Court records of Pike County, Pennsylvania, are maintained by several offices — Clerk of Courts, Prothonotary, and Register of Wills — and are available through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the court office. PikePACourt.us will help you find publicly accessible information about the county's court cases. Additional resources include the official website of Pike County courts, the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania web portal, and individual county offices.
Pike Court System Overview
Pike County is part of the 60th Judicial District of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. The county is an independent judicial district — it does not include other counties. The Court of Common Pleas handles criminal, civil, family, and probate cases. Magisterial District Judges serve as the court of first instance for less serious cases and preliminary hearings. Administration is carried out by the Court Administration office.
Courts Serving Pike
| Court | Address / Contacts |
|---|---|
| Pike County Court of Common Pleas (60th Judicial District) | 506 Broad Street, Milford, PA 18337 |
| Magisterial District Courts (Pike County) | Located within Pike County; schedule and addresses — on court.pikepa.org |
| U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania | 235 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA 18503 |
| U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania | Max Rosenn U.S. Courthouse, 197 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 |
There are no municipal courts in Pike County — all local cases are handled by the Magisterial District Courts and the Court of Common Pleas.
What Types of Cases Pike Courts Hear
Pike County courts cover a wide range of cases:
- Criminal: felonies, misdemeanors, summary offenses
- Civil: claims of any amount, small claims
- Family law: divorce, custody, support, protection orders
- Probate and guardianship (probate, guardianship, conservatorship)
- Juvenile justice and child protection cases
- Adoption
- Traffic violations and DUI
District Court Cases in Pike
The Court of Common Pleas is the court of general jurisdiction in Pike County. It handles serious criminal cases after a preliminary hearing in the Magisterial Court, as well as civil claims exceeding the magistrate's jurisdiction. A judge is assigned to a case through a distribution system controlled by Court Administration.
Appeals from decisions of Magisterial District Judges are also filed with the Court of Common Pleas. The Prothonotary Office registers civil cases, signs, and certifies court documents. The Clerk of Courts maintains criminal cases, petitions, records, and files.
Magistrate Court Cases in Pike
Magisterial District Judges in Pike County handle misdemeanors, summary offenses, preliminary hearings in criminal cases, as well as traffic violations and DUI cases at the initial stage. In civil cases, the magistrate has jurisdiction up to $12,000. Small claims — up to the same amount, but with a simplified procedure.
These courts also issue arrest warrants and search warrants, conduct bail hearings. If the judge finds sufficient evidence at the preliminary hearing, the case is transferred to the Court of Common Pleas for further consideration.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Pike
Family law. Divorce, child custody, support, protection orders from domestic violence (PFA), paternity establishment, and termination of parental rights are all handled by the Court of Common Pleas, family law division.
Probate matters. The Register of Wills is responsible for probate of wills, collection of inheritance tax, and maintaining the probate case index. Guardianship and trust cases also fall under the jurisdiction of the Orphans' Court, which is a division of the Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk of Courts serves as the Clerk of the Orphans' Court.
Juvenile matters. Juvenile cases are confidential. Juvenile case records are not published on the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania web portal.
How Cases Move Through the Pike Court System
- Filing a claim: a criminal complaint, civil lawsuit, or petition is filed with the appropriate office — Clerk of Courts for criminal cases, Prothonotary for civil cases.
- Judge assignment: Court Administration assigns the case to a specific judge.
- Initial hearing: in criminal cases — arraignment; in civil cases — scheduling conference.
- Pretrial phase: filing motions, exchanging evidence (discovery), plea negotiations, or settlement discussions.
- Trial: jury or judge renders a verdict; in civil cases, a settlement or default judgment is possible.
- Post-judgment: sentencing, filing an appeal to the Superior Court or Commonwealth Court, enforcing the judgment.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Pike
The administrative judge of the 60th Judicial District and the Court Administration office coordinate the work of the courts. Local Rules of Court are published on the county courts' website and on the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania portal.
According to the Pennsylvania Rules of Judicial Administration and the Right-to-Know Law, most court records are public. Exceptions include juvenile cases, sealed materials, and some family cases. Requests for public records can be submitted through the Right to Know Request form on the county's website.
Hearings are usually held in person at the Pike County Courthouse. Remote participation is possible by a judge's decision — check with Court Administration at (570) 296-3427.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Pike
- Docket search: The Clerk of Courts notes that all records are available on the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania (UJS Portal) — except for juvenile cases.
- Civil cases and court documents: The Prothonotary maintains the register of civil cases in the Court of Common Pleas and certifies copies.
- Land records: The Recorder of Deeds provides online search of Pike County land records.
- Probate matters: The Register of Wills maintains the probate case index and collects inheritance tax.
- Criminal history check: The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH) allows you to order a check online. Detailed information is available on the State Police page.
- Expungement: details of the procedure are described on the PA State Police website.
- Inmate search: The Inmate Locator of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections or search for inmates and parolees.
- Pike County Correctional Facility: information about detainees can be obtained by calling (570) 775-5500 from 8:00 to 16:00.
- County online services: The Online Services page of Pike County contains request forms, property search, and other resources.
- Pennsylvania Sex Offender Registry: available on the official PA Megan's Law website.
For additional questions regarding Pike County court records, contact the appropriate office or use PikePACourt.us.