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Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Court Records

Court records are official documents or files generated by the judiciary during the litigation of a case. These records are retained by the Clerk of Courts to ensure transparency and public access to the courts. Access to court records is regulated by the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania (UJS).

Court files are maintained separately from other public records, such as federal case files, arrest logs, and vital records. However, they often intersect with these external records when such records are filed as part of a court proceeding.

Are Cumberland County Court Records Public?

Yes. Cumberland County court records are considered open for public inspection and copying under the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.

This policy aims to promote transparency while imposing strict regulations to protect sensitive data or vulnerable individuals. For example, juvenile records are removed from public view. Other restricted details include

  • Guardianship proceedings
  • Adoption records
  • Social Security numbers
  • Certain victims’ addresses and identities
  • Financial statements

What Information is Available in Cumberland County Court Records?

Cumberland County court records contain basic information about a case, including the names and contact details of the involved parties and their legal representative(s). The records also include all filings created or submitted while a case was ongoing, including

  • Complaint & Answers
  • Motions
  • Hearing Schedules
  • Pleas
  • Judgments & Orders
  • Evidence & exhibits
  • Affidavits
  • Witness Statements

Cumberland County Court Records Search

Generally, the public can search for and access Cumberland County court records through local and statewide digital portals, by in-person visits to the county courthouse/magisterial court where the case was filed, or via mail request.

  • Online Access: Digital access to court records varies across civil, criminal, and probate litigation. Civil court records handled by the Prothonotary can be accessed through the county’s OnBase Web Viewer for cases filed after 1994, enabling users to search basic civil case files at no cost. The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans’ Court offers an online portal for marriage and estate records from 1994 onward, enabling advanced record searches. Attorneys can access complete electronic documents and file motions remotely through PACFile, a subsystem of the UJS portal.
  • In-Person Access: Due to restrictions on reviewing court records via online sources, in-person access remains vital for obtaining certain case types and information. The public can visit the county courthouse to access terminals and interact with the Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, and the Register of Wills and Orphans’ Court to access desired files, court materials, and documents.
  • Mail and Phone Requests: Court clerks often process requests for court records made by mail. Requesters will need to include the case number, the names of the parties involved, their personal contact information, and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE), which is usually required for the return of documents. Request fees are typically paid by money order or certified check. For exact mailing procedures, it is advised to contact the applicable custodian’s office.

Fees for Court Records in Cumberland County

The fees for court records requests in Cumberland County differ by court/custodian’s office. For instance, the Cumberland County Clerk of Courts establishes the following fee schedules for obtaining court records (i.e., criminal case records) from the Court of Common Pleas.

  • Photocopy (per page): 50 cents
  • Exemplified Copy: $13
  • Certification (per document): $13

Conversely, for civil records from the Court of Common Pleas, records accessed through the Prothonotary’s OnBase Web Viewer cost 8 cents per page. Other applicable fees include

  • Photocopy (per page): 50 cents
  • Exemplified Copy: $35 (coming in), $25 (going out)
  • Certification (per document): $6 first page, and then $1 for every other page

It is important to note that fees for vital records, including births, marriages, and deaths, are set by the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Division of Vital Records in Harrisburg and by the Cumberland County Clerk of Orphans’ Court.

Cumberland County Courthouse Locations

Cumberland County’s judicial framework consists of a Court of Common Pleas, the primary trial court, and several Magisterial District Courts (MDCs), which address issues within their respective municipalities.

The county courthouse in Carlisle serves as the central hub for legal operations, housing the Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas and its administrative divisions:

  • Prothonotary’s Office: Handles civil litigation, protection orders, torts, and family law disputes
  • Clerk of Courts: Handles fines, criminal dockets, and expungements.
  • The Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans’ Court: Manages wills, estate administrations, and probate matters. The office also oversees marriage licensing and maintains records of adoptions, guardianships, and terminations of parental rights.
  • The Domestic Relations Office: Administers spousal and child support.

Cumberland County court locations and contact numbers are listed below

Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas

Cumberland County Courthouse

1 Courthouse Square

Carlisle, PA 17013

Phone: (717) 240-6100

Cumberland County Courthouse - Prothonotary’s Office

1 Courthouse Square

Suite 100

Carlisle, PA 17013

Phone: (717) 240-6573

Magisterial District Courts in Cumberland County

Magisterial District Court 09-1-01

920 Linda Lane

Camp Hill, PA 17011

Phone: (717) 737-3434

Magisterial District Court 09-1-02

600 N 12th Street

Suite 200

Lemoyne, PA 17043

Phone: (717) 960-5505

Magisterial District Court 09-1-03

98 S. Enola Drive

Suite 1

Enola, PA 17025

Phone: (717) 728-2805

Magisterial District Court 09-2-01

2260 Spring Road

Suite 3

Carlisle, PA 17013

Phone: (717) 218-5250

Magisterial District Court 09-2-02

20 North Hanover Street

Suite 106

Carlisle, PA 17013

Phone: (717) 240-6564

Magisterial District Court 09-3-01

35 W. Orange Street

Shippensburg, PA 17257

Phone: (717) 532-7676

Magisterial District Court 09-3-02

55 Penn Drive

Newville, PA 17241

Phone: (717) 776-3187

Magisterial District Court 09-3-03

417 Village Drive

Suite 7

Carlisle, PA 17013

Phone: (717) 960-5515

Magisterial District Court 09-3-04

5275 E. Trindle Road

Suite 110

Mechanicsburg, PA 17050

Phone: (717) 697-2201

Magisterial District Court 09-3-05

507 North York Street

Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Phone: (717) 766-4575

Criminal Records Access in Cumberland County

In Cumberland County, the Clerk of Courts serves as the sole custodian of the Court of Common Pleas’s criminal division records. Due to the Supreme Court’s privacy policy, which restricts online access to unredacted electronic case files to protect sensitive information, individuals seeking criminal case records must visit the Clerk of Courts’ office at the Carlisle Courthouse.

Local criminal records are geographically limited and do not replace the formal criminal background checks needed for firearm purchases, housing, and employment. Official criminal background checks conducted at the state level aggregate data regarding arrests, filed charges, and final case outcomes from all counties within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania State Police solely oversees this verification process through the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) system.

Cumberland County Probate Records

Cumberland County probate records detail how a deceased’s assets were transferred. These records cover a range of cases, including estate administration, trusts, and guardianships and conservatorships for persons unable to manage their own affairs.

Historians, legal professionals, and researchers can access more recent wills and probate filings, specifically files processed from 1994 to the present, via the county’s digital case management portal. However, certain probate matters are restricted by law, such as guardianship records. Older files and historical probate records may require an in-person visit to the county’s Register of Wills and Orphans’ Court Division.

Cumberland County Family Court Records

In Pennsylvania, family law cases have a dual record management system. Marriage dissolution, domestic support issues, and child custody cases are handled by the Prothonotary, while the Clerk of Orphans’ Court manages parental rights terminations, guardianships, and adoptions. Records related to asset division, adoption, child welfare, and domestic disputes are confidential to safeguard the identities and well-being of families and children involved. Cumberland County implemented a Local Order prohibiting online access to family law cases filed after June 21, 2010, necessitating an in-person visit to the Prothonotary’s office at the Carlisle Courthouse.

Certified or regular copies of family court records require payment of a fee.

Federal Court Records in Cumberland County

The Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas primarily handles local criminal and civil cases, while cases involving federal law, interstate matters, or significant constitutional civil rights violations are exclusively under federal jurisdiction. Cumberland County is within the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, with federal courthouses in Harrisburg, Williamsport, Wilkes-Barre, and Scranton. The Harrisburg location, in particular, hears federal cases from Cumberland County.

Residents of Cumberland County involved in federal litigation, such as bankruptcies, civil rights lawsuits under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, federal employment discrimination claims, and defendants with federal criminal indictments, will have their cases managed and archived by the federal court, separate from county litigation. Federal case files, specific dockets, and extensive judicial opinions are primarily accessed via PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), a centralized government digital database. Users must register for an official account and pay per-page retrieval fees. Individuals seeking certified copies of federal documents with a federal seal may visit the Clerk’s office at federal courthouses during working hours.

Middle District of Pennsylvania

Sylvia H. Rambo

United States Courthouse

1501 North 6th Street

Suite 101

Harrisburg, PA 17102

Clerk’s Office Phone: (717) 221-3920