Schuylkill County Court Records

A Schuylkill County court record is defined as any piece of information, regardless of characteristics or physical form, that documents an activity or transaction of a government agency that is created, received, or maintained pursuant to law. A record court record may be in the form of a paper, letter, document, tape, photograph, map, sound or film recording, or maintained digitally. (Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law Statute).

Courts maintain court records for various purposes, such as offering a full view of the lawsuit, providing details of past court decisions, and acting as documentation of court judgments and orders.

The type of information on Schuylkill County depends on the type of court record. For Instance, criminal court records comprise details like a case number, case status, court location, charges, information of parties involved (prosecuting and defense attorney, witnesses, judge, names of the defendant), court proceedings, pleadings, claims, and complaints, motions, proceedings, orders, and judgments, among many other pieces of information. These records also constitute Pennsylvania court records.

Are Court Records Public in Schuylkill County?

Yes. Section 303 of the Pennsylvania Right-To-Know Law requires that judicial agencies maintaining court records provide the public access to court records within Schuylkill County, and Pennsylvania State. This statute categorizes court records as public records, enabling members of the public to request for records of court cases while protecting sensitive details. Thus, researchers within the county can submit a request to a local courthouse to acquire court records.

However, while the requester can access most court records, there are some records that are exempt from access.

These include:

• Records containing sensitive State or Federal information or which would result in loss of funds by the Commonwealth or an agency,
• Records that would possibly lead to demonstrable or substantial risk of physical harm to or the security of a person;
• Records associated with the military, homeland security, law enforcement, national defense, or other public safety agencies that, if disclosed, would likely threaten or jeopardize public safety,
• Records that could likely endanger the physical security or safety of a public utility, building, resource, facility, information storage system, or infrastructure.
• Records about computer software, hardware, and networks, including technical or administrative records, which would possibly threaten computer security if disclosed.
• A record of a person’s psychiatric, psychological, or medical disability status or history, such as:
  • Consultation, evaluation, diagnosis, prescription or treatment,
  • Test results
  • Enrollment in a health care program or program curated for participation by individuals with disabilities.
• Records comprising all or some parts of an individual’s Social Security number, personal financial details, driver’s license, personal email, home, personal or cellular telephone numbers, employee number, or related confidential identification number
• Records comprising the home address of a judge or law enforcement officer.
• Records comprising sensitive agency employee information, and other information classified as sealed or expunged.

Within Schuylkill County, the Prothonotary Office maintains records of all civil cases while the Schuylkill County Clerk of Court’s Office receives and maintains all court records for criminal cases within the county. In addition, Orphans’ court records can be accessed from the Clerk of Orphans’ Office and the Register of Wills. At the state level, the records can also be accessed at the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania online search portal.

Schuylkill County Court Records Search

Researchers can conduct a Schuylkill County court records search at the following locations:

• The courthouse where the case was filed.
• The Clerk of Court’s office.
• The Prothonotary office.
• A digital portal operated by the courthouse.
• A reliable third-party public records site.

Schuylkill County Court Records Search by Name

In Schuylkill County, researchers can lookup records by name by visiting the courthouse where the case was filed to lookup both closed and active cases. One must provide a case party’s full name or business name to search for court records by name within the county.

Alternatively, inquirers can use the public search terminal at the court location in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania to search for closed and active cases connected to the name.

Inquirers can also visit the office of the Clerk of Court to search for court cases by name. Furthermore, the Schuylkill Prothonotary office provides an online search portal that interested members of the public can utilize to look up civil records by name.

Researchers must note that:

• The court charges nominal fees for access and duplication of records. The fee is determined by the number of pages printed or documents, usually around $0.25 per page.

Inquirers can also perform a remote search for a court record by name on the Pennsylvania remote search portal, which offers an extensive database for looking up several kinds of court records across the different counties in the State.

Schuylkill County Courts

The court system in Schuylkill County is structured and comprises the Court of Common Pleas and numerous Magisterial District Courts. The Magisterial District Courts handle small-scale civil and criminal cases, preliminary hearings, and traffic violations. The Court of Common Pleas manages major civil and criminal cases, juvenile cases, probate matters, and family law cases. Below are the details of all courthouses in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania:

Schuylkill County Courts of Common Pleas – Prothonotary (Civil)
Schuylkill County Courthouse
#401 N. 2nd St.,
Pottsville, PA 17901
Phone: (570) 628-1270

Schuylkill County Courts of Common Pleas – Clerk of Courts (Criminal)
Schuylkill Court Courthouse
#401 N. 2nd Str.
Pottsville, PA 17901
Phone: (570) 628-1140

Schuylkill County Orphans’ Court
Schuylkill County Courthouse
#401 N. 2nd St.,
Pottsville, PA 17901
Phone: (570) 628-1382

Schuylkill County Magistrate District Courts
Schuylkill County Magistrate District Court 21-2-01
#619 West Oak Str.,
Frackville, PA 17931
Phone: (570) 874-1704

Schuylkill County Magistrate District Court 21-3-01
Borough Building
#301 Second Str.,
P.O. Box 13
Port Carbon, PA 17965
Phone: (570) 628-5351

Schuylkill County Magistrate District Court 21-3-03
Borough Building
#209 N. Warren Str.
P.O. Box 189
Orwigsburg, PA 17961
Phone: (570) 366-0244

Schuylkill County Magistrate District Court 21-3-04
#19 N. Pine Str.
P.O. Box 25
Tremont, PA 17981
Phone: (570) 695-3128

Schuylkill County Magistrate District Court 21-3-05
#33 S. Main Str.
Shenandoah, PA 17976
Phone: (570) 462-2680

Schuylkill County Magistrate District Court 21-3-06
#320 E. Broad Str.
Tamaqua, PA 18252
Phone: (570) 668-3535

Schuylkill County Magistrate District Court 21-3-07
#200 E. Arch Centre Str., #125
Pottsville, PA 17901
Phone: (570) 622-9181

Schuylkill County Superior Court Case Search

Schuylkill County does not have a Superior Court, because Pennsylvania State has a unified judicial system. Thus, the Pennsylvania Superior Court serves the whole state, rather than individual counties. In place of a Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas hands more severe civil suits, criminal cases, family law, and other related court cases within Schuylkill County.

Thus, to conduct a Schuylkill County record search, one must have the first and last name of a case party or business name to search by name. The researcher can then submit the names to the local court where the case was filed. Inquirers can use the search portal at the courthouse in Schuylkill County to lookup active and closed cases related to the case party’s name. The process can be summarized as:

• Identify the type of record being sought (civil, family, criminal, probate, or other proceedings)
• Gather every detail needed to conduct the search (such as case number, attorney name, date of events, case party names, or any related information)
• Provide the required fees for access and duplication.

On the other hand, a requester can look up a Schuylkill County court record by filling records request form and submitting it via facsimile, mail, or electronic transmission to the clerk of court, Prothonotary offices.

Schuylkill County District Court Records

Pennsylvania’s justice system comprises four primary levels of courts-the Minor Courts, the Courts of Common Pleas, the Intermediate Appellate Courts, and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, with each handling distinct responsibilities. The Magisterial District Court handles the lowest level of court cases within the county, primarily minor criminal offenses, landlord-tenant disputes, civil cases summing up to $12,000, and traffic violations.

To access the Schuylkill County District Court record, one may visit the office in person or remotely via the United Judicial System of Pennsylvania online portal.

Schuylkill County Criminal Records

In Schuylkill County, a criminal record is a detailed report of an individual’s criminal history in the county. This record usually comprises details regarding the offense, Schuylkill county arrest, and conviction. The Clerk of Courts curates and maintains all records of the Criminal Division of the County’s Court of Common Pleas.

18 Pa.C.S. § 9121 of the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA), establishes some restrictions on the availability of specific criminal records. The statute demands that criminal records that are classified as “sealed” or expunged are generally not accessible to members of the public. These records can only be disclosed to authorized entities.

Below are the following online and offline options for members of the public to access criminal records in Schuylkill County:

• Visit the local court where the case was filed to digital criminal case records at the kiosks.
• Utilizing the UJS search database to look up criminal files in the state.

Schuylkill County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Researchers can perform a Schuylkill County court case look-up by visiting the courthouse where the case was filed to query in person. One must ensure to visit the office during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. between Monday and Friday). The court charges a nominal fee of $0.25 per page for records and $8 per page for certified copies.

Alternatively, one can visit the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System online search portal to remotely access criminal records. The steps for obtaining a criminal record online is summarized thus:

• Visit the UJS search portal.
• Under the “Case Information” section, select “Case Search”
• Click on “Search By” and select the case type to search for.
• Provide the necessary information to look up the case (party name, attorney name, date filed, docket number, or other related case types).
• Provide the start and end date of the filing.
• Choose the record from the search result provided.

Get Schuylkill County Civil Court Records

In Schuylkill County, the Prothonotary office is responsible for collecting and maintaining civil court records. Thus, members of the public can search for these records via the case search portal at the Prothonotary office website. Below are the steps on how to get Schuylkill County civil court records remote:

• Visit the Schuylkill County official website.
• Navigate to the “Prothonotary” section of the menu and click on it.
• By the left of the Prothonotary webpage, locate the “Case Search” option and click on it.
• Provide the details of the case party and choose the search type (participant name, case number, date of death, reference number, and participant address)
• Provide the date range for the case filing, the case category, and the participant category.
• From the search results select the case and provide the fee for printing.

Furthermore, one can obtain a Schuylkill County civil court record by visiting the courthouse that presided over the case to search for it in person. Researchers must communicate with the courthouse before the date of the appointment to verify the record availability. Then, one must carry along a valid ID document and all essential information connected to the case.

Case searches can also be done by filling out a court request form and submitting it, alongside the required nominal fees to the presiding court address (see above for locations of all the courts in Schuylkill County).

Schuylkill County Family Court Records

Schuylkill County family court records are legal documents of family-related cases handled by the Court of Common Pleas. These records comprise several legal proceedings regarding family law, such as dissolution of marriage, alimony arrangements, property settlements, child custody, child support, adoption, paternity records, domestic violence, guardianship, Protection from Abuse (PFA), and spousal support lawsuits.

Inquirers can look up Schuylkill County court records by querying the courthouse where the case was filed and providing both details connected to the case party and the fee for accessing records.

Alternatively, one may visit the Prothonotary search portal to look up Schuylkill County family court records. Below are the steps for obtaining family records within the county:

• Visit the Schuylkill County Prothonotary case search portal
• Select the search type-party name, case number, date of death, participant address, and reference number.
• Select the Case opened Date range (start date and end date)
• Choose the case category from the dropdown list. Ensure to select case types related to family law.
• Choose the participant categories from the dropdown list.
• Search for the record and choose the record from the list of search results.

Schuylkill County Dissolution of Marriage Records

To look up Schuylkill County dissolution of marriage records, one may:

• Identify the Presiding Courthouse: Researchers should ensure to confirm which Schuylkill County local court heard the divorce proceedings.
• Query the Prothonotary: Requesters can also query the staff at the Prothonotary office at:

401 North 2nd Street,
Pottsville, PA 17901.

• Provide all required information: Inquirers are required to provide important pieces of information to facilitate the case search, including the name of a case party, or the date of divorce.
• Request for Access to Dissolution of Marriage Records: Staff at the office can offer assistance in looking up divorce records. Requesters must also provide pay a nominal fee of 25 cents ($0.25) per page to look up county dissolution of records.
• Await Processing: Following the submission of the request form to the courthouse or Prothonotary office, the government agency will process the record. During this process, the officer will locate the dissolution of a marriage record, redact all confidential or sealed information, and prepare the divorce record.
• Receive the Records: The inquirer will be able to pick up the dissolution of marriage records from the Prothonotary office. One may receive the record electronically or by mail if they don’t receive them in person.

Schuylkill County Marriage and Divorce Records

In Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, requesters may obtain marriage and divorce records from various offices. The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphan’s Court handle marriage cases in the county, while the Prothonotary office handles divorce cases and maintains their records.

A researcher can obtain a marriage record by calling or mailing requests to:

401 North 2nd Street
Pottsville, PA. 17901-2520
Phone: (570) 628-1377

The office charges a fee-of $10.00 for cash or $14.00 for credit card payments-for certified copies of marriage licenses. Inquirers must also provide the full names of both parties, the time they applied for the marriage license and the date of the marriage.

One can also obtain records of divorce certificates by submitting requests at the Prothonotary office (check above for steps on acquiring divorce records within the county).

Schuylkill County Birth and Death Records

In Schuylkill County, the Register of Wills and Court of Orphans’ office handles both birth and death records from 1893 to 1905. Birth and death certificates later than 1905, in the county and the entire state, are handled by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Authorized individuals may request a birth certificate in person by visiting any Vital Records office located in Pennsylvania.

Erie Public Office
Division of Vital Records
1910 West 26th St.,
Erie, PA 16508-1148

New Castle Public Office
Division of Vital Records
105 Nesbitt Rd.,
New Castle, PA 16105.

Harrisburg Public Office
Division of Vital Records
Forum Place Building
555 Walnut St.
1st Floor,
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1914.

Scranton Public Office
Division of Vital Records
Scranton State Office Building
Room 112
100 Lackawanna Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503-1928

Pittsburgh Public Office
Division of Vital Records
411 7th Avenue
Suite 360
Pittsburg, PAA 15219-1973

Philadelphia Public Office
Division of Vital Records
110 North 8th St.
Suite 108
Philadelphia, PA 19107-2412

Note: Researchers should fill out the Application for Birth Certificate (Spanish) form, and submit it with a valid means of identification and the necessary fee.

Alternatively, requests can be done via mail-in requests, along with a valid ID document, and the payment fees for access at:

Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16103
(866) 712-8238

For death records, after filling out the request form, researchers are required to submit it together with a valid ID document and a $20 fee for access to the:

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

Birth records are useful for various purposes, including offering an individual proof of identity, access to register for school, government benefits, and voting rights; they are crucial for health and medical benefits, providing research and statistical analysis, and establishing familial bonds.

Death records are crucial for legal processes like settling estates, sharing inheritance, and executing wills; they also provide one with an avenue to trace family histories, among many other uses.

Schuylkill County Probate Court Records

In Schuylkill County, probate records are official records or documents about the distribution or administration of a deceased individual’s estates, guardianships, adoptions, audits of accounts, motions, and petitions, and related lawsuits. The Register of Wills and Orphans’ Court office collates and maintains these records, including those regarding wills, guardianships, and estates.

A requester can visit the office of the Register of Wills and Orphans’ Court Division during business hours (Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to conduct an in-person request of the probate records. One must note to complete the request form, pay all necessary fees, and provide vital information connected to the case party before submitting to the office.

Alternatively, one may submit a mail request to acquire Schuylkill County probate court records by drafting a letter and including the necessary details (like party names, dates, and case numbers), identification, and payment (via money order or check). Then, the requester can send the request to:

The Register of Wills and Orphans’ Court Division
Schuylkill County Courthouse
401 North 2nd Street.
Pottsville, PA 17901.

Schuylkill County Property Records

Property records are legal documents comprising information about real estate, such as taxation, ownership, and assessment. The Recorder of Deeds office is responsible for maintaining property records and related documents, such as mortgages, deeds, liens, agreements, easements, plats, and land surveys.

One may obtain a property record by querying the Recorder of Deeds office via in-person, mail, or using the US Land Records search portal. Below are concise steps to accessing a property record:

• Visit the US Land Records website.
• Select Pennsylvania from the list of dropdowns of states.
• Choose Schuylkill County from the list of dropdowns of counties.
• Select the case search type (document search, name search, volume search, and date search)
• Provide other important details like business/last name, first name, and party type.

Note: The office charges users a nominal fee of $1.00 per page

Schuylkill County Court Records Online

Typically, interested members of the public can look up Schuylkill County court records on official and third-party platforms. Reliable third-party platforms such as Pennsylvaniacourtrecords.us are operated by independent firms that curate public records from multiple repositories and sell them to requesters.

One benefit of a third-party platform is that it enables requesters to quickly search for records, making them faster than traditional government-run portals. These platforms also offer easy access to records from anywhere using an internet connection, helping requesters not to visit a government office or a courthouse in person.

However, using a third-party platform comes with certain limitations, such as higher cost compared to government-operated platforms, and issues with accuracy and currency. Thus, requesters will need to confirm with government sites to confirm that certain details about a court record are valid and up-to-date.