Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Case Search

In Pennsylvania, the Courts of Common Pleas are apex county courts with authority over civil and criminal trials. The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas generates records during the various phases of legal trials, and depending on the type of case record, these documents are in the custody of the Bucks County Prothonotary (civil case records), Bucks County Clerk of Courts Office (criminal case records), and the Bucks County Orphans' Court.

Interested individuals can access Bucks County Court of Common Pleas case records for personal reasons, legal research, background checks, post-trial appeals, and legal proceedings.

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

The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas oversees civil and criminal cases. Under the Pennsylvania judicial hierarchy, the Courts of Common Pleas typically handle cases beyond the authority of the Bucks County Magisterial District Courts. The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas' jurisdiction includes but is not limited to, felonies, general claims, juvenile matters, adoptions, arbitration reviews, appeals against administrative agency decisions, and domestic relations cases.

In addition to specialty courts such as the Drug, Veterans, and Mental Health Courts, the Bucks County Common Pleas Court has several divisions that handle various case types. These include:

• Civil Division
• Criminal Division
• Family Division
• Juvenile Division

Also, the Bucks County Orphans’ Court (a division of the Court of Common Pleas) presides over estate, guardianship, and adoption cases.

Bucks County Court of Common Pleas

The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas is the apex county-level trial court in Bucks County, PA. It has general authority over civil and criminal trials, including felony cases and general claims for unlimited amounts.

The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas plays a crucial role in criminal justice, resolving civil disputes, and upholding local and Pennsylvania laws. Through its specialty courts, the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas also offers alternatives to incarceration through its rehabilitation programs. Interested public members can contact the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas at the following addresses:

Bucks County Justice Center
100 North Main Street,
Doylestown,
PA 18901
Phone: (215) 348-6000

Bucks County Courthouse
55 East Court Street,
Doylestown,
PA 18901
Phone: 1(888) 942-8257 (toll-free), (215) 348-6000

Bucks County Case Lookup

Bucks County case lookups are the various options for accessing documents and information relating to legal trials within Bucks County's Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. Public members can access Bucks case information online or through the Bucks County Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, Register of Wills/Orphans' Court, and the Bucks County Open Records Officer. The following options are available for access to Bucks County case records:

Bucks County Case Records Online.

• Log into the Bucks County Web Viewer and access information on civil and family law trials.
• Use the Bucks County Civil Prothonotary Case Search and Docket Information or the Criminal Case Search and Docket Information portals to access information about civil and criminal case trials within the various courts in Bucks Count.y

Mail-in requests for Bucks County Case Records.

• Download and complete a Standard RTK Request Form and mail it to the Bucks County Clerk of Courts (criminal case records), Prothonotary (civil case records), or Orphans’ Court (Will, guardianship, and estate records) at:

The Bucks County Justice Center
100 North Main Street,
Doylestown,
PA 18901

Requesters can also mail completed Standard RTK Request Forms to the agencies in possession of the specific case records.

Walk-in requests

Visit the Bucks County Clerk of Courts Office, the Bucks County Prothonotary, or the Bucks County Orphans' Court with a valid government-issued photo ID between 8.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m., 8.00 a.m. and 4.15 p.m., and 8.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays on work days and request access to case records. Requesters can also visit other government agencies in possession of Bucks County case records and request access under the Pennsylvania Right-to-know law.

Per Pennsylvania laws, access to Bucks County case records is limited to unsealed publicly accessible documents.

Requesters should note that the costs of obtaining Bucks County case records may vary across custodian agencies. For instance, the fees apply to case record searches through the Bucks County Clerk of Courts Office:

• Uncertified copies - $0.25 per page
• Certified copies - $12 per document
• Microfilm copies - $1.50 per page
• Electronic media copies - $10 per CD.
• Docket Printouts - $5 for the first 20 pages and an additional $0.30 per each subsequent page.

Payments for copies of case records are by cash (for in-person payments), checks, money orders, and credit cards. The Bucks County Clerk of Courts Office charges a 2.75% non-refundable service fee per credit card transaction, while there is a 2.39% or $1.50 (minimum) convenience fee for online credit card payments. Also, there is a payment limit of $2,500.00 per transaction.

The wait time for copies of Bucks County case records varies across the various custodian agencies. However, Bucks County Court records custodians make initial responses to official requests within five business days.

Bucks Court of Common Pleas Case Search by Name

The various Bucks County case records portals allow users to search for documents and information by case/party names. Interested individuals can use the names of attorneys and judges to find information about specific cases. If they do not have case numbers, records seekers can request a name search for Bucks County case records through the Bucks County Clerk of Courts Office or other custodian agencies.

However, irrespective of the request method, for effective search, information seekers should confirm spellings and provide additional identifying details to eliminate false results due to similar names. Furthermore, using filters when performing name-based searches for Bucks County case records streamlines results and saves time.

Bucks Court of Common Pleas Docket Search

Court dockets are the official documentation of filings and actions relating to specific legal trials. A typical Bucks County Court of Common Pleas docket contains:

• Case number
• Filing date
• Names of involved parties
• Hearing and trial dates
• Judicial actions
• Case status.

Bucks County Court of Common Pleas case dockets ensure easy access to case information and aid the tracking of specific trials; they also validate the transparency of the Bucks County trial processes.

Individuals seeking access to information about Bucks County case trials should log into the Bucks County Civil Prothonotary Case Search and Docket Information or the Criminal Case Search and Docket Information Portal and use the online search tools to look for details of specific cases. Alternatively, visit the Bucks County Clerk of Courts, the Bucks County Prothonotary, or the Bucks County Orphans' County and request information about specific trials.

Lookup Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Online

Information seekers can use third-party websites as alternative sources for Bucks County case records. Non-government repositories like Pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us may offer access to documents and information from various courts across the Pennsylvania Commonwealth through advanced search tools and user-friendly interfaces for fast and easy searches. Private websites also provide access to diverse case records in one place, and interested persons can access them from multiple locations at their convenience. Nonetheless, despite the numerous advantages, users should verify the accuracy and authenticity of documents and information from third-party websites.

Supreme Court vs. Court of Common Pleas

The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court are two apex courts with varying jurisdictions and authorities. The differences between them range from case types to geographical areas of authority and functions.

Geographical Jurisdiction

The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas is a county-level court whose authority does not exceed the Bucks County boundaries. By contrast, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has authority over all Pennsylvania counties.

Jurisdictions

The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas is a trial court; it conducts trials and passes judgments based on available evidence. Unlike the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is an appellate court; it does not conduct trials but reviews the decisions of the other courts in Pennsylvania.

Case types

The Bucks County Court of Common Pleas has general authority over civil and criminal cases within Buck County and conducts trials to arrive at legal decisions. In comparison, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reviews cases relating to the state's constitution, major appeals against the decisions of other courts in Pennsylvania, and administrative issues affecting the state.

Binding authority

Bucks County Court of Common Pleas judgments can be overturned by higher courts. In contrast, any decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on legal matters within the Pennsylvania Commonwealth is final unless they relate to the U.S. federal Constitution.