Montgomery County Court Records

Montgomery County court records are official documents, transcripts, exhibits, and files generated during court trials. They contain 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 criminal, civil, family law, juvenile, and probate cases in the county. The availability of court records is crucial to justice administration in Montgomery County. It brings transparency and accountability to the judicial system. Montgomery County court records can be used for:

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

Are Court Records Public in Montgomery County?

Montgomery County court records are public. The Pennsylvania Right to Know Law permits the public to view and request nonconfidential court records. Typically, the following court records cannot be accessed by the public in Montgomery County:

• Information about jury members and confidential informants
• Medical and Mental Health Records
• Juvenile Records
• Adoption Records
• Confidential information such as Social Security Number and driver’s license number
• Financial account numbers

Montgomery County Court Records Search

Montgomery County court records are accessible online and offline. Record seekers can search for public court records in the county online using the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal. They can also use reliable third-party websites to access court records from the county. Furthermore, they can visit the courts to view and request copies of non-confidential court records.

Montgomery County Court Records Search by Name

Searching for court records by name is one of the most common ways of locating court records in Montgomery County. A record owner's name is used as the search parameter in a name-based court records search. The name used is either that of a litigant or defendant in a civil case or a defendant in a criminal case. Record seekers can search for Montgomery County court records by name using the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal.

Montgomery County Courts

Montgomery County is the 38th Judicial District in the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania and comprises the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas is the preeminent trial court, hearing major civil and criminal cases. It also hears family law matters, such as divorce, child custody, paternity, juvenile delinquency, and emancipation. It has an Orphan’s Court that issues marriage licenses and handles all probate matters, and adoption cases.

The Montgomery County Magisterial District Courts hear minor civil and criminal proceedings, such as traffic offenses, municipal ordinance violations, landlord-tenant conflicts, and civil cases with claims under $12,000. These courts also hold preliminary hearings in felony cases before they proceed to the Court of Common Pleas. Each magisterial district court is presided over by an elected judge. The following are the courts in Montgomery County:

Montgomery County Courts of Common Pleas

Court of Common Pleas - Criminal
Montgomery County Courthouse
2 East Airy Street
Norristown, PA 19404
Phone: (610) 278-3346
Fax: (610) 278-5188

Court of Common Pleas - Prothonotary (Civil)
Montgomery County Courthouse
2 East Airy Street
Norristown, PA 19404
Phone: (610) 278-3360

Orphan’s Court
One Montgomery Plaza
4th floor, 425 Swede Street
Norristown, PA 19401
Phone: (610) 278-3400
Fax: (610) 278-3240

There are 29 Magisterial District Courts in Montgomery County.

Montgomery County District Court Records

Montgomery County District Court records are documents on legal proceedings, prosecutions, and judgments in the county's principal court. Pennsylvania’s court system has courts of common pleas as the principal court in a county instead of district courts as obtainable in other states. Records from the following case types are generated in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas:

• Probate Cases
• Criminal cases
• Civil Cases
• Family Law Cases
• Juvenile cases

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

• Open the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal
• Select the criteria for searching: participant name, attorney, docket number, date filed, or parcel
• Provide the required information, including selecting Montgomery County from the list of counties
• Click search

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

Montgomery County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Montgomery County are documents of an individual's criminal activities and prosecutions within the county. These records include Montgomery county arrest records and arrest warrants, mugshots, jail, other pretrial crime records, court proceedings, and judgments. Record seekers can request criminal records via the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) website. They can also search for Montgomery County criminal records from the Pennsylvania Department of Correction via the Inmate/Parolee Locator portal.

Montgomery County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Interested persons can search for specific criminal cases from Montgomery County via the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal. They can search by name, date filed, attorney, or docket number.

Get Montgomery County Civil Court Records

Montgomery 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:

• Property Disputes
• Family Law
• Contract Disputes
• Divorce Proceedings
• Libel and slander
• Personal Injury Lawsuits
• Employment Discrimination
• Probate and Estate
• Torts
• Consumer Protection

In Montgomery County, civil cases are heard by the Court of Common Pleas - Civil Division (Prothonotary) and Magisterial District Courts. The Montgomery County Prothonotary Office maintains, stores, and preserves these records in compliance with county and state regulations. Probate matters are handled by the Orphan’s Court and maintained by the Montgomery County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphan’s Court.

Anyone can find civil court records via the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal. Civil court records can be searched by party names, attorney, docket number, parcel, or date filed. They can also use the Montgomery County Prothonotary Case Search platform to search for the county’s civil court records. In addition, record seekers can visit the county’s courthouses to examine records of civil cases heard there.

Montgomery County Family Court Records

Montgomery County family court records are records on domestic relations matters within the county. These records are files, documents, and information on the prosecution of the following case types:

• Paternity
• Divorce
• Child Support
• Emancipation
• Legal Separation
• Domestic Violence Cases
• Spousal Support
• Protection Orders

Family court records are public in Montgomery County, but some records, due to their sensitive nature, can only be accessed with authorization. Moreover, portions of public family court records can be redacted to preserve the privacy of the record owners. Family court records are generated in the county’s Court of Common Pleas and can be accessed within the court’s premises. In addition, public family court records can be viewed on the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal and the Montgomery County Prothonotary Case Search platform.

Montgomery County Dissolution of Marriage Records

In Montgomery 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 Prothonotary Office. 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

Dissolution of marriage records in Montgomery County are open to the public but certain details of the dissolution can only be viewed by the parties involved and their attorneys. Persons interested in marriage dissolution records must visit the county’s Prothonotary Office to request for them.

Montgomery County Marriage and Divorce Records

Divorce records are official documents used during the legal separation of two married individuals, while marriage records are documents relating to the legal union of two persons. 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 Prothonotary office. 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 Prothonotary office to examine marriage and divorce records, respectively.

Montgomery County Birth and Death Records

Montgomery County birth and death records are official documentation of the birth and death of residents in the county. Montgomery County birth and death records can only be accessed by authorized persons until the records become available to the public after some specific years. In Pennsylvania, the general public can access birth records after 105 years and death records after 50 years. The Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records under the Department of Health maintains birth and death records for Montgomery County. Eligible persons can request birth or death records from the Division of Vital Records or at the county’s Register of Wills Office.

Montgomery County Probate Court Records

Probate court records in Montgomery County are documents and information about the administration of an incapacitated or deceased person's estate. It also includes documentation about the commitment of persons to mental institutions. Probate court records consist of documents on mental health evaluations, mental institution commitment, wills, guardianship, conservatorship, administration of estates, and assets Inventory. The Montgomery County Orphan’s Court handles all probate matters in the county. The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphan’s Court maintains all records generated by the court. Most probate court records are open to the public and can be accessed by anyone. Interested persons can visit the county's Orphan’s Court to request relevant probate court records. They can also search for the county's probate records via the Montgomery County Register of Wills Case Search portal.

Montgomery County Property Records

Montgomery 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. Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds maintains all land records for the county. Interested individuals can search for deeds and mortgages in Montgomery County via the Recorder of Deeds’ Public Access System. They can also search via the Assessment Office Property Records database. They can search by address and parcel ID. Alternatively, they can visit the Recorder of Deeds Office to examine their property records.

Montgomery County Court Records Online

Anyone can access Montgomery County court records through third-party online resources like pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us. These resources provide easier and more convenient ways of accessing Montgomery County court records. However, they are often more expensive and their information can be outdated.