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Lebanon County, Pennsylvania Court Records

Lebanon County court records are the official files that document proceedings in court cases, including filings, hearings, orders, judgments, and final case outcomes. They help preserve an accurate history of a case and provide a reliable reference for the parties, attorneys, and (when permitted) the public.

InLebanon County, the trial-level court is the Court of Common Pleas, and records are maintained through the courthouse and its filing offices. These offices comprise the Prothonotary (civil and many family filings), the Clerk of Courts (criminal case records), and the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court (probate, estates, guardianships, and adoptions). The Magisterial District Courts maintain lower-level matters, such as traffic and many minor criminal and civil cases, and also maintain their own docket records.

Pennsylvania’s court-access rules and state public-records standards provide a framework for creating and managing public access to the state’s court records. The framework, however, sets limits for confidential information, such as juvenile filings, adoption matters, and sealed cases.

Court records also connect to other public records. For instance, arrest and booking information comes from law enforcement and corrections, while state vital records systems typically handle vital records (like birth and death certificates). At the same time, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (M.D. Pa.) separately manages federal case files for Lebanon County matters.

Are Lebanon County Court Records Public?

Yes. Many Lebanon County court records are public, but access depends on the type of case and whether the record is classified as public, confidential, or restricted under Pennsylvania court rules.

Pennsylvania court records are generally governed by the Unified Judicial System’s Public Access Policy. This policy assumes that most case records are accessible, but it also sets clear limits on confidential information and certain protected case types. Court docket information (case captions, docket entries, hearing dates, dispositions) is often easier to access than the full filed documents. Also, some documents may be viewable only at the courthouse or only by the parties.

  • Case types that are generally public, subject to redactions and exceptions, include
  • Criminal cases (adult) and related docket sheets
  • Civil cases (including many divorce and custody filings)
  • Magisterial District Court dockets (traffic, summary offenses, many small civil and landlord-tenant matters)

In contrast, the law or court policy may restrict or classify as confidential case types, including:

  • Juvenile cases and related court files (with limited exceptions)
  • Adoptions and many adoption-related filings
  • Sealed or expunged cases (access is limited by court order or statute)
  • Records containing protected identifiers or sensitive information that must be withheld or redacted under court policy

What Information is Available in Lebanon County Court Records?

Depending on the case type and whether any detail is restricted, the typical contents of a Lebanon County court record include:

  • Case caption and identifiers: case (docket) number, court level (Magisterial District Court or Court of Common Pleas), and basic case classification (criminal, civil, family, etc.).
  • Party or participant information: parties’ names (e.g., defendants or respondents), attorneys of record, and sometimes agencies involved.
  • Docket entries: an ordered list of filings and court actions, including complaints or petitions, motions, notices, scheduling entries, continuances, and other procedural steps.
  • Court events: hearing dates, locations, and event types (as shown on the docket).
  • Charges or claims: criminal charges filed (and changes over time), civil claims or issues raised in the pleadings.
  • Orders and outcomes: orders, judgments, decrees, dispositions, and (in criminal cases) sentencing information (when applicable).
  • Financial information: court costs or fees assessed and payment/accounting entries when shown on the docket.

Lebanon County Court Records Search

The following section explains the public access and search options for obtaining Lebanon County court records.

Online access

  • Criminal and Magisterial District Court: Requesters may use the Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal to search public docket sheets statewide by name, docket number, county, and other filters. Recent entries may not appear immediately after filing.
  • Civil and many family filings: Lebanon County’s Prothonotary maintains records for the Court of Common Pleas related to civil, family, protection from abuse, judgment, and lien matters. The office provides a Public Case Search Portal for searching the case types above, but the availability of documents (compared to docket summaries) may vary.
  • Probate/estate and Orphans’ Court-related matters: The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court provide information and links, including access tools such as the county’s public case search portal, as well as related resources (availability varies by record type and confidentiality rules).

In-person access

To inspect a document or obtain copies that are unavailable online, requesters may visit the relevant courthouse filing office during business hours:

  • Clerk of Courts: staff may direct inquirers to the right record set and explain copy and certification options.
  • Prothonotary: the office notes that information seekers may view files unless the court has impounded them.
  • Register of Wills and Orphans’ Court: staff may assist by explaining what is available and what is restricted.

Mail and phone requests

Individuals seeking records that are inaccessible online or who need certified copies may contact the relevant office by phone first to confirm:

  • What information do they need to locate the file (names, docket number, approximate dates)?
  • The total cost (copy fees, certification fees, and any postage),
  • Which payment methods do they accept?

For mailed requests, the offices typically expect applicants to include:

  • A written request identifying the record,
  • The required payment (often check or money order, depending on the office),
  • A self-addressed stamped envelope is provided when they want documents or receipts mailed back.

Fees for Court Records in Lebanon County

Court record-related fees in Lebanon County usually depend on which office maintains the record and whether applicants require a plain or certified copy. Listed below are the fees associated with obtaining court records from the relevant offices.

Clerk of Courts (Criminal court records)

  • Plain copies: $0.50 per page
  • Certification (all): $15.00
  • Redaction: $2.00 per page (when applicable)

Payments to the Clerk of Courts must be made in cash (exact change), certified check, or money order; personal checks are not accepted.

Prothonotary (Civil and many family records)

  • Certifications: $15.00 (first page) and $1.00 (each additional page)

Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court (probate, marriage, and Orphans’ Court-related records)

  • Search fee: $10.00
  • Certified copy fee (marriage record): $10.00 per copy
  • Fee for non-certified copies: $0.50 per page for 8½Ã—11 documents; $1.00 per page for 8½Ã—14 documents

Vital records fees

  • Fee for vital records (Pennsylvania Department of Health): $20.00 per birth certificate; $20.00 per death certificate

Lebanon County Courthouse Locations

Lebanon County Courthouse/Municipal Building (Court of Common Pleas - main trial court)

400 S. 8th Street

Lebanon, PA 17042

Main phone: (717) 274-2801

Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Handles (generally): Court of Common Pleas matters, including civil and family, criminal, and other county court functions (with filings routed through the offices below).

Clerk of Courts (criminal case records and filings)

Room 102, Municipal Building

400 S. 8th Street

Lebanon, PA 17042-6794

Phone: (717) 228-4419

Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Handles: Criminal Court of Common Pleas case records/filings (and related court documentation).

Prothonotary (civil and many family filings)

Room 104, Municipal Building,

400 S. 8th Street

Lebanon, PA 17042

Phone: (717) 274-2801 (county main line)

Handles: Civil, family, Protection From Abuse (PFA), judgment, and lien matters (chief filing office for these case types).

Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court (probate/estates and Orphans’ Court)

Room 105, Municipal Building

400 S. 8th Street

Lebanon, PA 17042-6794

Phone: (717) 228-4415

Marriage information line: (717) 228-4414

Handles: Probate/estates, Orphans’ Court filings, and marriage licensing (and related records).

Magisterial District Courts (MDJ offices) - traffic and many lower-level cases

Lebanon County has several MDJ offices, each with its own address and phone number. Requesters may use the district "viewer" to locate the correct court by municipality or zip code, and access the court’s address and phone number.

Criminal Records Access in Lebanon County

In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) handles the official statewide criminal history record check, not county courts. The PSP provides criminal history information to the public upon request through its Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) system.

When a user submits a criminal history background check online, PATCH analyzes the information and submits it to the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository, which maintains the criminal history database. The process generates a state criminal history background check, distinct from a docket sheet or certified court documents obtained from a county courthouse.

Inquirers may also access local criminal case records through the statewide Unified Judicial System (UJS) Web Portal. The platform’s Public Web Docket Sheets allow users to browse, view, and print docket sheets for the Criminal Courts of Common Pleas, Magisterial District Courts, and the Philadelphia Municipal Court. Please note that docket sheets are not a substitute for a PSP criminal history background check.

Lebanon County Probate Records

Lebanon County probate records (often called estate records or wills and probate filings) typically document how a person’s property and legal affairs are handled after death and how certain protective matters are managed through the Orphans’ Court system. Common filings include wills submitted for probate, estate administrations (opening an estate and appointing an executor/administrator), and estate paperwork such as inventories and accounts. Probate-related court files may also include guardianship or adjudications of incapacity matters and other Orphans’ Court filings. Under certain circumstances, the probate file may also include trust-related filings when a dispute or administration issue is brought before the Orphans’ Court.

Inquirers may search some Lebanon County probate records online through the county’s probate record search system. However, they may need to visit the office to obtain dated records or documents unavailable for online purchase.

Requesters should note that not every probate-related case is fully public. Certain matters may be confidential or restricted by law, and some filings may require additional steps to access or may be completely inaccessible to the public.

Lebanon County Family Court Records

Divorce and custody (Court of Common Pleas - civil/family)

In Lebanon County, the Prothonotary handles several divorce- and custody-related filings. Requesters may use the office’s Public Case Search Portal (CountySuite) to look up civil/family cases. Some information may appear as a docket or case summary online, while older or more detailed documents may require requesting copies at the courthouse.

Child support (Domestic Relations)

The Domestic Relations Office oversees support cases and Pennsylvania’s child support program. The county office states that it does not handle custody, and support services and account tools are also available through the state’s Child Support Program portal.

Adoption (Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court)

The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court maintains adoption filings. These records are often restricted and may not be available for public viewing except when permitted by law and court policy.

Getting certified copies

Inquirers may request certified copies (divorce decrees, custody orders, support orders, or probate or adoption-related certifications) from the office that maintains the file. Certified copy fees and procedures vary by office, and mailed requests may require specific payment methods and a self-addressed stamped envelope where applicable.

Federal Court Records in Lebanon County

At the federal level, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania handles federal cases connected to Lebanon County. This court hears cases involving federal crimes, lawsuits based on federal law, and specific matters from different states that meet federal requirements.

Individuals who need copies, certification information, or assistance locating a federal case may contact the Clerk’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The court has several divisional offices (including Harrisburg and other locations); the Clerk’s Office may help with basic questions about record access and local procedures.

Most federal case records are accessed online through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records). Information seekers may use the PACER Case Locator to search and view federal docket sheets and documents for cases filed in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and nationwide. Registration is free, but PACER generally charges $0.10 per page for access.