Bucks County Court Records

According to the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, Section 1.0, court records may be dockets, indices, and documents like orders, decrees, judgments, and opinions created in the course of a judicial proceeding. Court records in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, typically exclude memoranda, drafts, notes, work products of judges and court personnel, correspondence, and worksheets. Court records can help to keep the public informed about the judicial processes of a jurisdiction. The following information is typically included in Bucks County court records:

• Case information (judge assigned, OTN, arresting agency, judge code, complaint and incident numbers, county, case status, issue, file, and arrest dates, case type, and township)
• Status information (case status, status date, and processing status)
• Calendar events (event type, start date, time, room, judge's name, and schedule status)
• Defendant information (name, date of birth, address, sex, and race)
• Case participants (participant type and name)
• Charges (charge number, grade, description, offense date, and disposition)
• Disposition/sentencing details (case disposition, disposition date, Offense seq./description, offense disposition)
• Docket entry information (filing date and ID, entry, docket text, filer, and applies to)
• Microfilms (date, roll, and frame)
• Judgment (ID, amount, date, and judgment for and against)

Are Court Records Public in Bucks County?

Yes. Bucks County court records are presumed public under the Pennsylvania Right-To-Know Law. Section 3.0 of the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania outlines the provisions of public access to court records within the state. It authorizes interested members of the public to inspect or obtain copies of court records from the appropriate custodians. Certain court records are closed to the public for confidential purposes. Some examples of confidential court information and documents include:

• Driver license numbers
• Social Security Numbers
• Educational records of minors
• Medical/Psychological records
• Income and Expense Statement
• Agreements between the parties
• State Identification (SID) Numbers
• Children and Youth Services' records
• Financial account numbers and source documents
• Marital Property Inventory and Pre-Trial Statement
• An abuse victim's address and other contact information
• The name and birthdate of minors, excluding minors charged as defendants in criminal matters

Bucks County Court Records Search

There are various options for conducting a Bucks county court records search. The most ideal however, will depend on the kind of record being sought. Civil court records can be obtained through the Prothonotary, criminal case records can be obtained through the Clerk of Courts, and probate records are available at the Register of Wills Office. Bucks county court records may also be searched using the online resources of the aforementioned custodians or via third-party aggregate sites.

Bucks County Court Records Search by Name

Interested members of the public may conduct a Bucks County Court Records search by name on the databases managed by record custodians. However, these searches only provide access to public records. Restricted or confidential records cannot be accessed remotely but may be obtained by making in-person queries to the relevant custodian with the required legal permission. Inquirers may use the Bucks County Courts Docket Lookup Tool to find court records online by performing a court records search by name. The party's first, last, or middle name is required to conduct a search.

Bucks County Courts

Bucks County has one Court of Common Pleas and 18 Magisterial District Courts. The Courts of Common Pleas have 15 judges, while the Magisterial District Courts have 18 judges and 113 judicial clerks. Bucks County Courts are located in a single building at:

Bucks County Justice Center
100 North Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: (215) 348-6700 (Court of Common Pleas)
(215) 348-6025 (Magisterial District Courts)

Bucks County Superior Court Case Search

The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas is the county's superior court. It has general trial jurisdiction and handles all criminal, civil, family, and probate cases. The court also has concurrent jurisdiction in civil cases where the amount in controversy is below $12,000. Records generated and maintained by the Court of Common Pleas can be retrieved online by mail or in person at the courthouse. Requesters must provide information relating to the case in order to facilitate the search.

Bucks County District Court Records

The Bucks County Magisterial District Court handles all traffic and non-traffic citations, parking violations, criminal complaints, and civil and landlord-tenant complaints up to a jurisdictional limit of $12,000. Annually, the Bucks County District Courts handle about 130,000 cases. Bucks County district court records can be viewed online, and copies can be obtained by mail or in person at the courthouse. Online and in-person requests require providing a case number or party name. Similarly, a detailed description of the desired record will be required for written requests.

Bucks County Criminal Records

Bucks County criminal records can be retrieved by querying the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). Interested persons may request these records through the PATCH website. Each request costs a $22.00 non-refundable fee. The fee can be paid using a credit card or by billing a pre-established account. An additional $5 non-refundable fee will apply if seeking a notarized copy.

The PSP also accepts requests for criminal records by mail. The requester must complete a Criminal History Request Form and mail it to PSP. The mail package must contain the appropriate fee payable by money order or certified check. Applications may be addressed too:

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

Record seekers can also request Bucks County criminal records from the local police department where the crime occurred. For example, the Doylestown Township Police Department processes requests for criminal history records when an in-person request is made and a $15 fee is paid.

Interested persons may contact the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) for criminal information since all criminal records are generated from arrest records. The Department has an Inmate/Parolee Locator where individuals can search for Bucks County arrest records. The search criteria for using the Locator include inmate number, name, committing county, or date of birth.

Bucks County Criminal Court Case Lookup

The Bucks County Clerk of Courts (COC) is the official custodian of criminal court case records in Bucks County. All criminal cases are handled by the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas' Criminal Division. Criminal court records can be retrieved online through the UJS Web Portal. The search criteria include the attorney(s) name, citation number, name, SID, docket number, complaint number, or OTN. Alternatively, requesters can visit the Clerk of Courts during business hours to request copies of criminal court records. Record seekers can contact the COC by email at cocinfo@buckscounty.org, phone at (215) 348-6389, or fax at (267) 885-1371 to inquire about other methods of retrieving criminal court records in Bucks County.

Get Bucks County Civil Court Records

The Bucks County Prothonotary is the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas' Civil Division. The Office handles civil case records pertaining to liens, judgments, and name changes in accordance with state and county requirements. To get Bucks County civil court records, consider the following options:

• Online: Electronic requests can be made through the Civil Prothonotary Case Search and Docket Information. The search parameters are case number or party name. Narrow the search by selecting the case type and checking the civil box in the search area. Civil court records purchased online cost $0.10 per page and an additional technology fee of $1 per Cart.
• In-person: Requesters can visit the Office of the Prothonotary during business hours (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.) to request copies of civil court records. The Office is located at:

Bucks County Justice Center
100 North Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: (215) 348-6191

• Written requests: Individuals can submit a Request for Access Form to the Office to inspect or copy civil court records. The requester's information, a description of the desired records, a signature, and a date will be required to process the request.

Bucks County Family Court Records

The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Family Division maintains all family records pertaining to its judicial district. The Division handles divorce, paternity, and custody matters. Record seekers can find family court records online or in person at the Prothonotary Office. Online requests can be made by case or party. However, requesters should select the family case type and check the family box in the search area to narrow their searches. In-person requests can be made from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Requesters can call the Family Division ahead of visitation at (215) 348-6822 to ascertain the availability of the desired record. Alternatively, interested persons can submit written requests to the Family Division. The written request should identify or describe the desired family court records to facilitate the fulfillment of the request.

Bucks County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Individuals can find dissolution of marriage records at the Bucks County Prothonotary Office. The Office issues these records online, by mail, or in person. To obtain dissolution of marriage records online in Bucks County:

• Go to the Bucks County Prothonotary Office's official website
• Click the "E-Filing and Web Viewer" link at the left navigation plane
• Under the "Case Searches" section, click the "Bucks County Web Viewer" link
• Conduct a search by case
• Filter the search by selecting the case or filing type and ticking the family box.

Bucks County Marriage and Divorce Records

The Bucks County Clerk of Orphans' Court issues marriage records to members of the public. Individuals can get Bucks County marriage records online through the Marriage License Search tool. A search can be conducted using the applicant's name. Requesters can filter their search by file number, book number, page number, file date, or marriage date. Interested persons can also request a copy of a Bucks County marriage certificate via phone at (215) 348-6265, or by mail. Mail requesters must submit a completed Request Form to the Court. A marriage certificate costs $25 per document, payable by cash, credit card, check, or money order, depending on the request method. Payments should be made with a credit card for an additional fee.

Record seekers can get Bucks County divorce records online, by mail, or in person at the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Family Division. Online requests should be made using the Case Search tool. The search criteria are by case or party. Filter the search by selecting "divorce" as the filing type and select the family check box to view relevant results.

Bucks County Birth and Death Records

The Pennsylvania Department of Health Vital Records issues Bucks County birth and death records from 1907 to the present. These records are only issued to eligible applicants, such as the record holder (for Bucks County birth records), spouse, ex-spouse, parents, siblings, children, grandparents, legal representatives, the decedent's estate representatives, and other individuals showing a direct relationship to the record holder. Eligible individuals can get birth and death certificates via the following methods:

• Online: The Department partners with an authorized vendor to provide Bucks County birth and death records to eligible individuals. The vendor accepts a $10 processing fee and the standard birth or death certificate fee. Requesters should expect to receive their desired record by mail or pick it up at a Vital Records Office.
• My mail: Individuals must complete an Application for Birth or Death Certificate form and mail it to the Vital Records Office. An acceptable ID and the applicable fees must accompany the form. Requests should be addressed to:

Pennsylvania Department of Health
Division of Vital Records
Certificate Processing Unit
101 S Mercer Street
Room 401
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103

• Walk-in: Record seekers can visit any Vital Records Office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday to request copies of birth or death records. Same-day services are available for applications received by 2:30 p.m. Visit the Office with an acceptable ID and the necessary fee.

A birth and death certificate cost $20 each. The processing time for a Bucks County birth certificate is approximately 2 weeks. Conversely, it takes about 3 weeks to process death certificates.

Requesters seeking birth or death records from 1893 to 1906 can contact the Bucks County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court. The complete microfilm records for these documents are available at the Archive Research Center. Some documents are stored off-site and are available with advance request. Certified copies of birth/death records maintained by the Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court cost $20 per copy. To request these records, contact the Office by email at registerofwills@buckscounty.org or by phone at (215) 348-6265.

Bucks County Probate Court Records

The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphan's Court is the custodian of all probate court records in Bucks County. Individuals can view probate court records online through the Bucks County Web Viewer. A search can be conducted by case or case party. The search can be filtered by case category, case type, filing date, date of death, filing type, assigned judge, or social security number.

Alternatively, record seekers can visit the Register of Wills office on the 6th floor of the county administration building on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. An appointment must be scheduled by phone at (215) 348-6254 or (215) 348-6264.

Bucks County Property Records

Bucks County has various custodians in charge of property records. These custodians provide access to property-related information, such as deeds, property taxes and assessments, mortgages, and subdivision plans. Record seekers should be able to find property records at the following offices:

• The Recorder of Deeds Office: Online requests for property records can be made for a fee through an approved third-party vendor. Record seekers can also obtain a copy of property records from the Recorder of Deeds by phone at (215) 348-6209, by mail, or by visiting the Office during business hours. Mail requesters should expect to receive their desired records by email. Deeds or mortgages cost $1 per page, while a certified copy costs an additional fee of $1.50. Plans cost $5 per sheet. Requests should be sent to:

Bucks County Recorder of Deeds
55 E Court Street
Doylestown, PA 18901

• TheTreasurer's Office: The Office issues property tax records online and in person. Online requesters can use the Property Tax Inquiry tool to view property records. A basic search can be conducted using the parcel number. Individuals can opt for an advanced search by property address. In-person requests should be made during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Requesters can reach out to the Treasurer's Office by email at treasurer@buckscounty.org or phone at (215) 348-6244 to inquire about property tax information. 
• Bucks County Board of Assessment Appeals: The Board has a Property Records Search tool where individuals can find property information in Bucks County. The search criteria are by owner name, property address, or parcel ID. Requesters can conduct an advanced search to narrow their results. Alternatively, individuals can visit the Board on the 6th floor of the county administration building on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. to request property records.

Bucks County Court Records Online

Interested members of the public may also obtain Bucks County court records online through third-party aggregate sites. Sites like Pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us offer name-based searches across multiple jurisdictions. However, inquirers must pay a fee for comprehensive searches that return a full report on the desired record. Since these sites operate independently of official government sources, the information they provide may be outdated or inaccurate. Consequently, requesters are advised to vet every case information retrieved from third-party sites with government sources to verify a record's validity.