divorce records.

Allegheny Birth and Death Records

Birth Records

Allegheny County birth records are filed and accessible at the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Vital Records Division. Interested parties can access birth records from as far back as January 1906 upon request and payment of a $20 fee.

Individuals must be at least 18 years old to claim a birth certificate in Pennsylvania. Additionally, the registrant's close relatives and legal representatives can claim birth records. To initiate the process, the authorized party must fill out a Birth Certificate Application form, provide valid identification, and submit all required documents and fees to:

Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103-1528
Phone: (724) 656-3100

Death Records

Allegheny County death records are filed and accessible at the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Vital Records Division. Interested parties can access death records from January 1906 by requesting and paying the $20. Under Pennsylvania laws, death records are only available to the immediate family or legal representatives of the deceased of the record subject. To initiate the process, the requester must fill out a Death Certificate Application form, provide a valid identification as proof of qualification to request death records, and submit all required documents and fees to:

Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103-1528
Phone: (724) 656-3100

Allegheny County Probate Court Records

The Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas’ Orphan Court presides over probate matters in the state. It hears cases involving wills, intestacy, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships. The Department of Court Records, Wills/Orphans’ Court Division accepts and files records for the Orphan’s Court Division. You can request records for legal and genealogical purposes by visiting the division at:

Wills/Orphans’ Court Division
City-County Building
414 Grant Street, First Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2469

Alternatively, you can search for Allegheny County probate court records through the Electronic Filing and Retrieval System.

Allegheny County Property Records

Property records can be accessed using the online records search portal maintained by the Department of Real Estate. You must provide the address or parcel number, house number, street name, and municipality of the party to complete a search. Requesters also have the option to submit requests in person at Room 101 of the County Office Building or by mail using the provided request form. When mailing the request, individuals will be required to pay the necessary fee of $10 per copy, submit the completed form, and send it to:

Department of Real Estate
Attn: Copy Department
County Office Building, Room 101
542 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Another online search alternative is the Allegheny County Information Portal, offering access to land records and real estate details. The Allegheny County Register of Deeds also extends online access to Allegheny County property records, historical deeds, and associated documents for researchers.

Allegheny County Court Records Online

Apart from government agencies, county public records may be accessible through third-party websites like Pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us. Operating independently without ties to any state government body, such platforms offer user-friendly tools for comprehensive searches. Interested persons can use these tools to search for specific or multiple records. By simply providing the name of the record subject and their last known location (such as city, county, or state), users can remotely search third-party websites for multiple records simultaneously. However, since government agencies do not endorse these sites, the availability and accuracy of records may remain the same.