Forest County Court Records and Public Access
Forest County court records are kept at the courthouse in Tionesta, Pennsylvania, the county seat. Forest County is the least populous county in Pennsylvania and is part of the 37th Judicial District, which it shares with Warren County. The Court of Common Pleas handles criminal, civil, family, and orphans' court matters for all residents of Forest County. Despite its small size, the county maintains full court records that are searchable online through the Pennsylvania UJS Portal and available in person at 526 Elm Street in Tionesta during regular business hours.
Forest County Quick Facts
Forest County Court of Common Pleas
The Forest County Court of Common Pleas is located at the courthouse in Tionesta. As part of the 37th Judicial District, the court shares judicial resources with Warren County. This arrangement is common among Pennsylvania's smaller counties. The court handles all major case types in Forest County, including criminal, civil, family, and orphans' court proceedings.
The Clerk of Courts in Forest County maintains criminal court records for all Common Pleas cases. This includes dockets, case files, bail records, and appeal documents for every felony and serious misdemeanor case filed in the county. Appeals from Magisterial District Court decisions are also processed here. Records are available during business hours at the Tionesta courthouse. Call ahead before visiting to confirm hours, as staffing in small counties can vary.
The Prothonotary handles all civil court records in Forest County. Civil case filings, family law matters, divorce proceedings, custody records, judgment filings, and protection orders are all maintained by this office at the courthouse. The Prothonotary serves as the civil clerk for the Court of Common Pleas and keeps the official index of civil cases in Forest County.
The Forest County government website at co.forest.pa.us provides contact information for all court offices and details on how to access court records in Tionesta, Pennsylvania.
| Court |
Forest County Court of Common Pleas 526 Elm Street Tionesta, PA 16353 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, regular business hours |
| Website | co.forest.pa.us |
How to Search Forest County Court Records
The best place to start a search for Forest County court records is the Pennsylvania UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. The portal is free and open to anyone. You can search by party name, docket number, OTN, citation number, or incident number. The system covers all Pennsylvania counties, including Forest. A search returns a docket sheet that shows the court name, case number, judge, parties, case status, hearing dates, and a log of every document filed.
Docket sheets from the UJS Portal are useful for getting an overview of a case, but they do not include the actual text of court documents. To obtain motions, orders, transcripts, or other filed papers in Forest County, you need to contact the Clerk of Courts for criminal records or the Prothonotary for civil records at the Tionesta courthouse. Copies are available for a fee. In a small county like Forest, calling ahead is especially important to make sure the records you need are available and ready for your visit.
For an official certified criminal history in Pennsylvania, contact the Pennsylvania State Police through PATCH at epatch.pa.gov. The fee is $22 per search. PATCH produces the official statewide criminal history record under 18 Pa.C.S. section 9101. Forest County courthouse records show only proceedings filed in that county, which is a narrower record than the PATCH report.
Note: The Electronic Case Record Public Access Policy at 204 Pa. Code section 213.81 determines which records are available online and which require an in-person request at the Forest County Courthouse in Tionesta.
Types of Court Records in Forest County
Forest County court records cover all case types handled by the Court of Common Pleas and the Magisterial District Courts. Criminal records include charges, preliminary hearing results, dockets from arraignment through sentencing, and any appeals. Civil records include complaints, answers, judgments, liens, and case dispositions. Family court records cover divorce cases, custody orders, and support proceedings. Orphans' Court records handle probate, will contests, and guardianship matters.
The Register of Wills in Forest County maintains probate records, wills filed for safekeeping, marriage licenses, and real estate records. These records are shared in some functions with Warren County resources due to the shared judicial district. Historical records at the courthouse are useful for genealogy research in Forest County. Marriage licenses and estate records are public records that anyone can request.
Magisterial District Court records for Forest County cover summary offenses, traffic violations, and civil claims up to $12,000. MDJ records are on the UJS Portal and are searchable by name or docket number. If a MDJ civil or criminal case is appealed, it moves to the Common Pleas level in Forest County and a new docket is created.
Forest County Criminal Court Records
The Clerk of Courts in Forest County is the official keeper of all criminal records at the Common Pleas level. This covers felony cases, serious misdemeanors, and appeals from MDJ courts. The office processes new criminal filings, tracks bail proceedings, and dockets all motions and orders as a case moves through the system. Criminal case files are stored at the Tionesta courthouse and are available for public review.
Criminal dockets for Forest County cases are free to search on the UJS Portal. Each docket shows the charges, judge, attorney of record, bail status, court dates, and final outcome. Arrest records and summary offense cases are also searchable through the same portal at the MDJ level. If you need actual documents, you must request them from the Clerk of Courts in Tionesta.
The Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, Title 234, apply to all criminal cases in Forest County. These statewide rules govern preliminary hearings, arraignments, trials, and sentencing. They are the same in Forest County as in every other Pennsylvania county. Knowing these procedures can help you understand what each stage of a criminal record in Forest County represents.
Forest County Civil Court Records
Civil court records in Forest County are kept by the Prothonotary at the Tionesta courthouse. All civil case filings go through this office. The Prothonotary maintains the official index of civil cases in Forest County, which is searchable by party name. Judgments entered by the Court of Common Pleas are indexed here and are part of the public record. Liens recorded against individuals or properties in Forest County are also part of this index.
Divorce records in Forest County are civil matters filed with the Prothonotary. The case file includes the complaint, any response, and the final divorce decree. Family court matters such as custody and support are also tracked by this office. Protection from Abuse orders are filed and indexed with the Prothonotary in Forest County.
The Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. section 67.101, makes most civil court records in Forest County open to the public. Anyone can request access to these records. You do not need to be a party to the case. The main restrictions cover juvenile records, sealed cases, and the confidential personal information that is protected under court filing rules in Pennsylvania.
Court Record Access in Forest County
Forest County court records are public records under Pennsylvania law. The courthouse at 526 Elm Street in Tionesta is open for in-person access Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Because Forest County is the smallest county by population in Pennsylvania, it is a good idea to call the courthouse before visiting to make sure the office you need is staffed and that the records you need are available.
Online access through the UJS Portal covers all dockets for Forest County cases. The portal is free and available around the clock. It is updated regularly as new information is added to cases. For many research purposes, the docket sheet alone provides enough information. If you need a paper copy of a filed document or a certified copy of a court order, you must contact the Tionesta courthouse directly.
The Pennsylvania access to court records follows rules set by the Electronic Case Record Public Access Policy at 204 Pa. Code section 213.81. This policy applies in Forest County the same as in every other Pennsylvania county. Some documents are restricted from online access but can be viewed in person at the courthouse. Others may be sealed entirely by court order.
The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records oversees public access to government records, including court records across all 67 counties. Forest County falls under the same statewide rules as every other Pennsylvania county.
Nearby Counties
Forest County is a small rural county in northwestern Pennsylvania. It borders several other counties in the region. Each county maintains its own court records at its own courthouse.