Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Case Search

The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas records refer to documents containing information about legal trials within the various divisions of the Common Pleas Court in Montgomery County. These documents are evidence of civil, criminal, probate, and family matter-related case trials. The Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Office is the custodian of Montgomery County criminal trial records, while the Prothonotary's Office manages civil case records.

Montgomery Common Pleas Court records search may become necessary for:

• Case tracking
• Background checks
• Genealogical and family history research
• Appeals and post-conviction reliefs
• Personal documentation
• Law enforcement or government investigations
• Real estate and property disputes.

What Kinds of cases have been heard in Montgomery Court of Common Pleas?

Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas is a county-level trial court with general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. It comprises several divisions that handle various case types (including the Civil, Criminal, Family, and Orphan's Court Divisions).

Under the Pennsylvania judicial system, the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas trial jurisdictions include but are not limited to cases relating to:

• Felonies
• Civil claims without financial limits
• Domestic relations and juvenile matters
• Adoption
• Arbitration reviews
• Appeals against administrative decisions
• Trusts, guardianship, and Wills
• Estate adjudications.

Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas

Montgomery County does not have a Superior Court. Per the Pennsylvania judicial structure, the Courts of Common Pleas handle cases within the jurisdictions of the highest County courts in other states. In Montgomery County, the Court of Common Pleas presides over cases beyond the jurisdiction of the Magisterial District Courts. The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas oversees most civil and criminal cases (except those relating to summary offenses, preliminary hearings, ordinance violations, third-degree misdemeanors, landlord-tenant disputes, and civil claims where the amount in controversy does not exceed $12,000).

The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas plays critical roles in resolving legal matters within its geographical authority, protecting constitutional rights, and serving as a central pillar for the Montgomery County judicial system. Interested individuals can call, visit, or mail the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas at:

2 East Airy Street,
Norristown,
PA 19401
Phone: (610) 278-3000

Mail address

P.O. Box 311,
Norristown,
PA 19404-0311.

Montgomery County Case Lookup

Montgomery County case lookup encompasses the various methods of accessing court records in Montgomery County. The Clerk of Courts Office, Prothonotary’s Office, and Register of Wills & Orphans’ Court manage records relating to criminal, civil, and probate case records.

Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas records are accessible online or through their specific custodian agency offices.

Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas criminal case records

For online access to publicly accessible Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas records:

• Log into the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Portal Web Portal:
  • Click the Criminal Courts of Common Pleas link
  • On the new page, expand the Search By menu and select any applicable criterion from the options
  • Enter the necessary information into the search tools and submit.

Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas civil case records

• Log into the Montgomery County Prothonotary Office Case Search Portal:
  • Enter the case number into the Case # text field
  • Select the appropriate option from the Case Type menu
  • Set the date range and provide other necessary information
  • Click Search to submit

Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas probate case records

• Log into the Montgomery County Register of Wills Case Search Portal:
  • Select the appropriate option from the Case Category menu
  • Enter the case number into the Case # text field
  • Select the case type
  • Set the date range and provide other necessary information
  • Click Search to submit.

Alternatively, use the following contact information to call, mail, or visit the Clerk of Court Office (criminal records), Prothonotary’s Office (civil records), or the Register of Wills & Orphans’ Court (probate records) and request access to court records:

Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Office

The Montgomery Court House
2 E. Airy Street, Second Floor,
P.O. Box 311,
Norristown,
PA 19404-0311
Phone: (610) 278-3346
Fax: (610) 278-5188

Montgomery County Prothonotary’s Office

Norristown Office
One Montgomery Plaza
425 Swede Street,
P.O. Box 311,
Norristown,
PA 19401
Phone: (610) 278-3360

Willow Grove Office
102 N. York Road, Suite 302,
Willow Grove,
PA 19090
Phone: (610) 278-3360

Montgomery County Wills & Orphans’ Court
425 Swede Street, 4th Floor,
P.O. Box 311,
Norristown,
PA 19401
Phone: (610) 278-3400
Email: ROWSupport@montgomerycountypa.gov.

Requesters should note that the various Montgomery County court record custodians are open between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on work days. Access to non-public documents may also require valid government-issued identification to prove the requester's relationship to the records' subjects.

Additionally, copies of Montgomery County court records cost $0.25 per page and an additional $5.25 certification fee per document (if applicable).

Record seekers should note that although the Montgomery County Clerk of Court, Register of Wills, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court accept credit/debit card payments in addition to cash (for in-person requests), certified checks, money Orders, and attorney's checks (for non-escrow payments), the Montgomery County Prothonotary’s Office does not accept personal checks or credit/debit cards.

Requesters should note that processing time for requests through various Montgomery County court record custodians may depend on the types of records and volume of requests through the specific agency. However, custodian agencies must reply to electronic requests within 10 days. Also, court record custodians must notify the requester if they cannot process a request within 30 business days.

In addition to case numbers, filing dates, names of litigants, document types, and other record-identifying information, it is advisable to include self-addressed stamped envelopes when making mail requests for Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas records (this may aid the delivery process).

Montgomery Court of Common Pleas Case Search by Name

Interested individuals can perform name-based searches for Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas records through the Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal. For a name-based search for Montgomery County court records:

• Log into the Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal
• Click the Criminal Courts of Common Pleas link
• Select Participant Name from the Search By menu
• Expand the County menu and tick Montgomery County
• Enter the participant's first and last name into the name field and click Search.

For name-based search through mail or in-person visits, include the subject or case name in the requests. Requesters should note that name-based searches without additional identifying information may result in mismatch due to similar names. Hence, inquirers should confirm spellings to improve accuracy and use filters to streamline search results.

Montgomery Court of Common Pleas Docket Search

Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas case dockets contain information about court filings and proceedings within the various courts in Montgomery County. Generally, court docket information includes:

• Case numbers
• Case types
• Case titles
• Court names and divisions
• Names of litigants
• Filings and motions
• Court hearings and trial dates
• Attorney information
• Case status
• Fines, costs, and restitutions
• Appeal filings
• Post-judgment motions.

Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas dockets are crucial for tracking case progress and obtaining up-to-date information about legal trials.

For information about legal trials within the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, visit the Montgomery County Docket Search Page and click the search links under the Criminal Cases, Civil Cases, or Register of Wills Active Cases to access the search tools and look for docket information relating to criminal, civil, and probate cases.

Also, Montgomery County case dockets are accessible through mail or in-person requests to the Montgomery County Clerk of Court Office, the Prothonotary’s Office, and the Register of Wills Office.

In Montgomery County, the following agencies are custodians of court records:

• Montgomery County Clerk of Court - criminal case records
• Montgomery County Prothonotary’s Office - civil case records
• Montgomery County Wills & Orphans’ Court/Register of Wills Office - probate records.

Lookup Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Online

Third-party websites are alternatives to traditional government sources when searching for documents and information. Information seekers can access documents like Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas records through Pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us and other private online platforms using advanced search tools for quick responses. These independent repositories offer access to documents and information from various courts within Pennsylvania counties.

However, users should verify the authenticity of documents and information from non-government sources. Some independent databases may contain incomplete or outdated records.

Supreme Court vs. Court of Common Pleas

Although the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court are apex courts, both institutions serve varying functions. Several distinctions exist between them.

Jurisdiction

The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas is a county-level trial court within Montgomery County. In contrast, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is an appellate court whose authority encompasses the whole of Pennsylvania State.

Case type

The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas has general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases within Montgomery County but presides over cases beyond the authority of the Montgomery County Magisterial District Courts.

By comparison, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court reviews cases relating to the Constitution, handles appeals against judgments of the lower courts, and presides over discretionary matters

Functions

The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas conducts civil and criminal trials, hears evidence, and passes judgments. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court interprets the Pennsylvania Constitution and reviews the decisions of the lower court upon appeals.

Judges

The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas has two presiding trial judges, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Bench comprises seven justices.

Authority

The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas judgments are appealable through the Pennsylvania Superior Court or Commonwealth Court. In contrast, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in Pennsylvania, and its decisions set precedents for all other courts in Pennsylvania.