Purchasing Resources for Pennsylvania Public Records

Pennsylvania Public Records

How to quickly locate Pennsylvania court records
By Sharon Moran, Freelance writer and editor

You can find a variety of PA court records or PA public records online. Whether you're conducting a background check on a potential employee or need access to Pennsylvania court records for a client, you can find a surprisingly large amount of information online.
 

Visiting a law library allows you to read court decisions, but every law library has different requirements for giving visitors access.

The following are different court systems where you can find Pennsylvania court records:

1. Pennsylvania's Supreme Court system, including Common Pleas, magistrate and municipal courts.
2. United States District courts located within Pennsylvania.
3. U.S. Tax courts located in Pennsylvania.

Locate PA court records online

It's no longer necessary to visit dusty law libraries to find PA public records. Many Pennsylvania public records can be found online. You just have to know where to look.
Try: 

Search for court opinions in the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. Simply select from one of more than ten options from a drop-down menu, including either the plaintiff or defendant's name. Search U.S. Tax Court records by individual party name. You'll find additional search links at ConstructionWebLinks.com.

Order PA criminal record reports

Find a variety of reasonably-priced services offering background checks and Pennsylvania criminal records reports.
Try: 

Try IntegraScan if you're interested in detailed background information on a potential employee or tenant. Intelius offers employment screening including instant online access.

Search Pennsylvania public records by name

Use the individual name of the person you're interested in finding background information on when searching.
Try: 

Search the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator to find out if an individual has ever been incarcerated since 1982. You are required to enter both a first and last name. Find links to county websites. Search for the county where the individual currently lives. Some PA county court records are available online including Pennsylvania criminal records and Pennsylvania divorce records.

• Be careful when using a service that charges for PA criminal records and background checks. Exhaust publicly available online records before paying for access to such information. It's important to use reputable companies and stay alert for scams. Always read the fine print before signing any contracts.
• Certain surnames are common. Verify that you've located the right person before making decisions about employment. It'd be unfortunate to base an important decision on incomplete or inaccurate information.
• Many university libraries and some public libraries have access to LexisNexis, an academic search system. You can access court cases and opinions using LexisNexis. This is a popular electronic search tool for lawyers and other legal professionals.