Erie County Court Records and Docket Search
Erie County court records are maintained at the Erie County Courthouse at 140 West 6th Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. The county is part of the 6th Judicial District and has a nine-judge Trial Court that handles all major criminal, civil, family, and orphans' court cases. The Clerk of Records in Erie County performs the combined duties of Clerk of Courts, Prothonotary, Recorder of Deeds, Register of Wills, and Marriage Licenses Bureau. This unique structure means one office is your starting point for most Erie County court records requests.
Erie County Quick Facts
Erie County Court of Common Pleas
The Erie County Court of Common Pleas is the main trial court for the county. It has nine judges serving the 6th Judicial District. President Judge John J. Mead leads the court. Other judges include David G. Ridge, who serves as Administrative Judge for Criminal and Civil matters, and Erin C. Connelly Marucci, who handles Family and Orphans' Court. The court sits at 140 West Sixth Street, Erie, PA 16501.
Erie County uses a unique combined office called the Clerk of Records. Aubrea Hagerty-Haynes serves as Clerk of Records. This office handles duties that other counties split among several offices. As Clerk of Courts, the office is custodian of all criminal court records including motions, pleadings, transcripts, and other filings. As Prothonotary, it maintains all civil case records including divorce, custody, PFA orders, judgment liens, and district judge appeals. As Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills, it records real estate documents and handles probate and estate matters.
The court runs several special programs. These include problem-solving courts, treatment courts, and specialty dockets designed to address underlying issues in certain criminal cases. Each program has its own records, which are maintained as part of the broader court record system in Erie County.
The Erie County government website at eriecountypa.gov provides access to court information, department contacts, and resources for anyone searching court records in Erie, PA.
Court administration in Erie County manages daily operations for all nine judges and coordinates scheduling, local rules, and administrative orders for the 6th Judicial District.
| Court |
Erie County Court of Common Pleas 140 West 6th Street Erie, PA 16501 |
|---|---|
| Court Administration | Phone: 814-451-6302 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, regular business hours |
| Website | eriecountypa.gov/courts |
How to Search Erie County Court Records
The Pennsylvania UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the starting point for any Erie County court records search. The portal is free and available to anyone. Search by party name, docket number, OTN, citation number, or incident number. Results include a docket sheet for every case, showing the court name, judge, parties, case status, hearing dates, and a full list of documents filed. The portal covers both the Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts in Erie County.
For criminal case records, contact the Clerk of Records in Erie County. The office handles criminal record searches at a fee of $10 per search. Summary appeals from MDJ decisions cost $43.50 (non-refundable), and direct appeals to the Superior Court cost $43.50 plus $91.25 for the Superior Court fee. Bail bonds are accepted with a $16.50 filing fee added. These fees are specific to Erie County and subject to change, so confirm current rates before submitting a request.
The civil division of the Clerk of Records office transitioned to a paperless CourtPro case management system in April 2024. Records are now available as electronic scanned images. E-filing is available for civil cases. The Register of Wills division also moved to CourtPro in March 2025. For naturalization record requests, contact the office by email at ProthonotaryRequests@eriecountypa.gov.
Note: Administrative orders and local rules for the Erie County court, including Erie Local Rule 576.1 and Erie County Local Rules of Civil Procedure, are posted online at eriecountypa.gov/courts.
Types of Court Records in Erie County
Erie County court records span several different categories because the Clerk of Records handles so many functions. Criminal records include all Common Pleas felony and misdemeanor cases, plus road dockets, liquor board matters, and miscellaneous dockets. Civil records include all civil cases, district judge appeals, divorces, custody cases, Protection From Abuse cases, judgments, government liens, mechanics lien waivers, and satisfaction of judgments. Real estate records include deeds and property documents recorded for Erie County properties.
Probate and estate records in Erie County are maintained by the Register of Wills division of the Clerk of Records office. All estate records are open to the public except for adoption records, which are sealed by law and can only be accessed by court order. For opening new estates, appointments are required. You must bring a Petition for Probate, an Estate Information Sheet, a certified death certificate, and the original will if one exists. Appointments can be done in person or by videoconference if you have a working email address.
Erie County Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records in Erie County are maintained by the Clerk of Records in its role as Clerk of Courts. The office keeps every criminal document filed in Common Pleas cases, including motions, pleadings, court orders, sentencing transcripts, and appeals. All criminal dockets are searchable through the UJS Portal at no cost. The docket sheet shows charges, attorney of record, bail status, hearing dates, and case outcome.
MDJ courts in Erie County handle the first stage of criminal cases. They conduct preliminary hearings for felony and serious misdemeanor charges. MDJ courts also handle all summary offense cases, traffic violations, and preliminary arraignments. A 2021-2022 Reestablishment Plan updated the MDJ district boundaries in Erie County. MDJ records are on the UJS Portal alongside Common Pleas records, so you can follow a case from its start to its conclusion.
For an official certified criminal history in Pennsylvania, use the PATCH system run by the state police at epatch.pa.gov. The fee is $22. PATCH provides the official statewide record under the Criminal History Record Information Act, 18 Pa.C.S. section 9101. The Clerk of Records in Erie County handles case-level records from county court proceedings, not statewide history reports.
Erie County Civil Court Records
Civil court records in Erie County are maintained by the Clerk of Records in its role as Prothonotary. All civil cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas are indexed here. The index is searchable by party name and includes judgments, liens, and protection orders entered in Erie County. Since the April 2024 transition to CourtPro, civil records are fully paperless and available as scanned images for authorized users.
Divorce records in Erie County are part of the civil docket maintained by the Clerk of Records. The file includes the complaint, any response, custody or support filings, and the final divorce decree. Custody cases, support orders, and Protection from Abuse orders are all tracked in this same system. District judge appeals, where someone challenges an MDJ civil decision, are also filed here in Erie County.
The Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. section 67.101, makes most civil court records in Erie County public. Anyone can request access, not just parties to the case. Some documents may be restricted under court orders or the Electronic Case Record Public Access Policy at 204 Pa. Code section 213.81. When in doubt, contact the Clerk of Records office at the Erie County Courthouse to ask what is available and how to request it.
Court Record Access in Erie County
Erie County court records are open to the public under Pennsylvania law. The courthouse at 140 West 6th Street is the place to go for in-person access. The Clerk of Records office handles all records requests, whether for criminal, civil, real estate, probate, or marriage records. Staff can search by name or case number and provide paper or electronic copies for a fee.
Local rules and administrative orders for the Erie County court are posted online at eriecountypa.gov/courts. These include Administrative Order 90050-2024 and other court rules that govern how cases are filed and processed. Emergency Judicial Orders from prior terms are also archived on the site. Anyone filing a case or responding to one in Erie County should review the local rules before submitting documents.
The Erie County Sheriff's Office issues a reminder that scammers sometimes impersonate deputies and demand money to avoid arrest. This is a scam. The Sheriff's Office will never request money to avoid arrest. If you receive such a call, you can verify warrants by calling 814-451-6007 or report fraud to the PA Attorney General's Fraud Line at 1-800-441-2555.
Cities in Erie County
Erie County includes the city of Erie as well as surrounding townships and boroughs. All court cases for the county are filed at the Erie County Courthouse at 140 West 6th Street in the city of Erie. The Court of Common Pleas serves the entire county from this one location.
All Erie County court records are maintained at the main courthouse in Erie, Pennsylvania, regardless of where in the county a case originated.
Nearby Counties
Erie County is in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania along Lake Erie. It borders Crawford and Warren counties in Pennsylvania. Court records for each county are kept separately at each county's courthouse.