How to Search York County Court Records
The main tool for a York County court records search is the free, statewide Pennsylvania UJS Case Search. It is open to the public. The portal covers Court of Common Pleas cases, Magisterial District Court cases, and appellate matters. You can look up criminal, civil, traffic, and many summary cases by name, docket number, or citation number. A docket sheet shows case status, charges, hearing dates, and financial balances. It does not let you download the filed documents themselves.
The York County records search begins at the state portal. The Pennsylvania UJS Case Search page opens with a Search By menu and county filters.
Pick a search type first, then add York County so the results stay local. A little prep saves time. Have a full name ready, and a docket or citation number if you can find one.
- Open the Pennsylvania UJS Case Search and pick a search type, such as Participant Name, Docket Number, or Citation Number.
- Enter the name or number, then set County to York or Judicial District to York to narrow the results.
- For a local traffic or landlord case, choose a York Magisterial District Court office if you know it.
- Run the search and open the matching docket sheet to read charges, hearings, dispositions, and costs.
- For copies of filed documents, contact the York County office that holds the case: the Prothonotary for civil and family, the Clerk of Courts for criminal, or the Register of Wills for estates.
The portal accepts several search fields. The table below lists the ones most people use for a York County court records search.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search By | Dropdown | Yes | Name, docket number, citation number, OTN, and more |
| Participant Name | Text | Conditional | Last and first name for a person search |
| Docket Number | Text | Conditional | Exact CP or MJ docket when known |
| Citation Number | Text | Conditional | For traffic and summary tickets |
| County | Dropdown | Recommended | Select York to keep results local |
The York County Judicial System
York County makes up Pennsylvania's 19th Judicial District. Most court business begins in one of two places. Magisterial District Courts are the first level of judicial authority, and the Court of Common Pleas is the trial court of general jurisdiction. The county's Magisterial District Judges handle traffic cases, minor crimes, landlord-tenant disputes, and civil claims up to $12,000. They also set bail and hold preliminary hearings. When a judge finds enough evidence, felony and misdemeanor cases move up to the Court of Common Pleas.
The Court of Common Pleas hears major civil and criminal cases. It also takes divorce, custody, adoption, abuse and protection matters, juvenile delinquency, estates, and guardianships. President Judge Michael W. Flannelly leads the court, joined by more than a dozen judges and several senior judges. The county Court of Common Pleas page lays out this structure.
Appeals from Common Pleas go to the Superior Court or the Commonwealth Court, and then to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
Case flow: Magisterial District Court › Court of Common Pleas › Superior or Commonwealth Court › Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
| Court | Jurisdiction | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Magisterial District Court | First-level local court | Traffic, summary, landlord-tenant, civil up to $12,000, preliminary hearings |
| Court of Common Pleas | General trial court, 19th Judicial District | Major criminal, civil, family, juvenile, estates, guardianship |
| Superior / Commonwealth Court | Intermediate appeals | Most appeals from Common Pleas |
| Supreme Court of Pennsylvania | Highest state court | Final, mostly discretionary review |
The county's 19 Magisterial District Judges sit in offices spread across York, Hanover, Dallastown, and other towns. The Magisterial District Judges page explains where they fit.
That local layer is why a York County court records search often points to one specific district office.
York County Courthouses
Nearly every county court office shares one address: the York County Judicial Center at 45 North George Street in downtown York. The Court of Common Pleas, the Prothonotary, the Clerk of Courts, the Register of Wills, the District Attorney, the Public Defender, and the Sheriff's court-security unit all work from this building. Offices sit on different floors. The Register of Wills is on the second floor, and the Law Library and Self-Help Center share the fourth. The 19 Magisterial District Courts sit in towns across the county, from Hanover to Red Lion to Dillsburg.
Clerk of Orphans' Court / Register of Wills
45 North George Street, 2nd Floor
York, PA 17401
717-771-9288
The court also publishes a full roster of judges. The Court of Common Pleas judges page lists the president judge and the active and senior judges.
For local matters, the Magisterial District Judge offices page gives each office address, phone, and hours.
Use that table to match a ticket or summons to the right York County court.
Types of Court Records Available in York County
York County court records fall into several groups, and different offices hold each one. The split matters. A divorce file does not sit in the same office as a criminal file. Knowing the type points you to the right counter or portal.
The Prothonotary keeps civil and family records. The Clerk of Courts keeps criminal records for the Court of Common Pleas. The Register of Wills keeps estates, guardianships, adoptions, and marriage licenses. Magisterial District Courts hold most traffic and small civil cases. The county's Courts and Criminal Justice overview walks through how a case moves between them.
- Criminal records - charges, pleas, dispositions, and sentences from Common Pleas cases, kept by the Clerk of Courts.
- Civil records - lawsuits, judgments, liens, name changes, and protection-from-abuse filings handled by the Prothonotary.
- Family and divorce records - custody, divorce, and related filings, also through the Prothonotary.
- Probate and estate records - wills, estate administration, and guardianships from the Register of Wills.
- Traffic records - citations and summary offenses heard in Magisterial District Court.
- Juvenile records - limited public access under state policy, held by the Clerk of Courts.
What York County Court Records Show
A York County docket sheet is a summary of the case. It lists the basic facts and the steps the court has taken. Public docket sheets leave out private details like Social Security numbers and home addresses. Criminal and traffic dockets add offense codes and a disposition, while civil dockets track filings, orders, and judgments.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | The docket number; CP marks a Court of Common Pleas case and MJ marks a Magisterial District Court case |
| Filing Date | When the case was opened and the dates of later entries |
| Parties | Names of the plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, or the Commonwealth; addresses are not shown |
| Charges / Cause | Offense statute and description for criminal and traffic cases, or the claim in a civil case |
| Disposition | The outcome of each charge or filing |
| Sentence / Judgment | The penalty or money judgment, plus costs, fines, and restitution |
The docket also lists documents that were filed. Those documents are not downloadable from the docket itself, so copies come from the county office that holds the case.
Public Access Laws for York County Court Records
Pennsylvania splits record access into two tracks. Agency records, like sheriff and prison files, fall under the Right-to-Know Law. Court case records follow the Unified Judicial System public access policy instead. The UJS gives free docket-sheet access, but the filed documents stay with the county office. Criminal history has its own rules, and some records are sealed. The statewide Unified Judicial System site explains what a public docket sheet does and does not show.
Three rules shape most York County court records access.
Key Statutes:
204 Pa. Code § 213.81 - the Case Records Public Access Policy that sets which court records are public, limited, or confidential.
65 P.S. §§ 67.101-67.3104 - the Right-to-Know Law that covers county agency records such as sheriff and prison files.
18 Pa.C.S. Chapter 91 - the Criminal History Record Information Act, which governs expungement and limited access.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Some York County court records are not open to the public. Juvenile dependency and delinquency files have limited access. Adoption records are confidential by law. Mental health proceedings, sealed criminal records, and grand jury materials are also closed. Public docket sheets hide addresses, Social Security numbers, and other private data.
To view a sealed record, a person usually needs party status, a lawyer, or a court order. Adult expungement and limited-access petitions are filed through the criminal court and the Clerk of Courts. The Clerk lists an expungement petition fee of $215.10 and a separate limited-access fee of $132. Clean Slate rules can seal some records automatically after a set waiting period, but limited access is not the same as expungement.
Specialty Courts in York County
York County runs four treatment courts under its Wellness Courts program. The goal is to address the causes of crime and keep people out of York County Prison. Drug Court started in 1997 and serves non-violent offenders with substance abuse problems. Adult Mental Health Court began in May 2005.
DUI Court focuses on addiction that drives repeat impaired driving. The county says at least one-third of its criminal cases are DUI-related. Veterans Treatment Court addresses issues like PTSD and trauma tied to military service. Entry to each program runs through referral and screening, not a simple sign-up at the clerk's window.
York County Sheriff and Jail
The York County Sheriff's Office works from the Judicial Center under Sheriff Richard P. Keuerleber. The office secures the courthouse, serves civil process, and runs the Warrant Apprehension Unit. York County Prison sits at 3400 Concord Road and holds up to 2,400 inmates, with a separate 276-bed Work Release Center. The prison houses both pretrial detainees and people sentenced by the Court of Common Pleas.
For a custody check, see York County inmate records, and check warrant records for active warrants. The county does not post a public jail roster online, so name searches often run through state or federal tools instead. Bail can be posted at the Clerk of Courts during business hours.
Marriage, Divorce, and Orphans' Court
The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court handles marriage licenses, estates, guardianships, and adoptions. Marriage license applications in York County are filed online and finished by a video appointment. Divorce is a Common Pleas matter filed through the Prothonotary. See marriage and divorce records and probate records for the full process and fees.
- Testator
- A person who makes a will.
- Executor
- The person named in a will to settle the estate.
- Guardian
- A person the Orphans' Court appoints to manage the affairs of a minor or an incapacitated adult.
York County Court Records Fees
Copy fees depend on the office and the format. The Clerk of Courts and the Prothonotary each publish their own schedule. Plain copies cost a few cents per page, while certified copies cost more. Always confirm the current amount before you mail a request.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plain copy per page (Clerk of Courts) | $0.25 |
| Certified copy (Clerk of Courts) | $12.00 |
| Divorce decree copy by mail (Prothonotary) | $15.00 |
| Criminal record check (Clerk of Courts) | $7.00 |
How to Interpret York County Court Records
Court records use shorthand. A docket number that starts with CP points to the Court of Common Pleas, while MJ marks a Magisterial District Court case. An OTN, or Offense Tracking Number, links a criminal case across the system. "Disposition" is the outcome of a charge, and a "continuance" is a delay. An arrest or a charge is not the same as a conviction. A guilty finding or plea is the conviction, and the sentence is the penalty that follows. The county also posts its local rules of procedure, which explain how filings and dockets work in each division.
Reading those rules helps when a docket entry is not clear.
Accuracy and Record Limitations
Online records can lag behind the courtroom. A new citation may take days to show up. A docket sheet lists events, but it is not the full file, and clerical errors do happen. To fix a mistake or confirm a balance, call the office that holds the case. Search results are a starting point, not the last word.
Note: Confirm case details, fees, and balances with the York County office that maintains the file before you rely on an online docket sheet.
History of York County Courts
York County's court records now spread across three offices: the Prothonotary, the Clerk of Courts, and the Register of Wills. The York County Law Library offers one historical anchor. The General Assembly created it in 1867 for judges, lawyers, and residents. It once held more than 30,000 volumes. After a 2014 reorganization, the library shifted to online tools like Westlaw and Lexis on the fourth floor of the Judicial Center. Mandatory electronic filing and the statewide UJS Case Search now drive most records access.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search York County criminal court records?
Use the Pennsylvania UJS Case Search and pick a search type like Participant Name, Docket Number, or OTN. Set County to York to narrow the list. The York County Clerk of Courts keeps criminal records for the Court of Common Pleas, but the statewide portal shows the public docket sheets. For copies of filed documents, contact the Clerk of Courts, since the docket lists filings but does not let you download them.
Can I download court documents from the docket sheet?
No. A docket sheet lists the documents filed in a case, but the documents themselves are not downloadable from the public docket. In York County, copies come from the office that holds the file. That means the Prothonotary for civil and family cases, the Clerk of Courts for criminal cases, and the Register of Wills for estates, guardianships, and marriage records.
What court handles traffic tickets in York County?
York County's Magisterial District Judges handle traffic cases, along with minor crimes and civil claims up to $12,000. You can often search a ticket through UJS Case Search by citation number, and eligible payments run through the state payment system. DUI is different. It is treated as a criminal case, and the county runs a DUI Court for addiction-driven cases. See traffic court records for more.
More on the York County Court Records FAQ page.