Perry County Public Records /Perry County Court Records

Perry County Court Records

How To Find Court Records in Perry County in 2026

Members of the public seeking court records in Perry County may access publicly available case information through several official channels. PerryRecords.org aggregates publicly available data that may relate to court records and related case information for Perry County. The information available through such resources may include, but is not limited to, the following record categories:

Civil court filings and judgments
Criminal case records and dispositions
Family court orders and decrees
Probate filings and estate records
Traffic citations and infractions
Small claims court decisions
Appellate court records

Court records in Perry County may be searched through five primary methods. Each method carries its own access conditions, limitations, and potential costs.

1. Clerk of Court or Court Records Office The Clerk of Court serves as the official custodian of court records in Perry County. Members of the public may visit the clerk's office in person to request case files, docket sheets, or certified copies. Providing a case number, party name, or approximate filing date assists staff in locating records efficiently.

2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals Many courthouses maintain public access computer terminals within the clerk's office or a designated public area. These terminals allow on-site review of docket entries and case information at no charge, though printing fees may apply.

3. Online Court Search Pennsylvania's unified judicial system provides an online case search portal. The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal allows members of the public to search dockets by party name, case number, or docket number across multiple court levels.

4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools The Pennsylvania Courts website provides access to statewide judicial resources, including appellate court opinions, court rules, and links to county-level court information. These tools supplement local clerk searches for cases that have been appealed or transferred.

5. Written or Mail Requests Members of the public who cannot appear in person may submit written requests to the Clerk of Court. Requests should include the full name of the parties involved, the approximate filing date, and the type of case. Fees for copies and research time may apply, and processing times vary.

Perry County Court of Common Pleas – Clerk of Courts
P.O. Box 37, 1 East Main Street
New Bloomfield, PA 17068
Phone: (717) 582-2131
Perry County Court of Common Pleas

Are Court Records Public In Perry County

Court records in Perry County are public documents under current Pennsylvania law. Pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Judicial Administration 509, case records of the Unified Judicial System are presumed open to the public unless a specific exception applies. This rule governs access to records maintained by the courts of the Commonwealth, including the Perry County Court of Common Pleas.

Records that are public under current law include:

Docket entries and case numbers
Party names (plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents)
Hearing dates, continuances, and scheduling orders
Filed motions, complaints, petitions, and answers
Court orders, judgments, and final decrees
Sentencing entries and disposition records

Records that may be confidential, sealed, or restricted include:

Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
Adoption proceedings and related filings
Mental health commitment records
Records sealed by court order
Expunged criminal records
Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and minor children's names in certain proceedings

A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While the physical case file may be inspected at the clerk's office, not all documents are available through the online portal. Sealed filings, exhibits, and certain sensitive attachments may be viewable only in person under supervised conditions, or not at all without a court order.

As stated in Pennsylvania Rule of Judicial Administration 509, "case records of the Unified Judicial System shall be accessible to the public," subject to enumerated exceptions that protect privacy, safety, and the integrity of ongoing proceedings.

What Are Court Records in Perry County?

Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court in connection with a legal proceeding. In Perry County, court records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts for the Court of Common Pleas, which serves as the trial court of general jurisdiction for the county.

The distinction between record types is significant for access purposes:

Docket entries vs. full case files: A docket is a chronological index of all actions taken in a case. The full case file contains the actual documents filed, such as complaints, motions, and orders. Docket entries are available online; full document images may require an in-person visit.
Civil vs. criminal court records: Civil records involve disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity. Criminal records document the prosecution of offenses under state law, including charges, pleas, verdicts, and sentences.
Filed pleadings vs. final judgments: Pleadings are the initial documents that define the dispute. Final judgments are the court's ultimate resolution of the matter.
Public filings vs. sealed or restricted filings: Most filings are public. Sealed filings are accessible only by court order or to authorized parties.
Trial court records vs. appellate records: Trial court records are maintained by the county clerk. Appellate records, including those from the Pennsylvania Superior Court and Supreme Court, are maintained by the appellate court clerks and accessible through the Pennsylvania Appellate Courts portal.

Court records are created at the moment of filing and updated continuously as the case progresses through hearings, motions, orders, and final disposition. Upon appeal, the trial court record is transmitted to the appellate court, where it becomes part of the appellate record.

What's Included in a Perry County Court Record?

A court record in Perry County may contain a range of documents and data depending on the case type, the stage of proceedings, and applicable public-access rules. The following information may appear within a court record:

Case identification: Case number, court name and division, filing date, and case type
Party information: Names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and in some cases, attorneys of record
Case status: Open, closed, appealed, or transferred
Docket entries: A chronological log of all filings, hearings, and court actions
Hearing information: Scheduled and completed hearing dates, continuances, and trial dates
Filed documents: Complaints, petitions, answers, motions, briefs, notices, and stipulations
Court orders and judgments: Interlocutory orders, final judgments, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, and decrees
Outcome information: Dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, acquittals, and appellate decisions
Financial and administrative data: Filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed

Certain information is excluded or restricted from public court records. Sealed filings are not accessible without a court order. Expunged matters are removed from public view pursuant to court order. Juvenile records, adoption files, and certain mental health proceedings are confidential under Pennsylvania law. Protected personal identifiers, including Social Security numbers and financial account numbers, are redacted from public filings under Pennsylvania Rule of Judicial Administration 509.2. Exhibits and physical evidence are not always part of the publicly accessible file.

Types of Courts in Perry County

Perry County is served by the Court of Common Pleas of the 41st Judicial District, which is the trial court of general jurisdiction for the county. This court handles the full range of civil, criminal, family, and orphans' court matters. The Pennsylvania Courts website provides a comprehensive overview of the state's court structure.

Perry County Court of Common Pleas – 41st Judicial District
1 East Main Street
New Bloomfield, PA 17068
Phone: (717) 582-2131
Perry County Court of Common Pleas

What Types of Cases Do Perry County Courts Hear

The Court of Common Pleas in Perry County exercises general jurisdiction and hears the following categories of cases:

Criminal: Felonies, misdemeanors, and summary offenses appealed from the magisterial district court
Civil: Contract disputes, tort claims, and other civil matters exceeding the jurisdictional limit of the magisterial district court
Family: Divorce, custody, support, protection from abuse, and adoption proceedings
Orphans' Court: Probate, estate administration, guardianship, and trust matters
Juvenile: Delinquency and dependency proceedings, which are confidential under Pennsylvania law
Appeals: Appeals from magisterial district court decisions in civil and criminal matters

Magisterial District Courts in Perry County handle limited-jurisdiction matters, including traffic citations, summary offenses, preliminary hearings in criminal cases, and civil claims up to $12,000. The magisterial district court for Perry County operates under the supervision of the Court of Common Pleas.

Magisterial District Court 41-3-01
22 South Carlisle Street
Carlisle, PA 17013 (serves portions of the region; verify current assignment with the county)
Pennsylvania Magisterial District Courts

How to Search Perry County Court Records for Free?

Several methods for searching Perry County court records are available at no cost. In-person inspection of court records at the Clerk of Courts office is free of charge. Members of the public may review docket sheets and case files during regular business hours without paying a fee for inspection alone.

The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal provides free online docket searches for cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas and magisterial district courts. Users may search by party name, docket number, or case number without creating an account or paying a fee.

Courthouse public access terminals, where available, allow free on-site review of case information. These terminals are located within the clerk's office and do not require payment for viewing records.

The following activities involve fees:

Service	Typical Cost
Photocopies of court documents	$0.25–$0.50 per page (varies)
Certified copies of court records	$5.00–$15.00 per document (varies)
Research by clerk staff	Variable; may apply for extensive requests
Electronic document downloads (some portals)	Variable

Fee schedules for the Perry County Court of Common Pleas are governed by Pennsylvania statute and local court rules. Under 42 Pa. C.S. § 1725, the General Assembly establishes fees for court services, and local fee schedules may supplement these amounts.

How Long Does Perry County Keep Court Records?

The retention of court records in Perry County is governed by the Pennsylvania Judicial Records Retention Schedule, which establishes minimum retention periods by case type and record category. The Pennsylvania Courts Records Retention Schedule provides the authoritative framework for how long records must be maintained before destruction or archival transfer.

Retention periods vary significantly by case type:

Criminal felony records: Retained permanently or for extended periods following final disposition
Criminal misdemeanor and summary records: Retained for a minimum period following disposition, which varies by offense grade
Civil judgment records: Retained for the life of the judgment plus a statutory period
Probate and orphans' court records: Many are retained permanently due to their ongoing legal significance
Family court records: Retained for extended periods, particularly custody and support orders
Traffic and minor offense records: Subject to shorter retention schedules
Docket books and minute records: Retained permanently as the official record of court proceedings

Paper files may be destroyed after imaging, microfilming, or transfer to archival storage, provided the retention schedule permits destruction. The destruction of a paper file does not constitute expungement; the record continues to exist in digital or microfilm form. Expungement is a separate legal process governed by 18 Pa. C.S. § 9122, which removes qualifying records from public access upon court order.

Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, county archives, or the Pennsylvania State Archives. The Pennsylvania State Archives maintains historical judicial records transferred from county courts, and researchers seeking older case files may need to contact the archives directly.

How To Find a Court Docket in Perry County

A court docket is the official chronological index of all actions, filings, and proceedings in a specific case. It differs from the full case file in that it lists entries and dates rather than containing the actual documents filed. The docket serves as the navigational record of a case from initiation through final disposition.

Dockets for Perry County Court of Common Pleas cases are available through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal. To locate a docket using this portal, members of the public may follow these steps:

Navigate to the UJS Web Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us
Select "Court Dockets" from the available search options
Choose "Court of Common Pleas" and select Perry County from the county list
Enter the party name, docket number, or case number in the search fields
Review the results and select the relevant case to view the full docket sheet

A court docket in Perry County contains the following information:

Case number and docket number
Court name and judge assigned
Party names and attorney information
Filing date and case type
Chronological list of all docket entries with dates
Hearing dates, continuances, and scheduling information
Motions filed, orders entered, and status updates
Disposition information and sentencing entries where applicable

A docket does not include the full text of filed documents, sealed entries, exhibits, confidential attachments, or protected personal identifiers that have been redacted. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse.

As noted by the Pennsylvania Courts, "the UJS Web Portal provides the public with access to docket information for cases filed in the courts of the Commonwealth," subject to the access restrictions established under Rule of Judicial Administration 509. Members of the public seeking document images beyond the docket sheet may request copies from the Clerk of Courts during regular business hours.