Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas Court Case Search

In Pennsylvania, the Courts of Common Pleas are the apex county-level judicial institution. The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas has functions similar to those of the highest county courts in other U.S. states.

Lancaster County case records are official chronicles of case filings and trials under the county trial system. The Clerk of Courts Office maintains case records and makes them accessible upon requests for legal trials, background checks, personal interests, public awareness, genealogical research, and business due diligence.

Interested individuals can request copies of publicly accessible Lancaster County case records through the Lancaster County Clerk of Courts Office during office hours.

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

The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas is a county-level trial court with authority over civil and criminal cases. In Lancaster County, the Court of Common Pleas jurisdiction includes but is not limited to cases relating to:

• Felonies
• General civil claims
• Domestic relation 
• Juvenile matters
• Adoptions 
• Arbitration reviews.

The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas comprises several divisions handling various case types (these include the Civil Division, Criminal Division, Family Division, and the Orphans' Court).

Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas 

The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas is a trial court with specialized divisions handling cases beyond the jurisdiction of the Lancaster County Magisterial District Courts. In Lancaster County, the Court of Common Pleas handles felonies and serious criminal cases through its Criminal Division. Likewise, the Civil Division oversees claim cases and other civil disputes above the authority of the Lancaster County Magisterial District Court.

The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas plays important roles through various specialized divisions. In addition to dispute resolution, the Court offers rehabilitative programs to address the root causes of legal issues within Lancaster County. It also addresses sensitive family-related disputes and helps involved parties navigate challenging legal issues.

Public members can contact the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas at:

50 North Duke Street,
Lancaster, PA 17608  
P.O. Box 83480
Phone: (717) 299-8041.

Lancaster County Case Lookup

There are several methods for Lancaster County case record lookups. The following options are available to individuals seeking access to Lancaster County case files:

Online access 

• Log into the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Case Search Portal:

• Select a search criterion from the Search By menu
• Choose the appropriate options for each menu 
• Provide the required information 
• Click the Search button to submit the request 

Mail-in requests 

• Download a Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas Right to Know/Rule 509 Request Form 
  • Complete the request form with the necessary information (this should include case number (If available), case type, filing date, and subject's name)
  • Include a check/money order to cover applicable costs and a self-addressed envelope with sufficient postage for delivery
  • Mail the request to:
    Court Rule 509 Open Records Officer
    Office of Court Administration
    Lancaster County Courthouse
    50 North Duke Street,
    Lancaster, PA 17608
    Email: lancastercourtrule509@lancastercountypa.gov
• Log into the Lancaster County Form Center Webpage, fill out and submit the online Open Records Request Form. 

Walk-in requests 

For in-person access to Lancaster County criminal and juvenile case records, visit the Lancaster County Clerk of Courts Office between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (excluding holidays) or the Lancaster County Prothonotary Office (for civil records) from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on work days.

Access to Lancaster County case records through the Lancaster County Clerk of Court Office and Lancaster County Prothonotary may require valid government-issued photo identification. 

Also, the Lancaster County Clerk of Court Office charges 25¢ per page for copies of case records and an additional $1.00 for certification. Also, requesters must pay upfront if the fees exceed $100.00. Acceptable forms of payment for copies of Lancaster County case records include cash (for in-person requests), money orders, business/certified checks, and credit cards (this option may attract processing fees).

The Lancaster County Clerk of Court Office responds to requests within two business days after payments. Nonetheless, requesters can call (717) 299-8000 to check the status of their requests.

Lancaster Court of Common Pleas Case Search by Name

A name-based search requires requesters to use case/party names as criteria for case record search. Record seekers who do not have the case numbers for Lancaster County court records should log into the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal, select Participant Name from the Search By menu, and use names to look for specific case records. Requesters can also request name-based searches for case records through the Lancaster County Clerk of Court Office and the Lancaster County Prothonotary.

Nonetheless, using names only to search for case records may give rise to errors due to similar name clashes. For accurate results, information should provide additional identifying information and confirm spellings when using names as search criteria for Lancaster County case records.

Lancaster Court of Common Pleas Docket Search

Case dockets are official summaries of case trials. Lancaster County case docket search refers to the various options for accessing information about specific case trials within the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas and the Lancaster County Magisterial District Courts. Generally, case docket information includes:

•  Filing dates
• Case numbers 
• Names of the involved parties 
• Hearing dates 
• Motions 
• Orders 
• Judgments 
• Case status.

Case dockets play crucial roles in the effectiveness and transparency of the judicial system. Interested individuals can track case progress through docket information. Individuals seeking access to Lancaster County case dockets should log into the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal and use docket numbers to search for information about specific cases. Alternatively, visit or mail the Lancaster County Clerk of Court Office and request access to docket sheets.

Lookup Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas Online

Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas case records are accessible online through official and third-party repositories. In addition to the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal, private websites like Pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us offer access to Lancaster case records and those from other courts in Pennsylvania. Third-party platforms typically allow 24/7 access to case records from different locations. However, these sites operate independently of government agencies and cannot, therefore, guarantee accurate, updated, or complete information. Users should verify documents they source from non-official repositories for authenticity and accuracy.

Supreme Court vs. Court of Common Pleas 

The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court play different roles within the Pennsylvania judicial system.