Franklin County Public Records /Franklin County Court Records

Franklin County Court Records

How To Find Court Records in Franklin County in 2026

Members of the public seeking court records in Franklin County, Pennsylvania may access publicly available case information through FranklinPARecords.org as well as through official county and state judicial resources. Court records maintained by Franklin County offices may include documentation from criminal, civil, family, probate, and traffic proceedings filed in the Court of Common Pleas and related courts. The information available through public channels may reflect case status, party names, docket entries, hearing schedules, and final dispositions, though completeness varies by case type, filing date, and applicable confidentiality rules.

Records that members of the public may encounter include:

Criminal case filings, pleas, and sentencing records
Civil complaints, judgments, and orders
Family court matters, including divorce decrees and custody orders
Probate filings and estate records
Traffic and summary offense records
Magisterial District Court dockets

Court records in Franklin County may be searched through five primary methods:

Clerk of Court or court records office — The Franklin County Clerk of Courts maintains criminal court records for the Court of Common Pleas. Members of the public may request records in person by providing the case number, party name, or approximate filing date. Staff can confirm whether a record exists and whether it is available for public inspection.
Courthouse public access terminals — Public terminals located within the Franklin County Courthouse allow members of the public to search docket information without charge during regular business hours. These terminals provide access to case index data and docket entries but may not display full document images for all case types.
Online court search — The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System's web portal, available through the UJS Web Portal, provides statewide docket search functionality for Common Pleas and Magisterial District Court cases. Users may search by party name, docket number, or date range. Document images are available for select case types.
State-level judicial search tools — The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts maintains statewide search tools that index Franklin County cases alongside records from all 67 Pennsylvania counties. These tools are subject to the same confidentiality restrictions that apply to in-person access.
Written or mail requests — Members of the public who cannot appear in person may submit written requests to the Clerk of Courts or the Prothonotary's Office, which handles civil case records. Written requests should include the full case caption, docket number if known, and the specific documents sought. Fees for copies apply.

Are Court Records Public in Franklin County

Court records in Franklin County are subject to public access under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. § 67.101 et seq., as well as the Pennsylvania Rules of Judicial Administration, which govern access to court records specifically. Under current law, the majority of court records filed in the Court of Common Pleas are open for public inspection.

Records that are accessible to the public include:

Case dockets and index entries
Party names and case captions
Filed pleadings, motions, and responses
Court orders and judgments
Hearing dates and continuance entries
Sentencing records and final dispositions

Records that are confidential, sealed, or restricted under current law include:

Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
Adoption proceedings
Mental health commitment records
Expunged criminal records
Sealed filings ordered by the court
Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and minor children's names in certain proceedings

A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While docket entries and case indexes are available through the UJS Web Portal, full document images are not uniformly available for all case types or all filing dates. Older records may require an in-person visit or a written request to the appropriate office.

As stated by the Franklin County Office of Open Records, the office "provides access to public information and enforces Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know law," serving as the county's designated authority for open records compliance.

What Are Court Records in Franklin County?

Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court or its clerk in connection with a legal proceeding. In Franklin County, court records are generated from the moment a case is initiated through filing and continue to be updated through each stage of litigation, including hearings, motions, orders, and final disposition. If a case is appealed, the trial court record is transmitted to the appellate court, and a separate appellate record is created.

The distinction between a docket entry and a full case file is significant. A docket is a chronological index of all actions taken in a case, listing filing dates, document titles, and hearing entries. The full case file includes the actual documents referenced in the docket, such as complaints, answers, motions, exhibits, and orders. Access to docket entries is broader than access to full document images in many instances.

Civil court records and criminal court records are maintained by separate offices in Franklin County. The Prothonotary's Office serves as the clerk of the civil division of the Court of Common Pleas, maintaining records for civil litigation, family law matters, and related proceedings. The Clerk of Courts maintains records for the criminal division. Magisterial District Courts maintain their own records for summary offenses, traffic matters, and preliminary hearings.

Court records are created when a party files an initiating document, such as a complaint or criminal information, and are updated each time a document is filed, a hearing is held, or an order is entered. Records remain active until the case is closed and are then subject to the applicable retention schedule.

What's Included in a Franklin County Court Record?

A court record in Franklin County may contain a range of documents and data depending on the case type, the stage of proceedings, and applicable public-access rules. The following categories of information may appear within a publicly accessible court record:

Case identification: case number, court name and division, filing date, and case type
Party information: names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and counsel of record
Docket entries: a chronological log of all filings, hearings, orders, and status changes
Pleadings and motions: complaints, answers, petitions, motions, responses, and supporting briefs
Court orders and judgments: interlocutory orders, final judgments, decrees, and sentencing entries
Hearing information: scheduled dates, continuances, and minute entries reflecting what occurred
Outcome information: dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, custody rulings, probate orders, and appellate decisions
Financial and administrative data: filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly shown

Records that are excluded or restricted from public access include sealed filings, expunged matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, mental health commitment documents, protected personal identifiers, and certain exhibits that contain confidential information. The presence of a docket entry does not guarantee that the underlying document is available for public inspection.

Types of Courts in Franklin County

Franklin County is served by the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, which is the general-jurisdiction trial court for the county under Pennsylvania's unified judicial system. The Court of Common Pleas is organized into divisions that handle distinct categories of cases.

Criminal Division: Handles felony and misdemeanor criminal prosecutions. Records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts.
Civil Division: Handles civil litigation, contract disputes, tort claims, and related matters. Records are maintained by the Prothonotary's Office.
Family Division: Handles divorce, custody, support, and protection from abuse matters. Records are maintained by the Prothonotary's Office, with certain filings subject to confidentiality restrictions.
Orphans' Court Division: Handles probate, estate administration, guardianship, and adoption matters.
Juvenile Division: Handles delinquency and dependency matters. Juvenile records are confidential under 42 Pa. C.S. § 6307 and are not open for public review.

Magisterial District Courts serve as limited-jurisdiction courts within Franklin County, handling summary criminal offenses, traffic violations, landlord-tenant disputes, and civil claims up to $12,000. Each Magisterial District Court maintains its own records, and preliminary hearings in criminal matters are also conducted at this level before cases are bound over to the Court of Common Pleas.

The Superior Court and Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania serve as intermediate appellate courts for cases originating in Franklin County. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is the court of last resort. Appellate records are maintained by the appellate courts, not by Franklin County offices.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas — Clerk of Courts
157 Lincoln Way East
Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: (717) 261-3862
Clerk of Courts — Franklin County

Franklin County Prothonotary's Office
157 Lincoln Way East
Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: (717) 261-3872
Prothonotary — Franklin County

How to Search Franklin County Court Records for Free?

Members of the public may search Franklin County court records at no cost through several channels. In-person inspection of publicly available records at the Clerk of Courts or Prothonotary's Office is permitted without charge during regular business hours. Public access terminals located within the courthouse provide free access to docket indexes and case status information.

The UJS Web Portal maintained by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts provides free online docket searches for Franklin County cases. Users may search by party name or docket number and view docket sheets at no cost.

The following table summarizes access methods and associated costs:

Access Method	Cost
In-person docket inspection	Free
Courthouse public terminal	Free
UJS Web Portal docket search	Free
Photocopies of records	Per-page fee (varies by office)
Certified copies	Additional certification fee
Research by clerk staff	May incur research fee

Fees for copies and certified copies are set by the court and applicable fee schedules. Under 42 Pa. C.S. § 1725, the Pennsylvania General Assembly authorizes courts to establish and collect fees for court services, including copies of records.

How Long Does Franklin County Keep Court Records?

The retention of court records in Franklin County is governed by schedules established by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retention periods vary by case type and the nature of the record.

The Franklin County Archives & Records Management department preserves county records "in accordance with the guidelines and rules set forth by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission," which establishes minimum retention periods for county government records, including court-related documents.

Retention periods by case type include:

Criminal felony records: Retained permanently or for extended periods due to the severity of the offense and potential future legal significance
Criminal misdemeanor and summary records: Retained for defined periods following case closure, subject to applicable schedules
Civil judgment records: Retained for the life of the judgment and any renewal periods, which may extend for decades
Probate and estate records: Retained permanently in many instances due to their significance for property and inheritance matters
Family court records: Retention varies; custody and support orders may be retained for extended periods
Traffic and summary offense records: Subject to shorter retention schedules at the Magisterial District Court level

Older records may exist in paper format, microfilm, or digital images held by the county archives. The destruction of a paper file after imaging or archival transfer does not constitute expungement. Expungement is a separate legal process governed by 18 Pa. C.S. § 9122, which requires a court order and results in the removal or destruction of specific criminal history record information. Sealing and redaction are distinct from expungement and do not remove a record from existence but restrict its public availability.

How To Find a Court Docket in Franklin County

A court docket is a chronological index of all actions taken in a specific case. It differs from the full case file in that it lists document titles, filing dates, hearing entries, and status updates without necessarily including the full text of the underlying documents. The docket serves as the official record of what has occurred in a case and is the starting point for most court record searches.

Members of the public may locate Franklin County court dockets through the following channels:

UJS Web Portal: The statewide UJS Web Portal allows users to search for dockets by party name, docket number, or date range. Docket sheets for Court of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Court cases are available for viewing and download at no cost.
Court scheduling portal: The Franklin County Court Admin Case Schedules portal provides access to hearing calendars and scheduled case events for the Court of Common Pleas, allowing members of the public to identify upcoming court dates.
Clerk of Courts in person: Members of the public may request a docket sheet directly from the Clerk of Courts by providing the case number or party name. Staff can print a current docket sheet, which may be subject to a per-page copy fee.
Courthouse public terminals: Terminals within the courthouse provide access to docket indexes and may allow users to print docket sheets.

To search for a docket through the UJS Web Portal, a user selects the court type, enters the county as Franklin, and provides either the docket number or the party's last name. The system returns a list of matching cases, and the user may select a specific case to view the full docket sheet.

A docket sheet contains hearing dates, continuances, motion filings, minute entries, and status updates. It does not include full document images for all filings, sealed entries, confidential attachments, or exhibits that are restricted from public access. Hearing rosters and daily court calendars may be separately available through the court scheduling portal or by contacting the Court Administrator's office.

Franklin County Court Administrator
157 Lincoln Way East
Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: (717) 261-3855
Court Admin — Case Schedules