Pittsburgh Court Records Online
Pittsburgh court records are filed and maintained through Allegheny County, which serves as both the county seat and the home of the second largest city in Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh has a population of roughly 300,000 people. Criminal, civil, family, and traffic cases for Pittsburgh residents go through the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas and the Pittsburgh Municipal Court. Allegheny County also operates the Department of Court Records, which manages civil and family court filings for the entire county. You can search many Pittsburgh court records at no charge through the statewide UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us.
Pittsburgh Quick Facts
Where to Find Pittsburgh Court Records
Pittsburgh court records are kept at the Allegheny County Courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh. The Department of Court Records handles civil and family filings. The Clerk of Courts Office handles criminal records. Both offices are at the same courthouse address. The Pittsburgh Municipal Court is a limited jurisdiction court that handles minor criminal, non-traffic, and traffic matters and is part of the Magisterial District Judge system in Allegheny County.
| Court | Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas |
|---|---|
| Address | 436 Grant Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 |
| Criminal Records | Room 220, Allegheny County Courthouse |
| Website | alleghenycounty.us |
The Criminal Division is located at Room 220 of the Allegheny County Courthouse at 436 Grant Street. The civil and family division records are maintained by the Department of Court Records at the same building. Records for Pittsburgh cases that started in Magisterial District Courts also appear in the UJS Portal. New records may take two to four weeks from a preliminary hearing to show up in the online system.
How to Search Pittsburgh Court Records
The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the starting point for most Pittsburgh court record searches. You can search by name, docket number, OTN, or citation. Criminal docket sheets from the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas and the Pittsburgh Municipal Court both appear in the portal. The portal shows party names, charges, hearing dates, judge assignments, and case status. There is no charge to search or view docket sheets.
For civil and family records, the Allegheny County Department of Court Records maintains filings for all civil and family court cases. You can visit the courthouse to search records in person or request copies by mail. The Allegheny County website at alleghenycounty.us has additional tools and contact information for the Department of Court Records.
To look up a Pittsburgh criminal case using an OTN, go to the UJS Portal case search page, choose OTN from the search type dropdown, enter the OTN from the preliminary hearing paperwork, and click search. Move your cursor over the blue icon next to the result to view the full docket sheet. Allow two to four weeks after a preliminary hearing for the record to appear.
Note: The PATCH system at epatch.pa.gov provides statewide criminal history reports for $22 each and covers Pittsburgh cases along with all other Pennsylvania courts.
Types of Cases and Court Records in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh court records include criminal, civil, family, and traffic cases. Criminal cases cover everything from summary offenses handled at Magisterial District Courts to felonies at the Court of Common Pleas. Civil cases in the Allegheny County court system range from small claims at the MDJ level to complex commercial litigation at Common Pleas. Family court in Pittsburgh handles divorce, custody, support, and protection orders. Orphans' Court handles estates, guardianships, and adoptions.
The Pittsburgh Municipal Court is a limited jurisdiction court with three divisions: Criminal, Non-Traffic, and Traffic. It operates within the broader Magisterial District Judge system for Allegheny County. Records from Pittsburgh Municipal Court are available through the UJS Portal like any other MDJ court in the state.
Pittsburgh Criminal Court Records
Criminal records for Pittsburgh start at the Magisterial District Court level. Summary offenses and misdemeanor cases may be resolved there. Felony cases receive a preliminary hearing at the MDJ level and then move to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Criminal Division. Both levels generate docket records that are publicly available through the UJS Portal.
The Allegheny County Clerk of Courts Office at Room 220 of the courthouse maintains all Common Pleas criminal records. The office tracks dockets, records judgments and orders, and stores sentencing records. You can request copies in person during business hours or by mail. Court files include charging documents, motions, orders, and sentencing information.
The Allegheny County Department of Court Records image below shows the county's main system for accessing Pittsburgh court records for civil and criminal filings.
Civil and criminal case records for Pittsburgh are both tracked through the Allegheny County Department of Court Records at 436 Grant Street.
Pittsburgh Civil Court Records
Civil records for Pittsburgh cases are filed with the Allegheny County Department of Court Records. This office receives and maintains all filings for civil and family courts in the county. Cases include personal injury suits, contract disputes, mortgage foreclosures, landlord-tenant appeals, and tax assessment appeals. The civil dockets are searchable through the UJS Portal by party name or docket number.
Small civil claims under $12,000 are handled at the Magisterial District Court level and can be searched through the UJS Portal as well. For copies of full civil case files, you visit the Department of Court Records at the Allegheny County Courthouse during business hours. Staff can help locate files and make copies. Certified copies cost more than plain copies; call the office to confirm current rates before your visit.
Accessing Pittsburgh Court Records
Pittsburgh court records are public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. § 67.101) and the Electronic Case Record Public Access Policy under 204 Pa. Code § 213.81. Most docket information is available free online. Full document images and certified copies require an in-person visit or a written request. Sealed records, juvenile records, and expunged cases are not available to the public.
The Pittsburgh Police Department at pittsburghpa.gov handles incident reports, accident reports, and other police records. These records are separate from court records but may be relevant if you are researching a case. Requests go through the city's Right-to-Know process.
Police records from the Pittsburgh Police Department are requested separately from court records and follow the Right-to-Know Law process.
Note: Court records in Allegheny County may take two to four weeks after a case event to appear in the UJS Portal, so very recent records may not yet be visible online.
Allegheny County Court Records
Pittsburgh is the seat of Allegheny County, and all Pittsburgh court cases are filed through the Allegheny County court system. For more information on county court offices, fees, related records, and additional resources for Allegheny County, visit the county court records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Residents of nearby Pennsylvania cities file court cases through their own county courts. Pick a city below to find court record information for that area.