York County ranks 13th among Pennsylvania's counties by land mass. Its total land area is 904.4 square miles, and according to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a population of 456,438 people. Its county seat is York.

Courts in York County

The justice system in York County comprises Courts of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. The York County Court of Common Pleas has general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. Also, it hears appeals from the Magisterial District Courts. The Court of Common Pleas has an Orphans Court Division that handles matters concerning decedents’ estates, including wills, trusts, and guardianships. It also hears all criminal and civil cases that, by statute, are reserved for their district judges to handle. Other Divisions include the Family Court, which presides over issues affecting families, such as divorce, legal separation, domestic violence, and child support.

The Magisterial District Courts handle all criminal cases, including felonies and misdemeanors. The judges of these courts preside over preliminary hearings involving minors, landlord-tenant disputes, and small claims for amounts that do not exceed $12,000. The Traffic Division within the Magisterial District Court handles traffic law and regulation violation cases.

Where to Find Public Court Records in York County

Public court records are kept by the York County Court Clerk, who also offers an internet search engine to access them. Interested persons may use the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal or visit the courthouse location in person.

Types of Public Court Records in York County

All court records are available to the general public except those that contain sensitive information where disclosure may lead to an invasion of personal privacy. The following are public court records:

• Civil Court Records
• Criminal Court Records
• Orphan’s Court Records
• Family Court Records
• Traffic Records

Confidential Court Records in York County

Confidential court records are documents from judicial proceedings exempted from public disclosure and sealed by court order. The following are confidential court records in York County:

• Juvenile court records
• Notes taken by jurors
• Grand jury proceedings
• Medical/ psychological records
• Crime victims information

Public access to personal information within court documents is also prohibited. This includes financial account information, state identification numbers, and social security numbers.

Juvenile Delinquency in York, PA

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

In 2017, a total of 1789 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of York County. Of that total, 77% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1378 court cases. Another 23% were dependency cases that accounted for 411 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of York County, PA

https://www.pa.gov/

County Seat:	York
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1749
Total Square Miles:	911
2019 Population:	446,078
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	45 N George St County Courthouse York , PA 17401-1240 http://www.yorkcountypa.gov

York County, PA Courts