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Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Court Records

Westmoreland County court records document proceedings in the Court of Common Pleas, Pennsylvania’s primary trial court for the county. These records include filings, dockets, judgments, and other documents generated during civil, criminal, family, probate, and other cases.

They serve to maintain transparency, support legal proceedings, and provide historical reference for disputes, rights, and obligations. Records are created and maintained under Pennsylvania’s Judicial Code and the Pennsylvania Rules of Judicial Administration.

Local court records focus on county-level matters, while state or federal systems handle broader checks or cases. Court records may also intersect with vital records (handled by the Pennsylvania Department of Health or local offices), arrest information (often via law enforcement or court dockets), and federal case files.

Are Westmoreland County Court Records Public?

In Pennsylvania, most court records are presumed public under the Commonwealth’s Constitution and statutes. The Unified Judicial System (UJS) supports this through online portals that provide access to dockets and some documents. Some examples of public documents include records of civil, criminal, and probate/estate matters. Criminal dockets show charges, hearings, and outcomes, though some sensitive details may be redacted.

However, some information may be restricted or confidential. These include juvenile delinquency cases, as well as records of adoption, certain family matters (divorce or custody details often limited or redacted to protect privacy), mental health commitments, and expunged/sealed records. The victim’s information or ongoing investigations may also be limited.

What Information is Available in Westmoreland County Court Records?

Typical Westmoreland County court records contain detailed case information depending on the type. Common elements include:

  • Case number, filing date, and parties involved (plaintiff/defendant, petitioner/respondent).
  • Docket entries: motions, hearings, orders, judgments, and dispositions.
  • Pleadings: complaints, answers, petitions, and affidavits.
  • Evidence summaries, transcripts (if requested), and exhibits (limited).
  • Sentencing or final orders in criminal cases; decrees in civil/family/probate.
  • In probate: wills, inventories, accountings, and inheritance tax filings.
  • In family: complaints for divorce/custody, support orders (redacted details).

Criminal records show charges, bail, plea agreements, and verdicts. Civil records include monetary judgments or injunctions. Not all documents are digitized; older files may be paper-only. Sensitive data (SSNs, victim addresses) is often redacted per state rules.

Westmoreland County Court Records Search

Records can be searched multiple ways:

  • Online Access: The primary tool is the Pennsylvania UJS Portal, offering free docket searches by name, case number, or date for criminal, civil, family, and other cases. For civil/family, the county’s iJEMS system provides access to filings. Probate or estate searches are available via the Register of Wills for 1986 to the present. 
  • In-Person Access: Individuals can visit the courthouse clerk offices (Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, Register of Wills) or public terminals. Staff assist with searches; self-service terminals are available during hours.
  • Mail and Phone Requests: Persons can write requests to the appropriate office with case details. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for returns. Payment by check/money order; credit cards may apply fees. Phone inquiries are limited to basic status; copies require formal requests.

Access varies by case type; restricted records need a court order or verification.

Fees for Court Records in Westmoreland County

Obtaining copies incurs fees set by county offices and Pennsylvania rules:

  • Photocopies: Often $0.75 per page (case folder copies); some offices $0.25-$0.50.
  • Certified copies: $13-$37+, depending on type (e.g., a certified lien costs $37.50).
  • Docket history: Around $1.30.
  • Exemplification or certification: $23-$78+.

Online UJS searches are free for dockets; document downloads may cost. No subscription for general access, but some property/tax records require a paid login.

Separate fees apply for vital records handled by the state or local agencies. Payment can be made in cash, check, money order, or by credit card, with possible service fees. Waivers are available in some cases for indigents.

Westmoreland County Courthouse Locations

The main courthouse handles most cases:

Westmoreland County Courthouse

2 North Main Street,

Greensburg, PA 15601

Phone: 724-830-3000

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-4:00 PM.

Divisions and case types:

  • Civil, criminal, family (divorce, custody, support), probate/orphans’ court at the main courthouse.
  • Family Court operations within the courthouse; contact 724-830-3665 for specifics.
  • Register of Wills (probate) on the third floor of the Courthouse Annex.
  • Magisterial District Courts for minor cases/traffic in various locations countywide.

There is no separate family courthouse; they are all centralized in Greensburg.

Criminal Records Access in Westmoreland County

Local criminal case records are available through the Westmoreland County Case Lookup. Official state-level criminal history checks (backgrounds and summaries) are handled by the Pennsylvania State Police through their PATCH system, not the county court.

For Westmoreland-specific cases, persons can access dockets and records via the UJS Portal for filings, hearings, and dispositions. The Clerk of Courts’ office maintains criminal dockets; in-person or mail requests for copies. Arrests appear if charges are filed.

Juvenile records are generally closed. Expunged/sealed cases are inaccessible. Federal crimes are handled separately.

Westmoreland County Probate Records

Westmoreland County probate records document the legal process for administering a deceased person’s assets, debts, and wishes. The Register of Wills oversees probating wills, granting letters of administration/testamentary, estate administrations, guardianships for minors/incapacitated persons, conservatorships, adoptions, and related Orphans’ Court matters.

Common filings include wills (validating testaments), estate inventories/accountings, inheritance tax returns, guardianships (for minors or adults), and conservatorships (asset management).

More recent filings (1988-present) are available online via the county’s public record searches. Older or detailed files may require in-person visits to the Register of Wills office. Certain probate matters, like adoptions or sensitive guardianships, are confidential or restricted by law to protect privacy.

Access promotes transparency in asset distribution while safeguarding vulnerable individuals. For genealogical or legal needs, contact the office for guidance.

Westmoreland County Family Court Records

Family Court records in Westmoreland County handle sensitive matters like divorce, child custody/visitation, child/spousal support, adoption, paternity, and protection from abuse orders. Part of the Court of Common Pleas, these aim to resolve domestic issues fairly.

Many family records are accessible via the UJS Portal or county iJEMS system for dockets, but detailed documents (especially recent divorce/custody) may be restricted or redacted to protect privacy. Full access often requires in-person at the courthouse or certified requests through the Prothonotary/Family Court office.

Certified copies are available upon request, subject to fees. Procedures include, in some cases, verification of identity or interest. In-person assistance is also available at the courthouse. Sensitive filings may need court approval.

Federal Court Records in Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, falls under the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (WDPA). This federal trial court exercises original jurisdiction over cases involving federal questions, arising under the U.S. Constitution, federal laws, or treaties (28 U.S.C. § 1331)-as well as diversity jurisdiction, where parties are citizens of different states, and the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000.

It also handles federal criminal prosecutions, admiralty, bankruptcy appeals, and other congressionally assigned matters. Westmoreland County is part of the WDPA’s Pittsburgh Division, with the main courthouse in Pittsburgh.

Federal case records are public and accessible in two primary ways.

Through the Clerk’s Office: Individuals can visit the Clerk’s Office at the Joseph F. Weis, Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Pittsburgh (or other WDPA locations) to inspect records in person at no cost, and to pay fees for copies or certified documents.

PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) allows remote searching and viewing of dockets, filings, and documents. Persons can register at the website, and fees are $0.10 per page (capped at $3 per document), with no charge for quarterly usage under $30.

Westmoreland County Court