Allentown Court Records Access

Allentown court records are maintained through Lehigh County, where Allentown serves as the county seat and the largest city in the Lehigh Valley with about 125,000 residents. All court filings for Allentown cases go through the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, which is part of the 31st Judicial District of Pennsylvania. Criminal, civil, family, and traffic matters are handled at different divisions within the court. Multiple Magisterial District Courts also serve the Allentown area for minor criminal cases, traffic violations, and small civil claims. Many Allentown court records can be searched for free at ujsportal.pacourts.us.

Where to Find Allentown Court Records

Allentown court records are kept at two main locations. The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas handles all major criminal, civil, and family cases. The Clerk of Judicial Records office at the courthouse manages civil and criminal filings. Separate Magisterial District Courts throughout the Allentown area handle minor cases and preliminary hearings. All of these records feed into the statewide UJS Portal.

The Clerk of Judicial Records is located at Room 122 of the courthouse. Michelle Graupner serves as Clerk of Judicial Records. The office is closed on major holidays but otherwise open weekdays from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The county government center at 17 South 7th Street, Allentown, PA 18101 houses additional county offices including the Recorder of Deeds. Civil records are reached at 610-782-3148 and criminal at 610-782-3077.

How to Search Allentown Court Records

The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the primary free tool for searching Allentown court records. You can search by name, docket number, OTN, or citation number. The portal covers criminal cases at both the Magisterial District Court level and the Court of Common Pleas level. Results show charges, hearing dates, judge names, and case status. Docket sheets are available to view and print at no cost.

For civil case records in Allentown, the Clerk of Judicial Records Civil Division at Room 122 maintains files for all civil litigation at the Common Pleas level. You can visit in person to review case files. The Lehigh County website at lehighcounty.org has contact information and guidance on how to request records from each court office.

Traffic and minor criminal cases that start at the Magisterial District Court level are also searchable through the UJS Portal. Multiple MDJ courts serve the Allentown area. Each handles traffic violations, summary offenses, landlord-tenant disputes, preliminary hearings, and civil claims up to $12,000. Search these records by name or docket number on the portal.

Note: The PATCH system at epatch.pa.gov provides official statewide criminal history checks for $22 per search and covers all Pennsylvania courts including Allentown and Lehigh County.

Types of Cases and Court Records in Allentown

Allentown court records span a wide range of case types that go through different parts of the Lehigh County court system. Criminal cases begin at the Magisterial District Court for minor offenses and move to the Court of Common Pleas for felonies. Civil suits over $12,000 are filed at Common Pleas. Family matters such as divorce, custody, and support go to the Family Court division. Orphans' Court handles probate of wills, estate administration, guardianships, and adoptions. Appeals from MDJ decisions go up to the Court of Common Pleas.

The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas is part of the 31st Judicial District. It handles felony criminal prosecutions, misdemeanor cases appealed from MDJ courts, civil lawsuits, and all family matters. The Prothonotary at Room 132 of the courthouse manages civil filings and records. For criminal records, the Clerk of Judicial Records criminal division at Room 122 is the right office to contact.

Allentown Criminal Court Records

Criminal records in Allentown come from two levels of courts. Magisterial District Courts handle summary offenses and conduct preliminary hearings for felonies and misdemeanors. After a preliminary hearing, felony cases move to the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas where the full criminal prosecution takes place. Both sets of records appear on the UJS Portal under different docket numbers.

The Clerk of Judicial Records Criminal Division at Room 122 of the Allentown courthouse keeps all Common Pleas criminal records. This office tracks dockets, records judgments and orders, and stores sentencing information. Staff can pull files by name or case number. In-person visits during business hours allow you to review files and request copies. Written requests by mail are also accepted for Allentown court records.

The Allentown Police Department at allentownpa.gov processes records requests for police incident and accident reports. These are separate from court records but may be useful for a complete picture of a case.

Police records from the Allentown Police Department are requested separately from court records through the city's Right-to-Know process.

Allentown Civil Court Records

Civil court records for Allentown cases are filed with the Prothonotary at Room 132 of the Lehigh County Courthouse at 455 West Hamilton Street. The Prothonotary accepts all civil filings and maintains the official docket for each case. Civil cases cover contract disputes, personal injury suits, mortgage foreclosures, landlord-tenant appeals from MDJ courts, and tax assessment appeals. Judgments and liens are also indexed through this office.

You can search civil case information through the UJS Portal by party name or docket number. For full document copies, an in-person visit or written request to the Prothonotary is needed. Civil case records at the Magisterial District Court level in Allentown cover small claims under $12,000 and landlord-tenant disputes; these are also searchable through the UJS Portal.

Note: Family court records for Allentown residents, including divorce and custody cases, are filed with the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas and are accessible through the UJS Portal or in person at the courthouse.

Accessing Allentown Court Records

Allentown court records are public under Pennsylvania law. The Electronic Case Record Public Access Policy under 204 Pa. Code § 213.81 sets out what records can be viewed online and what requires in-person access. Most docket information is free and available online. Full document images, sealed cases, and records involving juveniles are not available through the public portal.

Certified copies of Allentown court records cost more than plain copies. The Clerk of Judicial Records and the Prothonotary each handle copies for their respective case types. The civil division phone number is 610-782-3148 and the criminal division is 610-782-3077. Call ahead to ask about current copy fees, what identification to bring, and whether your record is available in person or by mail request only.

For statewide criminal history checks covering Allentown and all of Pennsylvania, the PATCH system at epatch.pa.gov provides official results for $22 per person. PATCH records come from the Pennsylvania State Police and cover all courts statewide.

Lehigh County Court Records

Allentown is the county seat of Lehigh County, and all Allentown court cases go through the Lehigh County court system. For more on county court offices, resources, fees, and related records available in Lehigh County, visit the county court records page.

View Lehigh County Court Records

Nearby Pennsylvania Cities

Residents of nearby cities file court cases at their own county courthouse. Select a city below to learn about court records in that area.

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