Allegheny County PA Court Records Search

Independent court-record guide: Public-Court-Records.us is not Allegheny County, the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, the Allegheny County Department of Court Records, Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System, Pittsburgh Municipal Court, Pennsylvania State Police, PACER, a law firm, government agency, or Consumer Reporting Agency. This page explains official court-record access routes and does not operate a people-search or background-check database.

Allegheny County court records require different search systems for criminal, civil/family, probate and lower-court cases

A single Pennsylvania name search is not enough to research every Allegheny County case. Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System Case Search is excellent for criminal Court of Common Pleas cases, Magisterial District Court cases, Pittsburgh Municipal Court matters and appellate cases—but the statewide portal specifically warns that Common Pleas civil cases do not display in ordinary public UJS search results.

For Allegheny County civil and family records, the county’s own Department of Court Records Civil/Family system is therefore essential. Wills, estates and Orphans’ Court cases have another county retrieval system, while older criminal files may require physical retrieval from storage.

Official sources checked: August 30, 2026 Civil automation date: Jan. 3, 1995 Criminal storage workflow checked 2026 DCR changes checked Federal PACER pricing checked

Allegheny County has three separate Department of Court Records divisions

The Allegheny County Department of Court Records maintains the official records of the Court of Common Pleas through three divisions.

Allegheny County court-record router

Quick Allegheny County court route finder

Select what you are trying to locate

This tool provides routing only. It does not collect a person’s name, date of birth or case number.

I need a criminal case by name

Use Pennsylvania’s free UJS Case Search. Select a participant-name search, add Allegheny County and enter the person’s first and last name. If you know the docket number beginning with CP-02, use the docket-number search instead.

I need a civil lawsuit by name

Do not rely on ordinary UJS Case Search. Pennsylvania expressly states that Common Pleas civil cases are among the records excluded from normal UJS public-search results. Use Allegheny County’s Civil Docket Access system.

I know the Allegheny civil case ID

The county’s Civil Docket Access login/search page provides direct case-ID fields. Enter the standard or non-standard case ID as requested and complete the CAPTCHA.

I need a divorce decree

Use the Civil/Family Division. The county’s current Family Division fee schedule lists a certified divorce decree service at $20.

I need a will

Use Wills/Orphans’ Court. The county’s Will Search procedure currently costs $10 and includes a copy of the will if one is found. For a certified will, contact Wills/Orphans directly.

I need an older criminal file

Current-year and four-prior-year criminal files are maintained for in-person access in Room 220. Older criminal files must be ordered from storage.

I have a Pittsburgh traffic or summary case

Use Pittsburgh Municipal Court and the Pennsylvania UJS Case Search. Pittsburgh Municipal Court handles qualifying traffic, non-traffic and city-ordinance matters within Pittsburgh.

I have a suburban traffic / landlord case

Use the appropriate Magisterial District Court. Allegheny County has 46 MDJ offices. UJS Case Search can identify the docket and the Fifth Judicial District directory can identify the office.

I need a state appeal

Use the UJS appellate search. Many Allegheny civil and criminal appeals proceed through Superior Court’s Western District; certain government and administrative matters may route to Commonwealth Court.

I need a federal or bankruptcy case

Use PACER. Allegheny County federal cases are within the Western District of Pennsylvania, with major federal court operations in Pittsburgh.

How to search Allegheny County criminal court records by name

Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System Case Search is the most practical first step for a public criminal docket search.

1. Open the official Pennsylvania UJS Case Search.
2. Select Participant Name as the search method if the docket number is unknown.
3. Enter Participant Last Name.
4. Enter Participant First Name.
5. Select Allegheny County.
6. Use minimum criteria first. Adding too many uncertain fields can unintentionally eliminate the correct result.
7. Run the search.
8. Compare docket type, court and filing date.
9. Open the public docket sheet.
10. Verify the participant role and case number.
11. Review charges individually. One case can contain multiple charges with different dispositions.
12. Read the later docket events and disposition.

UJS Advanced Search has unusually useful Allegheny criminal-search fields

If a common name produces too many Pennsylvania results, the UJS portal supports additional search fields.

Allegheny County Common Pleas criminal docket numbers use county code 02

Pennsylvania Common Pleas docket numbers begin with CP. Allegheny County Common Pleas criminal dockets commonly appear in a format such as:

CP-02-CR-0001234-2026

The important pieces are:

• CP — Court of Common Pleas;
• 02 — Allegheny County;
• CR — criminal docket type;
• sequence number;
• filing year.

Why Allegheny County civil records need a different search system

Pennsylvania’s UJS Case Search specifically warns that civil cases in the Courts of Common Pleas are among the records that do not display in ordinary public search results.

Allegheny County solves this through its own Civil Docket Access and e-Filing/Retrieval system.

What the Allegheny Civil/Family retrieval system can provide

The county states that the e-Filing and Retrieval System allows users to:

• see the case docket;
• see the official list of documents filed in a case;
• view scanned images of available filed documents;
• file documents electronically where permitted;
• access public records unless the case is sealed or another law/rule prohibits access.

How to use Allegheny Civil Docket Access

1. Open the official Civil Docket Access page.
2. If you already know the case ID, use the direct Case Search fields.
3. Enter the standard case ID in the segmented fields or use the Non Standard Case ID field when appropriate.
4. Complete the displayed CAPTCHA.
5. If broader retrieval requires an account, use the site’s New Users registration option.
6. Sign in using your own account information.
7. Locate the correct party/case.
8. Open the docket.
9. Review the official list of filed documents.
10. Open scanned images where public access is permitted.
11. If the case is sealed or an image is unavailable, do not attempt to bypass the restriction.

January 3, 1995 is the key date for older Allegheny civil records

The Civil/Family Division states that its office became automated on January 3, 1995.

Allegheny Civil/Family copy and search fees

The current Civil/Family miscellaneous-fee schedule lists:

Certified Allegheny divorce decree

The current Family Division fee schedule specifically lists:

Civil/Family office location

Allegheny criminal files have a current-file vs storage-file split

The Allegheny County Criminal Division publishes a specific physical-record workflow:

• criminal files from the current year and four prior years are located in Room 220 of the Allegheny County Courthouse;
• older criminal cases are available but must be ordered from a storage facility;
• computer terminals are available for criminal-record research;
• staff will not discuss case-related information over the telephone.

Criminal Division locations inside the Allegheny County Courthouse

Allegheny criminal-record fees are not the same as a Pennsylvania background check

Magisterial District Court records: Allegheny County has 46 separate MDJ courts

Outside Pittsburgh Municipal Court, Allegheny County’s Fifth Judicial District currently operates 46 Magisterial District Courts at community-based locations.

These courts handle matters such as:

• traffic citations;
• non-traffic summary citations;
• landlord-tenant cases;
• civil contract and tort matters up to $12,000;
• preliminary arraignments;
• preliminary hearings in criminal matters;
• bail-setting functions;
• certain emergency Protection from Abuse matters.

How to search an Allegheny Magisterial District Court case

1. Open Pennsylvania UJS Case Search.
2. Search using the docket number when known.
3. If the number is unknown, search using first and last name.
4. Select Allegheny County.
5. Check the MDJS Court Office shown in the result.
6. Open the docket sheet.
7. Write down the complete MJ docket number.
8. Use the Allegheny County District Court Directory to find that specific office’s address, phone number and hours.

Allegheny MDJ docket numbers begin with MJ—not CP

Pennsylvania’s UJS portal uses a different docket-number structure for Magisterial District Court cases.

A typical MDJ docket resembles:

MJ-xxxxx-TR-xxxxxxx-2026

Common Pleas cases instead use CP-02-….

Why an old Magisterial District Court case may disappear from the public web

Pennsylvania UJS states that, beginning April 1, 2012, when an official Magisterial District Court paper record has been—or should have been—destroyed under the judiciary’s record-retention schedule, the public web docket sheet is also no longer made accessible.

Pittsburgh Municipal Court is not just another suburban MDJ office

Pittsburgh Municipal Court handles substantial lower-court activity inside the City of Pittsburgh.

Its current jurisdiction includes:

• traffic offenses occurring within Pittsburgh, except parking tickets and citations issued by Pittsburgh Parking Authority agents;
• non-traffic summary offenses in Pittsburgh;
• City of Pittsburgh ordinance violations;
• preliminary hearings for misdemeanor and felony cases arising within Pittsburgh;
• private criminal complaints within Pittsburgh;
• preliminary hearings on homicide cases occurring anywhere in Allegheny County.

Pittsburgh Municipal Court

Municipal Courts Building
660 First Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Phone: 412-350-6715

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Emergency PFA and arraignment functions are available outside normal hours under the court’s published procedures.

Landlord-tenant and small civil cases can start below Common Pleas

Allegheny County Magisterial District Courts can hear civil matters—including contract, tort and landlord/tenant claims—when the amount sought does not exceed $12,000.

Landlord-tenant appeal route

The Fifth Judicial District currently states that an appeal from a Magisterial District Court landlord/tenant case may be filed in person with the Department of Court Records Civil/Family Division within the applicable 10-day appeal period.

Once appealed, the Common Pleas record is separate from the original MDJ docket. Research both when you need the complete procedural history.

Summary traffic and criminal appeals use the Criminal Division instead

Allegheny County publishes a separate Summary Appeals procedure for traffic offenses, truancy, summary ordinance cases and summary criminal-code violations.

Wills and Orphans’ Court requires a separate retrieval account for online case search

Allegheny County’s Wills/Orphans’ Court retrieval system currently states that you cannot perform its case search without a login. New users must register with the Department of Court Records.

Wills/Orphans’ Court includes more than estates

• decedents’ estates;
• wills;
• trusts;
• guardianships of minors;
• guardianships of incapacitated persons;
• powers of attorney;
• termination of parental rights;
• adoption matters;
• civil commitments;
• marriage licenses and marriage records;
• inheritance and estate-tax matters.

How to search Wills/Orphans’ Court records online

1. Open the Allegheny County Wills/Orphans’ Court records page.
2. Select the electronic filing/retrieval route.
3. If you do not have an account, register with the Department of Court Records.
4. Sign in with your own credentials.
5. Search the estate or Orphans’ Court case.
6. Review the docket.
7. Open scanned document images where the record is public and electronically available.
8. If the record is sealed or access-restricted, follow the court’s lawful procedure rather than attempting to bypass it.

How to search for a will when you do not have an online record

Allegheny County provides a dedicated Will Search Request procedure.

Wills/Orphans’ Court fees relevant to record users

Current 2026 Allegheny DCR changes worth knowing

The Department of Court Records has made several changes in 2026 that older tutorials will not contain.

Wills/Orphans’ Court office

Department of Court Records — Wills/Orphans’ Court Division

City-County Building
414 Grant Street, First Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2469

Phone: 412-350-4180

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The county states that applications cannot be processed after 4:00 p.m.

Right-to-Know requests are the wrong procedure for Court of Common Pleas case files

This is an important Allegheny County-specific procedural rule.

The county’s Open Records page expressly states that if you want a copy of a Court of Common Pleas case file, do not use the county Open Records / Right-to-Know fill-in form.

Case search result, docket, scanned document and certified copy are different

How to request the right document instead of “everything in the case”

Arrest, preliminary hearing, Common Pleas filing and conviction are separate stages

How to avoid misidentifying someone in Allegheny County

• Compare the complete first and last name.
• Check middle name or initial when lawfully displayed.
• Confirm Allegheny County.
• Confirm Court of Common Pleas vs MDJ vs Pittsburgh Municipal Court.
• Confirm the docket number.
• Compare filing year.
• Check participant role.
• Check attorney information where available.
• Review charge-level dispositions rather than only the case caption.
• Use date-of-birth information only when lawfully available and necessary.
• If uncertainty remains, do not attribute the record to a specific person.

Why “no results” does not always mean “no Allegheny County case”

1. Confirm the court level. Common Pleas, MDJ and Pittsburgh Municipal Court are different.
2. If the case is civil, stop relying on statewide UJS search. Common Pleas civil cases are excluded from ordinary public UJS results.
3. Use Allegheny Civil Docket Access.
4. For estate/will matters, use Wills/Orphans’ Court.
5. Check name spelling.
6. Remove uncertain search criteria.
7. Search by exact docket/case ID when known.
8. Check whether the matter was sealed, expunged or limited-access.
9. For an old MDJ matter, consider record-retention destruction.
10. For an older criminal file, ask whether it must be ordered from storage.
11. For a pre-1995 civil case, check written dockets/physical storage.
12. For an appeal, switch to appellate search.
13. For federal or bankruptcy court, switch to PACER.

UJS records that may not appear in ordinary public Case Search

Pennsylvania’s Case Search currently identifies several categories that may not display even when the correct search information is entered.

• juvenile cases;
• expunged cases;
• cases pending expungement where applicable;
• sealed cases;
• limited-access cases under Pennsylvania law;
• Common Pleas civil cases;
• older MDJ matters whose official records have been destroyed under the judiciary’s retention schedule.

Pennsylvania appellate records: Allegheny cases often use Western District Superior Court

Most ordinary civil and criminal appeals from the Court of Common Pleas proceed through Pennsylvania Superior Court unless another appellate court has jurisdiction.

Allegheny County belongs to the Superior Court’s Western District.

Superior Court of Pennsylvania — Pittsburgh Office

Grant Building
310 Grant Street, Suite 600
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Phone: 412-565-7592

How to search an Allegheny County appeal

1. Open UJS Case Search.
2. Select Appellate or Docket Number.
3. If known, enter the appellate docket number.
4. If searching more broadly, use participant, attorney or organization fields.
5. Use Trial Court County = Allegheny where appropriate.
6. Confirm Superior, Commonwealth or Supreme Court.
7. Open the appellate docket sheet.
8. Check the lower-court docket number.
9. Return to the Allegheny County DCR system for underlying trial-court filings.

Federal Allegheny County court records use the Western District of Pennsylvania

Federal cases are completely separate from the Pennsylvania UJS and Allegheny County Department of Court Records.

How to search Allegheny County federal cases with PACER

1. Open official PACER.
2. Create an account if needed.
3. If you know the case is in the Western District of Pennsylvania, search that court directly.
4. If the federal court is unknown, use PACER Case Locator.
5. Use the complete federal case number when known.
6. If searching by party name, limit the jurisdiction to Pennsylvania or the Western District where possible.
7. Confirm the court and case number before generating a long docket.
8. Use docket-date filters to reduce billable pages.
9. Open only documents you need.

PACER pricing verified August 30, 2026

Allegheny bankruptcy cases use a different federal clerk

Bankruptcy matters are not Allegheny County civil cases. They belong to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Pittsburgh

U.S. Steel Tower
600 Grant Street, Suite 5414
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Phone: 412-644-2700

Hours: 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Use PACER for public electronic bankruptcy dockets and available filed documents.

What not to do with Allegheny County court records

• Do not rely on UJS Case Search for Allegheny Common Pleas civil cases.
• Do not send Court of Common Pleas case-file requests through the general Right-to-Know form.
• Do not treat a Magisterial District Court docket as the complete later Common Pleas record.
• Do not confuse Pittsburgh Municipal Court with the 46 suburban/community Magisterial District Courts.
• Do not treat Pittsburgh Parking Authority tickets as Pittsburgh Municipal Court traffic records without checking the actual tribunal.
• Do not assume an old criminal file is kept onsite in Room 220.
• Do not assume a pre-1995 civil case is fully scanned.
• Do not use UJS docket sheets as a substitute for a Pennsylvania State Police criminal-history check.
• Do not treat arrest or filing as proof of conviction.
• Do not identify someone solely from a common-name match.
• Do not reconstruct sealed, expunged or limited-access cases.
• Do not publish protected personal identifiers merely because they appeared in an older public document.

FCRA and background-screening limitation

Official Allegheny County and Pennsylvania sources reviewed

• Pennsylvania UJS Case Search — Common Pleas criminal, Magisterial District Court, Pittsburgh Municipal Court and appellate docket searching.
• Allegheny County Department of Court Records — Civil/Family, Criminal and Wills/Orphans division routing.
• Civil and Family Court Records — local civil/family records and e-Filing/Retrieval guidance.
• Allegheny Civil Docket Access — direct case-ID search, account login and county electronic retrieval.
• Civil/Family Records Availability — January 3, 1995 automation date and older-record handling.
• Civil & Family Fee Schedules — current Civil/Family filing and service fees.
• Allegheny County Criminal Records — current versus stored criminal files and courthouse research.
• Criminal Division Cost & Fee Schedule — certification, record-check and other current criminal fees.
• Criminal Records Services & Locations — Room 114, 220 and 222 service routing.
• Wills and Orphans’ Court Records — probate, estate, marriage and Orphans’ Court resources.
• Wills/Orphans’ Court Online Retrieval — registered-user case search.
• Will Search Request — $10 will-search procedure.
• Allegheny Court Records vs Right-to-Know — confirms court case files should not use the general RTK form.
• Allegheny County Magisterial District Court Directory — all 46 community MDJ courts.
• Pittsburgh Municipal Court — jurisdiction, location and contact information.
• Pennsylvania Superior Court Prothonotary — Pittsburgh Western District appellate office.
• Pennsylvania State Police PATCH — official Pennsylvania criminal-history background-check route.
• U.S. District Court — Western District of Pennsylvania — federal court serving Allegheny County.
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Pittsburgh — federal bankruptcy court information.
• PACER — federal docket and document access.

Research verification date: August 30, 2026. Court-record access, fees, office procedures, storage arrangements and public-portal availability can change. Recheck the applicable official court page before paying a fee, mailing a request or traveling for an older file.

Frequently asked questions about Allegheny County court records

1. What is the official Allegheny County court records search?

There is no single search that covers every Allegheny County record type. Pennsylvania UJS Case Search is the primary free public search for Common Pleas criminal, Magisterial District Court, Pittsburgh Municipal Court and appellate dockets. Common Pleas civil and family records use Allegheny County Civil Docket Access, while Wills and Orphans’ Court records use the county’s separate retrieval system.

2. Can I search Allegheny County criminal records by name?

Yes. Open Pennsylvania UJS Case Search, select Participant Name, enter the person’s first and last name, and choose Allegheny County. When a complete CP-02 docket number is known, use the docket-number search because it is more precise than a common-name search.

3. Why can’t I find an Allegheny County civil case in Pennsylvania UJS Case Search?

Pennsylvania’s UJS portal expressly states that civil cases in the Courts of Common Pleas do not display in ordinary public Case Search results. Use Allegheny County’s Civil Docket Access and Civil/Family e-Filing and Retrieval System instead.

4. How far back are Allegheny County civil records computerized?

The Allegheny County Civil/Family Division states that its office became automated on January 3, 1995. Cases initiated after that date are contained in the computerized docket. Earlier cases can require written dockets, physical files or records retrieved from storage.

5. How do I obtain an older Allegheny County criminal case file?

The Criminal Division states that files from the current year and the previous four years are available in Room 220 of the Allegheny County Courthouse. Older criminal case files remain available but must be ordered from a storage facility. Contact the Criminal Records section about retrieval before visiting.

6. How much is a certified Allegheny County court record?

The current Civil/Family miscellaneous fee schedule lists a $20 certified-copy charge, the Criminal Division lists $20 for certification, and Wills/Orphans’ Court also lists a $20 certification fee. Specialized services can have different costs, so verify the applicable division’s current fee before paying.

7. How do I search for a will in Allegheny County?

Registered users can search Wills/Orphans’ Court records through the county’s electronic retrieval system. The county also offers a Will Search Request for $10. The search requires the decedent’s information, and the fee includes a copy of the will if one is found. The search fee is not refunded when no will is located.

8. Where do I search an Allegheny County traffic or Magisterial District Court case?

Use Pennsylvania UJS Case Search. Allegheny County has 46 Magisterial District Courts outside the Pittsburgh Municipal Court structure. Pittsburgh Municipal Court handles qualifying Pittsburgh traffic, summary and preliminary criminal matters. Use the docket result to identify the actual court office.

9. Where do I search Allegheny County appellate, federal and bankruptcy cases?

State appeals are searched through Pennsylvania UJS appellate Case Search. Many Allegheny County appeals fall within Superior Court’s Western District, while certain matters go to Commonwealth Court or the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Federal civil and criminal cases use the Western District of Pennsylvania and PACER; bankruptcy cases use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and PACER.

10. Can Allegheny County court records be used for employment or tenant screening?

Public-Court-Records.us is not a Consumer Reporting Agency and should not be treated as an FCRA consumer-reporting service for employment, housing, tenant, credit, insurance or similar eligibility decisions. Pennsylvania’s UJS also warns that public docket sheets are not a substitute for an official Pennsylvania State Police criminal-history background check.