Upper Darby Court Records Guide
Upper Darby court records are maintained through Delaware County, which handles all criminal, civil, and family cases for this unincorporated community of about 85,000 people in southeastern Pennsylvania. Upper Darby is in Delaware County, just west of Philadelphia. All court filings for Upper Darby residents go through the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, which is part of the 32nd Judicial District and located in Media, the county seat. A Magisterial District Court also serves Upper Darby for minor cases, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings. You can search many Upper Darby court records for free at ujsportal.pacourts.us.
Upper Darby Quick Facts
Where to Find Upper Darby Court Records
Upper Darby court records are filed and stored at the Delaware County Courthouse in Media, which is the county seat and home to the 32nd Judicial District Court of Common Pleas. Upper Darby is an unincorporated community, so it does not have its own borough or city court. Instead, all criminal, civil, and family cases go through the Delaware County court system in Media. A Magisterial District Court designated as District Court 32-1-14 handles minor Upper Darby cases locally.
| Court | Delaware County Court of Common Pleas (32nd Judicial District) |
|---|---|
| Courthouse Location | Media, PA (Delaware County Seat) |
| Local MDJ Court | District Court 32-1-14 (Upper Darby area) |
| MDJ Address | 27 South Pennell Road, P.O. Box 93, Lima, PA 19037 |
| Website | delcopa.gov/courts |
The Delaware County Court of Common Pleas in Media handles felony criminal cases, major civil lawsuits, family matters, and appeals from Magisterial District Courts. The Clerk of Courts office maintains criminal records. The Prothonotary maintains civil records. The Delaware County courts website at delcopa.gov/courts provides guidance on each court office, contact information, and how to search records for Upper Darby cases.
How to Search Upper Darby Court Records
The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the primary free tool for searching Upper Darby court records. Enter a name, docket number, OTN, or citation to find records. The portal covers cases from District Court 32-1-14 (the MDJ court serving Upper Darby) as well as Delaware County Court of Common Pleas cases. Docket sheets show party names, charges, hearing dates, and case status. There is no charge to search or view docket information.
For in-person searches of Upper Darby court records, visit the Delaware County Courthouse in Media during business hours. The Clerk of Courts office handles criminal records. The Prothonotary handles civil records. Staff at each office can look up cases by name or case number and make copies from the file. Call the courthouse before visiting to confirm current hours, copy fees, and any identification requirements.
The Delaware County courts website at delcopa.gov/courts also provides online tools and resources. It lists court offices, contact numbers, and guidance on accessing Delaware County records including those for Upper Darby residents. Both online and in-person access methods are available for most Upper Darby court records.
Note: The PATCH system at epatch.pa.gov provides statewide criminal history checks for $22 per person, covering Upper Darby and Delaware County records along with all other Pennsylvania courts.
Types of Cases and Court Records in Upper Darby
Upper Darby court records include criminal, civil, family, and traffic matters. Traffic violations, summary offenses, and landlord-tenant disputes start at District Court 32-1-14, the local Magisterial District Court. Preliminary hearings for felony cases also take place at the MDJ court before the case moves to the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. Civil claims under $12,000 stay at the MDJ court; larger claims go to Common Pleas.
The Delaware County Court of Common Pleas in Media handles all felony criminal prosecutions, major civil suits, family law matters, and appeals from MDJ courts. The court is part of the 32nd Judicial District. Criminal Division records cover felonies and misdemeanors. The Civil Division handles large civil suits. The Family Division handles divorce, custody, and support. Upper Darby residents interact with all of these divisions depending on the type of case involved.
Upper Darby Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records for Upper Darby residents start at District Court 32-1-14. This MDJ court processes summary offenses, handles preliminary hearings, and may resolve some misdemeanor matters. When a felony case moves past the preliminary hearing stage, it goes to the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Criminal Division. Both levels of records are searchable through the UJS Portal. Look under the district court docket for earlier proceedings and the Common Pleas docket for the full criminal case history.
The Delaware County Clerk of Courts maintains all criminal records at the Common Pleas level. This office tracks dockets, records judgments and sentences, and stores case files. You can search online for free through the UJS Portal or visit the courthouse in Media in person. The Delaware County courts website at delcopa.gov/courts has contact numbers and guidance for requesting criminal records from Upper Darby cases.
The Upper Darby Police Department at upperdarby.org processes records requests for police incident and accident reports through the township. These are separate from court records but may support a broader records search.
Upper Darby Police records are handled by the township and follow the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law process for requests.
Upper Darby Civil Court Records
Civil records for Upper Darby cases are filed with the Delaware County Prothonotary at the courthouse in Media. The Prothonotary maintains civil case files for the Court of Common Pleas, including personal injury suits, contract disputes, and mortgage foreclosures. Civil dockets are searchable through the UJS Portal by party name or docket number at no charge. Copies of filed documents require an in-person visit or a written request to the Prothonotary.
Small claims under $12,000 and landlord-tenant disputes from Upper Darby are handled by District Court 32-1-14 at 27 South Pennell Road in Lima. Those records are also searchable through the UJS Portal. For certified copies of civil judgments, contact the Prothonotary at the Delaware County Courthouse in Media and ask about current fees and procedures for Upper Darby civil case records.
Note: Family court records for Upper Darby residents including divorce, custody, and support cases go through the Delaware County Family Division and are accessible at the courthouse in Media or through the UJS Portal.
Accessing Upper Darby Court Records
Upper Darby 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 through the UJS Portal. Full case files, certified copies, and restricted records require an in-person visit to the Delaware County Courthouse in Media or a written request. Sealed records, juvenile records, and expunged cases are not publicly accessible.
Because Upper Darby is an unincorporated community rather than a city, its residents do not have a local city court. All court matters go through the county system in Media. This means that getting Upper Darby court records always involves reaching out to Delaware County offices rather than a local township court. The UJS Portal simplifies this by pulling records from all Delaware County courts into one searchable database.
Delaware County Court Records
Upper Darby is in Delaware County, and all Upper Darby court cases go through the Delaware County court system. For more on county court offices, related records, and additional Delaware County resources, visit the county court records page.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Residents of nearby Pennsylvania cities file court cases at their own county courthouse. Select a city below to find court record information for that area.