Armstrong County Court Records

Court records generally provide information about the events that occurred in a legal proceeding. The Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System Section 1.0 defines Armstrong County court records as documents (like judgments, orders, opinions, decrees), indices, and dockets received and maintained by any court in the state. In Armstrong County, court records do not include memoranda, notes, drafts, worksheets, correspondence, and work products of judges and court personnel. Most court records are available to the public and contain the following information:

• Case information (judge's name, OTN, arresting agency, complaint number, disposition, case status, incident number, township and issue, arrest, file, and disposition date)
• Status information (status date and processing status)
• Calendar events (event type, schedule date, and status)
• Defendant information (name, date of birth, address(es), sex, and race)
• Case participants (participant type and name)
• Bail (bail action type and date, originating court, amount, percentage and type)
• Charges (charge number, grade, description, offense date, and disposition)
• disposition/sentencing details (case and offense disposition, offense sequence, and disposition date)
• Attorney information (name, representing, counsel status, address, and supreme court number)
• Docket entry information (filed date, entry, filer, and who it applies to)
• Case financial information (case balance, last and next payment amount, assessment amount, and balance)

Are Court Records Public in Armstrong County?

Yes. Section 3.0 of the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System and Pennsylvania Right-To-Know Law approves the public disclosure of court records. Courts in Armstrong County must fulfill requests for court records through any available means. Custodians will not release confidential court documents to the public, and those available for public disclosure will exclude confidential information. The following confidential documents and information are not open for public inspection or copying in Armstrong County:

• Social security numbers
• Driver license numbers
• Financial source documents
• Income and expense statement
• Medical or psychological records
• State identification (SID) numbers
• The educational records of juveniles
• Children, Youth, and Family Services records
• Agreements between the case parties
• Marital property inventory and pre-trial statement
• The names and dates of birth of juveniles except those charged as a defendant in a criminal case
• Financial account numbers However, the last four digits of an active financial account may be known to the public if it is part of a case.
• The contact information of an abused victim, such as their address, work schedule, and their employer's name and address in a family court case.

Armstrong County Court Records Search

The standard way to retrieve civil and criminal court records in Armstrong County is in person at the courthouse. Civil court records are available at the Prothonotary's office, while criminal records are available at the Clerk of Courts.

The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal can be used to perform a court record search online. The search criteria are appellate, attorney, calendar event, citation number, date filed, docket number, incident number, organization, OTN, parcel, participant name, or SID.

Armstrong County Courts

The Armstrong County courts consist of the Court of Common Pleas, Orphan, and Magisterial District Courts. Below are the addresses of all courts in Armstrong County:

Armstrong County Courthouse
500 E. Market Street
Kittanning, PA 16201

Magisterial District Court 33-3-01
206 Fifth Avenue
Ford City, PA 16226
Office: (724) 763-7866
Fax: (724) 763-8821

Magisterial District Court 33-3-02
128 South Grant Avenue
Kittanning, PA 16201
Office: (724) 543-2313
Fax: (724) 545-9029

Magisterial District Judge 33-3-03
241 Market Street
Leechburg, PA 15656
Office: (724) 842-3571
Fax: (724) 845-7610

Magisterial District Judge 33-3-04
720 Main Street
Rural Valley, PA 16249
Office: (724) 783-6886
Fax: (724) 783-2079

Armstrong County Criminal Records

Residents in Armstrong County can get criminal records from the Pennsylvania State Police online or by mail. Online requests can be made using the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) site. This site is accessible to registered and non-registered users for a fee of $22. A notarized copy attracts an additional fee of $2. Payments can be made by credit card or by billing a pre-established account. Mail applications include submitting a completed Form SP 4-164, the standard fee payable by certified check or money order to:

Pennsylvania State Police
Central Repository – 164
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758

Subjects of records and their legal representatives can request criminal records using Form SP 4-170. The completed form and a fee of $20, payable by certified check or money order, should be mailed to the office. Volunteers can get criminal records for free online or by mailing form SP 4-164A to the office.

Individuals do not need to request criminal records if they only need a person's arrest information. Armstrong County arrest records are available in person at the jail during business hours. The Armstrong County Jail is located at:

Armstrong County Jail
171 Staley's Court Road
Kittanning, PA 16201

Get Armstrong County Civil Court Records

The Prothonotary is the custodian of civil records for the Armstrong County Court of Common Pleas. These records are available for public inspection at the courthouse. Certified copies of civil court records cost $3 for the first page and $1 each for additional pages. Interested persons can also mail a completed Request for Access Form to the Court of Common Pleas to obtain copies of civil court records. The fees for this service will not exceed $0.25 per page.

Armstrong County Marriage Records

The Clerk of Orphan's Court handles all marriage licenses in Armstrong County. A record seeker can purchase an Armstrong County marriage certificate in person or by mail. To apply, requesters must know the names of both couples and the marriage date. The charge is $7.50 per copy. Mail applicants can pay the copy fee by check or money order and should include a self-addressed envelope for return use.

Armstrong County Divorce Records

Copies of divorce records can be obtained in person at the Armstrong County Prothonotary. The office is open Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Certified copies of divorce records cost $3 for the first page and $1 each for additional pages.

Armstrong County Birth and Death Records

Armstrong County's vital records encompass documents of births or deaths that occurred within county limits. These records are available at the county and state levels. Certificates issued from birth or death records can be used for anything from driver's license applications to settling a decedent's estate.

Birth and death records from 1893 to 1905 are available for public perusal at the Armstrong County Genealogy. Records from 1805 to 1947 are on microfilms, and those from 1947 to 1905 are on the computer. Records seekers can visit the office during business hours to request an Armstrong County birth or death certificate.

The Armstrong County Register of Wills maintains birth and death records from 1905 to the present. Individuals can visit the office in person to obtain forms for applying for birth or death records. The office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday. Certified copies of records cost $5.50.

The Pennsylvania Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries' Vital Records Office also issues birth and death records dating back to 1906. Requests can be submitted online, by mail, or in person. The standard fee for birth or death records is $20. Mail and in-person requests must be 16 years, while online requesters must be 18 years to be eligible to apply for Armstrong County birth records. Applicants must be 18 or older to apply for Armstrong County death records. Eligible applicants for both records include:

• Power of Attorney
• The person named on the Armstrong County birth certificate
• Spouse, ex-spouse (for death certificate), and parent or step-parent,
• Brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, and grandparent or great-grandparent
• Children, step-children, and grandchildren
• Representative of the decedent's estate
• Individuals showing a direct financial interest in the decedent
• A government office assuming administration of an estate
• Attorney or legal representative of the record holder or decedent's estate
• Extended family members who have a direct relationship with the decedent

The Bureau partners with a third-party vendor to issue vital records online to members of the public. The vendor charges an extra $10 processing fee payable by credit cards and the standard fees. The requester can get the online order by mail or in person at the Vital Records Office.

Walk-in services are also available at the Vital Records Office locations. Requesters can visit Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and receive their requested records the same day, provided they submit their requests by 2:30 p.m. Mail requesters must complete an Application for a Birth or Death Certificate form and mail it through a First Class Mail to:

Pennsylvania Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries
Division of Vital Records
Birth Certificate Processing Unit
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103

The processing time for an Armstrong County birth certificate is 2 weeks, while that of a death certificate is 3 weeks. A valid identification must accompany all applications.

Armstrong County Probate Court Records

Probate court records are available because they are part of Armstrong County public records. Therefore, anyone can visit the Register of Will office Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. to get them. A valid ID and a name or case number may be required to process the request.

Armstrong County Property Records

The Armstrong County Recorder of Deeds' Office records and maintains property documents such as deeds, mortgages, easements, and real estate powers of attorney. These records are usually available to the public in person. Individuals can visit the office to have the staff assist them in using the computer to locate property records. A search can be conducted using the property owner's first and last name or book and page. Copies of property records cost $.50 a page, but large copies cost $3 a page.

Armstrong County Court Records Online

Armstrong County court records are also available online on third-party databases like pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us. Users would need a name or case number to access most portals. Although third-party sites are user-friendly and provide court information across various jurisdictions, they are less reliable than official government websites. They can sometimes contain outdated or inaccurate information.