Allegheny County, established in 1788, has an estimated population of 1.2 million residents. It is home to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Cathedral of Learning. The county seat in Pittsburgh is historically known for its rich industrial heritage, especially in the steel industry, which gave it the alias “Steel City.”

Courts in Allegheny County

The courts in Allegheny County comprise Courts of Common Pleas, Magisterial District Courts, and a Municipal Court. The Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas has jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases but typically handles cases beyond the domain of other courts. The Courts of Common Pleas have Civil, Criminal, Family, and Orphan  Divisions.

The 46 Magisterial District Courts operate a community-based court system and preside over specific criminal and civil court cases, including summary offenses, preliminary hearings, landlord/tenant cases, and general civil claims subject to financial limits. The Municipal Court has limited authority over civil and criminal cases and shares jurisdiction with the Court of Common Pleas. Their authority over criminal cases includes preliminary hearings and summary offenses. Their civil cases include landlord/tenant disputes and civil claims for less than $ 10,000.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Allegheny County

Public court records are documents and papers of legal proceedings open to the public. The Department of Court Records provides an online search tool to view and obtain copies of Allegheny County civil, criminal, family, and orphan public court records. Record seekers may utilize the electronic Filing and Retrieval System to obtain public court records from the Courts of Common Pleas. The court also provides for in-person searches for public court records using the computer terminals at the courthouse. Record seekers can access public court records from the Magisterial and Municipal courts through the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal.

Types of Public Court Records in Allegheny County

Public Court records provide transparency into the Allegheny County legal system, permitting individuals to access information about court cases. The following are public court records available to the public in Allegheny County:

• Civil Court Records: They include contract disputes, personal injury claims, real estate disputes, and intellectual property litigation
• Criminal Court Records: They include court records from felony criminal cases such as burglaries and drug trafficking and misdemeanor cases such as simple assault and disorderly conduct
• Family Court Records: Public family court records include divorce records, child custody disputes, information from adoption proceedings, restraining orders, and spousal support records
• Probate Court Records: Records relating to the administration of a deceased estate, such as wills, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorship

Confidential Court Records in Allegheny County

Confidential court records are documents or information from legal cases that are restricted from public access due to privacy concerns or the sensitive nature of the information. In Allegheny County, confidential court records are sealed by a court order or restricted from public access by a federal or state statute.

Therefore, juvenile records, domestic violence records, grand jury proceedings, and mental health records are confidential records not available to the public. Sensitive information leading to the invasion of personal privacy is redacted from court records to protect the individuals named on the court document. Such information includes bank account and credit/debit card information, Social Security numbers, and passport numbers.

Juvenile Delinquency in Allegheny, PA

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Allegheny County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Pennsylvania often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 83 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Allegheny County. Of that total, 2% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 2 court cases. Another 1% were dependency cases that accounted for 1 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Allegheny County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Allegheny County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Allegheny County, PA

https://www.pa.gov/

County Seat:	Pittsburgh
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1788
Total Square Miles:	745
2019 Population:	1,223,048
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	436 Grant St County Courthouse Pittsburgh , PA 15219-2400 http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us

Allegheny County, PA Courts