Berks County Court of Common Pleas Case Search

Berks County has a Court of Common Pleas in place of a Superior Court. This court exercises regular civil and criminal jurisdiction, which gives it authority to handle a wide range of court cases. The Court of Common Pleas is the county’s main trial court, which means most cases are filed there. Thus, requesters can access most county court records through this court.

The court clerk’s office maintains records of ongoing cases handled by the Court of Common Pleas. Requesters can mail or submit records requests in person with some details of the case. These details can include relevant names from the case, case number, citation number, filing date, and more.

Berks County Court of Common Pleas also offers access to case records online through the Case Search or Docket Search platforms. While requesters will be charged for obtaining copies of records, there may be no payment requirements to conduct a search using any of the search methods. The public can request access to the Court of Common Pleas’ records for background checks or legal research purposes.

What Kinds of Cases Are Heard in the Berks Court of Common Pleas?

Berks County operates a Court of Common Pleas in place of a Court of Common Pleas. This means the Court of Common Pleas is a court of general civil and criminal jurisdiction. This court can handle a wide range of court matters due to its strategic position as the court of first instance for most cases, some of which include:

• Criminal Cases: This includes felonies, serious misdemeanors, and appeals from the Magisterial District Courts.
• Family Law Matters
• Civil Cases include equity cases, real estate matters, contract disputes, professional malpractice, personal injury cases, and more.
• Probate cases involve the administration of Wills and estates. They are handled by the Orphans’ Court.
• Juvenile Court

The Court of Common Pleas has specialized court divisions, such as the Veterans Court, which caters to veterans in the court system.

Berks County Court of Common Pleas

Berks County Court of Common Pleas is a trial-level court for exercising general civil and criminal jurisdiction. The county residents can file a wide range of court matters at this court, including family law cases, juvenile cases, probate matters, and more. The Court of Common Pleas has geographical jurisdiction within the county and serves as the closest and initial forum for resolving disagreements and accessing justice. This court has multiple locations, which are listed below:

Berks County Court of Common Pleas - Clerk of Courts (Criminal)
Berks County Courthouse
633 Court Street
Reading, Pennsylvania 19601
(610) 478-6550 - Phone
(610) 478-6570 - Fax

Prothonotary (Civil)
(610) 478-6970 - Phone
(610) 478-6969 - Fax

Berks County Orphans’ Court
(610) 478-6600 - Phone
(610) 478-6251 - Fax

Berks County Case Lookup

A county-wide case lookup refers to the collation of court records from the county’s various courts to form a consolidated archive. This involves case records from the Court of Common Pleas, Orphan’s Court, Magisterial District Courts, and all court divisions operating in the county. A county-wide case search aims to use a consolidated records archive to retrieve case information. You can use these tips to look up Berks County case records:

For walk-in access

Walk-in access involves using physical records requests to access and obtain case records. Inquirers generally have to fill out a request application with their information and some case details and submit it to the clerk’s office.

The operating time for this office from Monday to Friday is between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Walk-in access will also allow you to use the public access terminals at the county courthouse for self-service. Each request in Berks County carries a non-refundable charge of $22.00 while obtaining notarized copies of records will cost an extra $5.00.

For mail-in access

Mail-in access involves sending your records request to the clerk’s office using mailing services. You will include your details and the case description in the request before sending it to

633 Court Street,
Reading, Pennsylvania 19601.

Mail-in requests require the use of self-addressed stamped envelopes for the clerk’s office to reply to requesters or send copies of documents. Record requests sent via mail can take 5 to 10 working days to process.

For online access

The Case Search or Docket Search websites provide online access to case search portals for court records. These platforms are free to use and do not require registration or sign-in.

While the Docket Search is dedicated to accessing court dockets, the Case Search website provides case information for court matters involving family law, probate, criminal, civil, and more. Delays in uploading court documents can cause very recent records to be unavailable online, and sealed or restricted records may also not be accessible online.

Berks Court of Common Pleas Case Search by Name

Name searches are important for case records searches due to their relevance to court cases. Requesters can provide names from the case of interest when submitting or mailing their records requests for a search. The Case or Docket Search websites also provide spaces for inputting relevant names from cases for a case or docket search.

Name searches are simple to use. The only requirements are that the name be correct and that full names be used for better accuracy. Name searches can also be made more accurate by including more case details, like the case number or filing date.

Berks Court of Common Pleas Docket Search

Court dockets refer to a chronological log of all activities that facilitate a court case from the date it was filed till judgment is given. They are court documents containing case information like hearing schedules, court orders, motions, rulings, and more. Court dockets are important for legal research by parties to the case or the public. They also help with following up on the progress of court cases. The same process for obtaining court records will apply to accessing court dockets. Simply fill out a records request and include some case information for a records search. You can submit the request in person or via mail to the clerk’s office. You can also check court dockets online through the Docket Search website.

Lookup Berks County Court of Common Pleas Online

Berks County Court of Common Pleas has online archives where case records are made available to the public. You can load the Case Search or Docket Search websites to access statewide search portals. There are also third-party platforms such as Pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us through which you can search Berks County case records online. Requesters should take note that the official website is generally more accurate than third-party sites as it is sourced directly from the court’s website.

Supreme Court vs. Court of Common Pleas

Berks County operates a Court of Common Pleas instead of a Court of Common Pleas. The Court of Common Pleas is the main trial court which is also the court of first instance for most cases. This court has original jurisdiction over a wide range of court matters such as probate matters, family law cases, civil matters, and criminal cases. As a trial court, parties can argue their position and present evidence to the court to prove their case. This court is presided over by a judge who assesses the evidence and position of the law to make rulings and judgments during hearings.

The Supreme Court is an appellate court with the highest authority in Pennsylvania. It has jurisdiction over appeals from lower courts such as the Commonwealth Courts and the Courts of Common Pleas. There are no trials in the Supreme Court because state laws and the Constitution are interpreted to reject or affirm the decisions of lower courts. The US Supreme Court also functions as the country’s highest appellate court, which can review decisions of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.