Mercer County Pennsylvania Court Records
Mercer County court records are available through the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts at the county courthouse in Mercer, Pennsylvania. Located in the western part of the state, Mercer County is served by the 35th Judicial District Court of Common Pleas. Court records here cover civil cases, criminal matters, family law filings, probate proceedings, and protection from abuse orders. Civil records date back to 1994 and are scanned for easy access. You can search Mercer County court records through the state online portal or in person at the courthouse on Courthouse Square in Mercer.
Mercer County Quick Facts
Mercer County Court of Common Pleas
The Mercer County Court of Common Pleas is the main trial court serving the 35th Judicial District. This court handles all major criminal cases, civil lawsuits, family court matters, and orphans' court proceedings filed in Mercer County. The court is located at 109 Courthouse, Mercer, PA 16137, in the center of the county seat.
The Prothonotary's office is the keeper of civil records for the Court of Common Pleas in Mercer County. Prothonotary Tanya Williams, elected in 2023, oversees the office. The Prothonotary is responsible for creating, maintaining, and certifying all civil matters before the court. Civil records from 1994 to the present are scanned and available for view at the public terminal in the office. Only in-person or mail-in filings are accepted. No electronic filings or email submissions are processed at this time.
The Mercer County government website at mercercountypa.gov provides access to all county offices and court-related information.
| Court |
Mercer County Court of Common Pleas 109 Courthouse Mercer, PA 16137 Prothonotary: available during business hours |
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| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM (PFA filings: Mon-Thu 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM only) |
| Website | mercercountypa.gov |
How to Search Mercer County Court Records
You can search Mercer County court records through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System (UJS) portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us. This free tool lets you look up cases by name, docket number, OTN, or citation. It shows the court, the judge, documents filed, hearing dates, and current case status. No account is needed to run a basic search.
Mercer County also has an Infocon web account system for docket entry viewing. This gives access to civil docket entries, though document images are not available online through this system. You can use this tool to check case status before making a courthouse visit. For scanned images of actual filings from 1994 to the present, go to the public terminal at the Prothonotary's office in Mercer.
To get copies of any document in a Mercer County court file, visit the courthouse or mail in a written request. The office does not accept electronic or email requests. Bring your photo ID if visiting in person. Staff can search by party name or case number and make copies for a per-page fee. For protection from abuse filings, PFA records can only be filed in person Monday through Thursday.
Note: The Prothonotary office in Mercer County does not accept electronic filings. All filings must be done in person or by mail.
Types of Court Records in Mercer County
Mercer County court records cover many types of legal proceedings. The Prothonotary handles civil matters including divorce, custody, personal injury cases, protection from abuse cases, equity actions, mortgage foreclosures, civil complaints, ejectment actions, malpractice suits, MDJ civil judgment appeals, license suspension appeals, administrative agency appeals, and liens against real estate and personal property.
The Clerk of Courts in Mercer County, a combined office that also serves as Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court, maintains all criminal records. This includes cases from the Court of Common Pleas and cases from Magisterial District Judge courts with certain misdemeanor dispositions, summary appeals, juvenile cases, and children and youth cases. Mercer County is one of the few counties in Pennsylvania where the Clerk of Courts, Register of Wills, and Clerk of Orphans' Court are all held by a single elected officeholder.
Mercer County Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records in Mercer County are maintained by the Clerk of Courts at the courthouse in Mercer. These records include all felony and misdemeanor cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas, as well as cases from MDJ courts with Misdemeanor 3 dispositions, summary appeals, bail bonding records, juvenile cases, and children and youth matters. Each criminal record shows the charges filed, bail status, court dates, court orders, and final outcome.
The Mercer County Clerk of Courts at mercercountypa.gov/ClerkofCourts handles all criminal filings and court records for the county.
The Clerk of Courts office also assesses, collects, and distributes all fines, costs, and restitution in criminal cases. The office does monthly accounting and reporting to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the State Department of Revenue. State Commitment forms to the Department of Corrections are completed by this office as well. For official statewide criminal history records, use the PATCH system at epatch.pa.gov for a $22 fee.
Mercer County Civil Court Records
Civil court records in Mercer County are the responsibility of the Prothonotary. The office handles all civil cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas. Civil records from 1994 to the present are scanned and can be viewed at the public terminal in the Prothonotary's office in Mercer. Docket entries are also viewable through the Infocon web account system, though document images are not available online through that system.
Visit the Mercer County Prothonotary page to learn about civil case filings, form packets, and public access options.
The Prothonotary also sells legal form packets for common civil matters. Custody Packets cost $10.00. Petition to Modify Packets cost $5.00. No-Fault Divorce Packets cost $15.00. Driver's License Suspension Packets cost $3.50. Emergency Petition for Custody Packets cost $5.00. These packets help people who want to file their own cases without an attorney. Legal aid is available through Northwest Legal Services at 724-346-6112 and the Mercer County Bar Association at 724-342-3111.
Note: Mercer County Prothonotary also offers passport services Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, with no appointment needed. Passport photos are available for $15, and are free for veterans and those 65 and older.
Public Access to Mercer County Court Records
Most court records in Mercer County are public under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101, and the Electronic Case Record Public Access Policy at 204 Pa. Code § 213.81. You do not need to be a party to a case to view or request court records. Anyone can go to the courthouse in Mercer and use the public terminal to view scanned civil records from 1994 forward.
Some records have limits. Juvenile records are not available to the general public. Mental health proceedings are restricted. A judge may also order a file sealed for specific reasons. The Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts can tell you what is available and what restrictions apply in any given case. The UJS portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us is the best starting point for a free search of Mercer County court records before visiting the courthouse.
Mercer County Register of Wills and Orphans' Court
In Mercer County, the Register of Wills function is combined with the Clerk of Courts and Clerk of Orphans' Court under a single officeholder. This unique arrangement means one office manages criminal records, probate records, and estate proceedings all in one place. The Register of Wills has jurisdiction over probate of wills and the granting of letters of administration when someone dies in Mercer County.
The office also conducts informal and formal hearings for conflicts over executor or administrator appointments. It serves as an agent for the Department of Revenue in filing inheritance tax returns and collecting inheritance taxes. The Clerk of Orphans' Court side of the office issues marriage licenses, handles adoption proceedings, and maintains records for estate proceedings and guardianship matters in Mercer County.
Nearby Counties
Mercer County borders several other western Pennsylvania counties. Each has its own court system. Use the address of the person involved to determine which county court holds the records you need.