Carbon County Court Records

Carbon County court records, a subset of Pennsylvania court records, are formally termed "Case Records" in the Pennsylvania Code 204 § 213.81.1.B. These records encompass a wide range of documents associated with any case filed, accepted, and maintained by a court or its designated custodian.

Carbon County court records are important in the legal system. They help uphold accountability, justice, and transparency in court proceedings. They also offer archival information on cases brought before the court, the patterns of outcomes, and the determinants of the judges’ decisions, allowing lawyers and members of the public to engage in research.

Carbon County court documents often include:

• Dockets: A chronological account of judicial proceedings, including dates, parties engaged, and actions taken.
• Indices: Alphabetical lists of cases, parties, or other pertinent data.
• Documents: Various legal documents such as orders, opinions, judgments, decrees, and pleadings.
• These documents are kept in both hard and soft copy formats to ensure accessibility and preservation for future use.

Are Court Records Public in Carbon County?

Yes. Carbon County Court records are open to the public as provided under Pennsylvania Code 204 § 213.81. The code follows that the public may look at or reproduce such records regardless of their form, be it paper or electronic, upon making a request, either in writing or orally, to its custodian to the appropriate officer.

Nevertheless, some exceptions apply to that general rule. Some records may be classified from the public domain owing to regulations instituted by the court. This is to secure certain information considered sensitive and normally confidential. These classified records include:

• Social Security Numbers;
• Financial Records;
• Driver License Numbers;
• Medical and psychological records
• Children and Youth Services’ records;
• State Identification (SID) Numbers;
• Minors’ names, dates of birth (except when a minor is charged as a defendant in a criminal matter,) and educational records; and
• Abuse victim’s address and other contact information, including employer’s name, address and work schedule, in family court actions, except for the victim’s name.
• Marital Property Inventory and Pre-Trial Statement
• Agreements between the parties.

Carbon County Court Records Search

There are several avenues to explore when searching for court records in Carbon County, and they include the following:

• Carbon County Sheriff's Office
• Carbon County Prothonotary's Office
• Carbon County Court Clerk’s Office
• Recorder of Deeds
• Carbon County Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans' Court Office
• Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania State Police (PSP)
• Pennsylvania Department of Health

Carbon County Courts

The Carbon County Court system consists of Courts of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. Common Pleas courts usually deal with cases that other courts do not have jurisdiction over and have full control over civil and criminal cases. On the other hand, some civil and criminal case categories are within the jurisdiction of Magisterial District Courts. These courts hear their cases in the following courthouses:

Carbon County Court of Common Pleas - Clerk of Courts (Criminal)
Carbon County Courthouse
4 Broadway, P.O. Box 107,
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Phone: (570) 325-3637
Fax: (570) 325-5705

Carbon County Court of Common Pleas - Prothonotary (Civil)
Carbon County Courthouse
4 Broadway,
P.O. Box 130,
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Phone: (570) 325-2481
Fax: (570) 325-8047

Carbon County Orphans' Court
Carbon County Courthouse Annex
2 Hazard Square,
P.O. Box 286,
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Phone: (570) 325-2261
Fax: (570) 325-5098

Carbon County Magisterial District Court 56-3-01
340 Center Ave,
P.O. Box 356,
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Phone: (570) 325-2751
Fax: (570) 325-5538

Carbon County Magisterial District Court 56-3-02
401 Delaware Ave,
Palmerton, PA 18071
Phone: (610) 826-3707
Fax: (610) 826-6914

Carbon County Magisterial District Court 56-3-03
417 E Ridge St, P.O. Box 203,
Lansford, PA 18232
Phone: (570) 645-3024
Fax: (570) 645-5544

Carbon County Magisterial District Court 56-3-04
200 Carbon St, P.O. Box 17,
Weatherly, PA 18255
Phone: (570) 427-4100
Fax: (570) 427-8730

Carbon County Criminal Records

Per Pennsylvania's Criminal History Information Act contained in Chapter 91 of Title 18, anyone interested in accessing Carbon County criminal records may send a request to the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) has made available an online criminal records check system that the public may use. Every search is subject to a non-refundable fee of twenty-two dollars ($22.00). Credit card payment is equally acceptable. Results usually come a day after the request has been submitted.

Requesters may also access these records in person or by mail. This entails filling out a request form and attaching $22.00 and a self-addressed envelope. Responses should be sent to:

Pennsylvania State Police
Central Repository – 164
1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg
PA 17110-9758
Phone: (888) 783-7972

Generally, there is likely to be some form of a fee charged but, in some cases, the fee can be waived. Requesters may obtain this waiver from the PSP for any legitimate reason that relates to the public good.

Get Carbon County Civil Court Records

Carbon County Civil court records include legal documents which do not pertain to crime-related issues. This could involve court documents concerning contracts or agreements, land or other properties, bodily injury, marriage dissolution and many other civil cases.

The Carbon County Prothonotary is the custodian of civil court records in Carbon County. This public officer is responsible for maintaining and providing access to civil court records. Since 1984, the Office of the Prothonotary has been completely computerized, allowing access to civil docket information through remote computer connections. Using several tailor-made computer programs, all civil filings, including security agreements, are entered and docket entries are created through the use of codes.

To access civil court records in Carbon County, one must use the Carbon County Court of Common Pleas' Tyler Odyssey Portal. Users should sign in by entering their registered email and password, while new users are to register first. Once logged in, the account users can search for civil filings using case number, party name or business name. Wildcats can help if one is not sure about how to spell the names. The search results can be filtered further using the advanced options available, and when a desired case is located, users can obtain further information about the case by clicking the case number.

If the case includes associated documents, they can be downloaded for viewing or printing. For those who need full access to the portal, a yearly subscription is required. Interested individuals can contact Court Administration at (570) 325-8556, ext. 3200, for more details.

For in-person requests, individuals are to submit a written request to:

Carbon County Courthouse
4 Broadway,
P.O. Box 107,
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229

Carbon County Marriage Records

Under the Pennsylvania Right To Know Law (RTKL), marriage records in Carbon County are open to the public. Only the couple and individuals authorized by court order can access official copies of Pennsylvania marriage records. The Carbon County Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans' Court maintains marriage records dating back to 1885. To get a marriage record in Carbon County Pennsylvania, the requester is to download, fill out, and mail or submit the Marriage Certificate Request Form with a valid form of identification in person to the Carbon County Orphan Court Clerk’s office at:

Carbon County Courthouse
P.O. Box 286
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Phone: (570) 325-2261
Fax: (570) 325-5098

Carbon County Divorce Records

In Carbon County, the Prothonotary is the custodian of civil court records including divorce records. To access divorce records in Carbon County, one must use the Carbon County Court of Common Pleas' Tyler Odyssey Portal following the details given in the “Get Carbon County Civil Court Records” section above.

Carbon County Birth and Death Records

A birth and death record are formal documents verifying a person's birth and death respectively. Birth records are a crucial form of identification needed for important life events like obtaining a passport, driver's license, social security card, enrolling in school, and finding a job. Also, death records are used for various purposes such as closing financial accounts, handling estates, claiming life insurance and pension benefits, cancelling accounts, reconnecting the account holder's contact with utility companies, and as proof for a widow/widower to marry again.

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Health oversees birth and death records for Carbon County. Requesters may obtain certified records of persons who have been born or deceased in Carbon County since 1906 two different procedures. The easiest choice is to order online through the official vendor. A credit card payment is needed for this around-the-clock service, which includes a $20 certificate fee and a $10 processing fee. Individuals can obtain these certified records either by visiting a Department of Health Public Office in person or by downloading and sending the Application for Birth Certificate or Application for Death Certificate with the required fee to the provided contact details. The contact information for the Department is provided below:

Pennsylvania Department of Health
Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103

To obtain a birth certificate or death, individuals must be a minimum of 16-18 years old. Additionally, they need to show a valid ID, be a family member of the person listed on the certificate or have legal permission, and submit the $20 payment (fee exemptions might be available).

Carbon County Probate Court Records

The Orphans' Court division of Carbon County Court of Common Pleas manages estates, wills, trusts, guardianships, adoptions, and termination of parental rights. To obtain these records, requesters can contact the Carbon County Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans' Court Office office listed below:

76 Susquehanna St
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania 18229
Phone: (570) 325-2261
Fax: (570) 325-5098
Email: registerofwills@carboncourts.com

The Carbon County Prothonotary being the custodian of civil court records in Carbon County may also make some probate records available to requesters. The Office of the Prothonotary has been fully computerized, and dockets of probate cases are available by remote computer access. To access these records in Carbon County, one must use the Carbon County Court of Common Pleas' Tyler Odyssey Portal. The full details can be found in the “Get Carbon County Civil Court Records” section above.

Carbon County Property Records

The Carbon County Recorder of Deeds office has a detailed database of property records that are crucial for purchasing, selling, or researching real estate in the county. These records consist of deeds, mortgages, easements, rights-of-way, financing statements, notary bonds, commissions, veteran discharges, elected officials' bonds, satisfactions of mortgages, releases of mortgages, and powers of attorney. They also contain crucial details on property ownership, loans, and other legal issues. The Recorder’s office makes most of these documents easily accessible to the public for retrieval through their official online portal.

The Carbon County Prothonotary, as the custodian of civil court records in Carbon County, may also make some property records available to requesters. The Office of the Prothonotary has been fully computerized, and dockets of property-related cases are available by remote computer access. To access these records in Carbon County, one must use the Carbon County Court of Common Pleas' Tyler Odyssey Portal. The full details can be found in the “Get Carbon County Civil Court Records” section above.

Carbon County Court Records Online

Third-party websites like Pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us offer alternative channels for accessing court records in Carbon County. These websites provide a convenient option to access Carbon County court records from any location with internet access. Their interfaces are easy for users to navigate and provide the ability to search for specific cases based on different criteria. Furthermore, some websites might provide access to a broader selection of court documents, including those from various custodians. This is particularly useful for people who are unable to go to the courthouse or need thorough research. Third-party websites, although convenient, might not always offer the most precise or current information.