Delaware County Court Records

Delaware County court records are official documents, transcripts, exhibits, and files generated from court proceedings in the county. Court records typically include the following:

• Case details: Case number, party names, case type, and date filed
• Pleadings: Complaints, responses, and motions
• Evidence: Exhibits, transcripts, and witness statements
• Orders and judgments: Court decisions, sentences, and fines
• Trial records: Verbatim transcripts of court proceedings
• Docket entries: Chronological list of events and filings in a case

These court records may be obtained from civil, criminal, domestic relations, juvenile, and probate cases in the county. The availability of court records is crucial to justice administration in Delaware County. It brings transparency and accountability to the judicial system. Delaware County court records can be used for:

• Background checks
• Genealogical research
• Legal research
• Academic research
• Journalism and media investigations

Are Court Records Public in Delaware County?

Delaware County court records are public. Per the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law, members of the public can view and request non-confidential court records. Confidential court records are closed to the public by law or court orders. Typically, the following court records cannot be accessed by the public in Delaware County:

• Adoption records
• Information about confidential informants
• Medical and mental health records
• Juvenile delinquency records
• Confidential information such as social security number and driver’s license number
• Active financial account details

Delaware County Court Records Search

Delaware County court records can be accessed online via the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal. Individuals can also use reliable third-party websites to search for the county’s court records. Alternatively, they can visit courts in the county to view and request copies of their non-confidential court records.

Delaware County Court Records Search by Name

Searching for court records by name is a common way of finding court records in Delaware County. Typically, a record owner's name is used as the search criterion in a name-based court records search. The name used is either that of a party in a civil case or a defendant in a criminal case. Record seekers can search for Delaware County public court records by name using the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal.

Delaware County Courts

Delaware County is the 32nd Judicial District in the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania and comprises the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. The premier trial court, the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, hears major civil and criminal matters. Family law cases, including divorce, child custody, paternity, juvenile delinquency, and emancipation, are also heard by it. It has an Orphan's Court that hears cases involving adoption, probate, and marriage licenses.

The Delaware County Magisterial District Courts handle minor criminal and civil issues, including traffic infractions, violations of local ordinances, disputes between landlords and tenants, and civil lawsuits with less than $12,000 in claims. In addition, they hold preliminary hearings in felony cases. Magisterial district courts are presided over by elected judges. Below are the courts in Delaware County:

Delaware County Courts of Common Pleas

Court of Common Pleas
Government Center
201 West Front Street
Media, PA 19063
Phone: (610) 891-4370

Orphan’s Court
Government Center
201 West Front Street
Media, PA 19063
Phone: (610) 891-4400

There are 30 Magisterial District Courts in Delaware County.

Delaware County Superior Court Records

Delaware County Superior Court records pertain to cases, prosecutions, and rulings from the county's main court. In Pennsylvania, the primary court within a county is the Court of Common Pleas, as opposed to superior courts, which are available in other states. Records from the following case types are generated in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas:

• Civil cases
• Probate cases
• Criminal cases
• Juvenile cases
• Family law cases

Interested individuals should do the following to access Delaware County Court of Common Pleas records:

• Open the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal
• Select the criteria for searching: attorney, participant name, docket number, parcel, or date filed
• Provide the required details and select Delaware from the list of counties
• Click search

Interested persons can also visit the courthouse to request court records from the Court of Common Pleas.

Delaware County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Delaware County are documents of an individual's criminal activities and prosecutions within the county. These records include Delaware county arrest records, arrest warrants, mug pictures, jail logs, various pretrial crime records, court cases, and verdicts. The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) portal allows record seekers to request criminal records in the county. Through the Inmate/Parolee Locator link, they can also look up Delaware County criminal records from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.

Delaware County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Through the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal, interested persons can look up specific criminal cases in Delaware County. The search can be conducted by name, attorney, date of filing, or docket number.

Get Delaware County Civil Court Records

Delaware County civil court records include case filings, motions, writs, settlement agreements, civil complaints, and court orders from civil adjudications within the county. They comprise documents generated from cases such as:

• Family law
• Property disputes
• Contract disputes
• Libel and slander
• Personal injury lawsuits
• Consumer protection
• Employment discrimination
• Probate and estate
• Torts
• Divorce proceedings

In Delaware County, civil cases are heard by the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. The Delaware County Office of Judicial Support maintains, stores, and preserves civil court records in compliance with county and state regulations. Probate matters are handled by the Orphan’s Court and maintained by the Delaware County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphan’s Court.

The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal allows anyone to search civil court records. Searches for civil court records can be done by date filed, docket number, attorney, party names, or parcel numbers. In addition, they can look up the county's civil court documents using the Delaware County C-Track Public Access portal. Furthermore, record seekers can visit the county’s courthouses to examine records of civil cases heard there.

Delaware County Family Court Records

Delaware County family court records are records on domestic relations matters within the county. These records are files, documents, and information on the prosecution of domestic relations cases, including the following:

• Paternity
• Divorce
• Child support
• Emancipation
• Legal separation
• Domestic violence cases
• Spousal support
• Protection orders

In Delaware County, family court records are available to the public, although some are sensitive and can only be accessed with permission. Furthermore, to protect the privacy of the record owners, parts of public family court records may be redacted. Family court documents are created at the county's Court of Common Pleas and are available for viewing on the court's grounds. Furthermore, the Delaware County C-Track Public Access portal and the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal offer access to some public family court records.

Delaware County Dissolution of Marriage Records

In Delaware County, dissolution of marriage records are official documents relating to the termination of marriages in the county. These records are managed by the county’s Office of Judicial Support. Dissolution of marriage records includes the following:

• Decree of Dissolution of Marriage
• Petition for Marriage Dissolution
• Marriage Settlement Agreement
• Child Custody
• Spousal and Child Support Orders

Delaware County dissolution of marriage records are available for public access, while access to certain information about the dissolution is limited to the parties and their legal representatives. To get marriage dissolution records, interested individuals must visit the county's Office of Judicial Support to request for them.

Delaware County Marriage and Divorce Records

In Delaware County, marriage records relate to the legal union of two people, whereas divorce records are official documents used during the legal separation of two married individuals. The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphan's Court maintains marriage records in the county. Divorce records are managed by the county's Office of Judicial Support. Anyone can access all marriage records in the county and most divorce records except those on confidential forms. Interested persons should visit the Register of Wills office and the Office of Judicial Support to examine marriage and divorce records, respectively.

Delaware County Birth and Death Records

Delaware County birth and death records are official documentation of the birth and death of residents in the county. Only authorized individuals can access Delaware County birth and death records before the records are made public after some specific years. In Pennsylvania, death records are public 50 years after death, and birth records after 105 years. Delaware County's birth and death records are kept by the Pennsylvania Department of Health's Division of Vital Records. Eligible persons can request birth or death records from the county's Register of Wills or the Division of Vital Records.

Delaware County Probate Court Records

Delaware County probate court records provide information and documentation about the handling of an incapacitated or deceased person's estate. It also provides information about the commitment of individuals to mental health facilities. Probate court records in the county include mental health assessments, commitments to mental institutions, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, estate administration, and asset inventories.

All probate cases in the county are handled by the Delaware County Orphan's Court. Probate court records are kept up to date by the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphan's Court. Anybody can access and view most probate court records, as they are publicly available. Those with an interest in obtaining pertinent probate court records can visit the county's Orphan’s Court to make requests. They can also search for the county's probate records via the Delaware County Register of Wills Case Search portal.

Delaware County Property Records

Delaware County property records, such as mortgages, deeds, liens, property sales history, zoning, parcel numbers, and tax records, are official documents on real estate in the county and are accessible to the public. Delaware County Recorder of Deeds maintains all land records for the county. Interested persons can search for deeds and mortgages in Delaware County via the Recorder of Deeds’ Public Search website. They can also use the Assessment Office Public Access System to access property records and may search by address and parcel ID. In addition, they can visit the Recorder of Deeds Office to examine their property records.

Delaware County Court Records Online

Third-party online resources like pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us offer faster and easier ways of accessing Delaware County court records. However, such services are often more expensive, and the information obtained from them can sometimes be inaccurate and not current.