Chester County Court Records
Chester County, Pennsylvania, is home to a busy court system that handles a wide variety of civil, criminal, family, and probate cases. For each matter filed, the courts generate official documents and records that chronicle the proceedings, decisions, and actions taken throughout the life of the case. These filings, complaints, motions, transcripts, case histories, and other information form the county’s court records.
A complete court case file may include information from other official records. Family court records may incorporate vital records, such as birth or marriage certificates, as evidence or exhibits. A criminal felony case may also reference police arrest reports or booking records.
Court records provide formal accounts of the judicial process and also help keep the court system accountable. Under the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania’s (UJS) Public Access Policy, local clerks of court oversee the generation, access, retention, and disposal of these records.
Are Chester County Court Records Public?
Yes. According to the UJS Case Records Public Access Policy (204 Pa. Code § 213.81), all court records are open to the public, subject to confidentiality limitations. As such, general case summaries, along with orders, judgments, opinions, and decrees, are freely viewable under this law.
In the same vein, the law designates certain case record types as confidential and certain contents as protected information. Examples include information that must be redacted from a record before its release, such as social security numbers, bank account numbers, state identification numbers (SIDs), driver’s license numbers, personal details of minors, and personal details of abuse victims. Fully protected documents include medical records, financial documents, and minors’ educational reports.
What Information is Available in Chester County Court Records?
Listed below are the typical contents of Chester County court records:
Case Initiation Documents
These files, such as complaints, petitions, indictments, summonses, and notices, are used to start the legal process.
Court Filings and Motions
These documents include motions, responses, briefs, and hearing requests.
Orders and Judgments
These are decisions issued by the presiding justice. They include final judgments, temporary orders, and injunctions.
Supporting Evidence
Broadly, these are either evidence or exhibits
Administrative Information
These include case dockets, transcripts, calendars, and fee records.
Case Termination and Post-Judgment Documents
These include settlements, summary dismissals, appeal documents, and probation/parole records.
Chester County Court Records Search
Far from having a single records custodian, Chester County courts rely on different offices to manage various types of court records. The Clerk of Courts handles criminal case records, while the Prothonotary maintains civil and family filings. The Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans’ Court holds records of estates of the deceased and the living.
Online Access
The public can access case summaries and official registers of action online through theUnified Judicial System (UJS) search portal. This portal is the primary official source of online docket information for criminal cases and also furnishes case details for civil, family, and probate matters. Search options include participant name, organization, date of filing, incident/docket number, case number, and citation.
The Prothonotary provides access to a wide array of civil case records, including contract disputes, judgments, property liens, and probate matters, through its electronic public information system, ChescoPIN. This platform allows registered users to view and download case PDFs (when available). Use of the service requires both a one-time $50 application fee and recurring monthly usage charges.
In Person
Inquirers can visit the Chester County Justice Center at 201 West Market Street, West Chester, PA, to inspect case documents through the public terminals or make file requests from the relevant court custodian. Physical or electronic mail requests should include a completed Public Access Records Request Form, a check or money order for the appropriate fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). The table outlines where to send requests for each case type:
| Department | Case | Email Address | Mailing Address (Suite) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Prothonotary |
Civil, Divorce, Liens |
Suite 1425 | |
|
Clerk of Courts |
Criminal cases |
Suite 1400 | |
|
Register of Wills |
Wills, Probate |
Suite 2200 | |
|
Orphans’ Court |
Marriage, Adoptions |
Suite 2200 |
Where the requester needs a transcript of court proceedings, they should complete and mail or email the Request for Transcript or Copy form to the Office of the Official Court Reporters at the Chester County Justice Center. Requests for older court records can be made to the Court Archives Division, which details instructions for submitting a request.
Fees for Court Records in Chester County
The table below lists general copy and certification fees for Chester County court records.
| Department | Standard Copy (Per Page) | Certified Copy (Per Document) | Exemplified Copy |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Prothonotary (Civil/Family) |
25 cents |
$7 (incl. first 4 pages) |
$23 |
|
Clerk of Courts (Criminal) |
25 cents |
$5 |
$15 |
|
Register of Wills/Orphans’ Court |
$1 |
$20 |
$75 |
Access to ChescoPIN costs $50 per subscription plus usage fees. Records placed in a CD/DVD or flash drive cost $5 per file. Finally, marriage records from the Register of Wills/ Orphans’ Court cost $20 per certified copy, while birth and death records from the state’s Division of Vital Records cost $20 per certificate.
Chester County Courthouse Locations
Listed here are the contact details, including phone numbers, for the main courthouse (Court of Common Pleas) and magisterial district courts in Chester County.
Court of Common Pleas
Chester County Justice Center
201 West Market Street
West Chester, PA 19380
Phone: (610) 344-6000
Magisterial District Courts
District Court 15-1-01 (West Chester Borough)
201 West Market Street
Suite 1307
West Chester, PA 19380
Phone: (610) 431-4814
District Court 15-1-02 (Devon / East Goshen)
1572 Paoli Pike
West Chester, PA 19380
Phone: (610) 455-1100
District Court 15-1-03 (Coatesville)
One City Hall Place
Suite 200
Coatesville, PA 19320-3446
Phone: (610) 455-1155
District Court 15-1-04 (West Chester / East End)
21 West Market Street
Suite 100
West Chester, PA 19382
Phone: (610) 344-6622
District Court 15-2-01 (Phoenixville)
347 Bridge Street
Phoenixville, PA 19460
Phone: (610) 455-1125
District Court 15-2-03 (West Goshen / Thornbury)
601 Westtown Road
Suite 110
West Chester, PA 19382
Phone: (610) 436-5757
District Court 15-2-07 (East Caln / West Pikeland / Uwchlan)
75 East Uwchlan Avenue
Suite 110
Exton, PA 19341
Phone: (610) 455-1140
District Court 15-3-01 (Coventry / Pottstown)
1101 Ridge Road
Suite B
Pottstown, PA 19465
Phone: (610) 455-1120
District Court 15-3-04 (Kennett Square)
916 West Cypress Street
Kennett Square, PA 19348
Phone: (610) 455-1170
District Court 15-3-05 (Oxford)
305 South Third Street
Oxford, PA 19363
Phone: (610) 455-1160
District Court 15-3-06 (Honey Brook)
4824 Horseshoe Pike
Honey Brook, PA 19344
Phone: (610) 455-1110
District Court 15-3-07 (Parkesburg)
315 West First Avenue
Building 3
Parkesburg, PA 19365
Phone: (610) 455-1115
District Court 15-4-01 (Chesterbrook / Wayne)
950 West Valley Road
Suite 3100
Wayne, PA 19087
Phone: (610) 455-1130
District Court 15-4-02 (Thorndale / Downingtown)
231 Boot Road
Downingtown, PA 19335
Phone: (610) 455-1145
District Court 15-4-03 (Exton)
748 Springdale Drive
Suite 110
Exton, PA 19341
Phone: (610) 455-1150
District Court 15-4-04 (Avondale / Kennett Square)
914 West Cypress Street
Kennett Square, PA 19348
Phone: (610) 455-1175
Criminal Records Access in Chester County
The public can access Chester County criminal records in two ways: through local court custodians for specific criminal cases, or through the state central repository for comprehensive criminal background checks.
The Clerk of Courts is the local custodian of all criminal court records, including case statuses, charges, court appearance timelines, and judicial rulings. Interested individuals can use the UJS search portal to review criminal case dockets. Search filters include participant name, case number, and Offense Tracking Number (OTN). The state’s judiciary also provides a mobile PAeDocket app for quick access to case information. Moreover, one can visit Suite 1400 at the Justice Center for a physical review or duplication of criminal case records.
Additionally, members of the public can make formal criminal background report requests to the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), which maintains the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) system. PATCH uses statewide citation, arrest, booking, detention, and prosecution data to compile a comprehensive criminal profile for an individual. A standard request costs $22 (non-refundable). A typical search returns an immediate response that the requester can print on the spot.
Chester County Probate Records
Probate filings encompass a variety of estate records, including initial filing documents, inventories of estate assets, court orders, guardianship or conservatorship petitions, and final settlements.
Individuals can inspect Chester County probate records using the free public portal maintained by the Register of Wills and Orphans’ Court. Filters include case number, participant’s name or address, reference number, date of death, and record type.
The Register of Wills deals with the execution of a deceased person’s wills, estate filings, and may issue letters of administration. The Clerk of the Orphans’ Court also maintains records of protective proceedings for individuals who are incapacitated and require a conservator or guardian to be appointed.
For records unavailable through the Register’s portal or the UJS web platform, individuals can visit the Register’s office in person. While general wills and letters of administration are considered open records, details of guardianships, inheritance tax filings, and sensitive personal identifiers are kept away from public view.
Chester County Family Court Records
Family court cases in Chester County are mainly handled by the Domestic Relations and Family Court departments of the Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk of Courts generates and maintains documents related to some-but not all-family matters, including adoption, divorce, equitable distribution, child and spousal support, and custody.
Individuals can use the statewide UJS Case Search portal to inspect available family court documents or contact the relevant custodian at the Justice Center. For instance, the Prothonotary issues divorce decrees, while the Register of Wills oversees requests for marriage certificates.
Access to general case dockets in some instances is unrestricted. However, adoption, child custody, and child and spousal support records are strictly confidential under 23 Pa. C.S. § 2905 and related laws.
Federal Court Records in Chester County
Civil rights violations, inter-state disputes, drug-related offenses, and other federal law matters involving individuals from Chester County fall under the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Most cases involving Chester residents are heard at the James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse in Philadelphia. The courthouse has public terminals, where the public can inspect electronic court records for free.
Alternatively, members of the public can search for criminal and civil court files through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), the nationwide portal for federal case access. Usage requires a registered account, and record retrieval involves a per-search fee, which may be waived under certain conditions.
