Allentown Court Docket Records
Allentown is the county seat of Lehigh County and the most populous city in the 31st Judicial District. Court docket records for Allentown cases are available online through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal at no cost to the public. Cases originating in Allentown may be handled at the Magisterial District Court level or escalated to the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, depending on the severity of the matter. This guide covers how to search those dockets, what information you can expect to find, and how to request copies when needed.
Allentown Quick Facts
Allentown Court Docket Search
The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal is the most direct way to search Allentown court dockets. Searching by party name with Lehigh County selected as the filter will return all matching cases filed within the 31st Judicial District. If you have a specific docket number, entering it directly will pull up the full case record immediately.
Allentown Magisterial District Court dockets use the "MJ-31" prefix, while Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas dockets carry the "CP-31" prefix. Using the correct prefix helps narrow results when searching by docket number alone. The portal shows hearing dates, case status, charges or claim amounts, and disposition information for each docket entry.
The UJS Web Portal covers cases across both criminal and civil divisions, and the same search interface is used for both matter types.
Search results can be sorted by filing date or party name and are accessible without any account or subscription.
Note: Expunged records and cases sealed by court order are not visible in the public portal regardless of the search method used.
Allentown Magisterial District Courts
Allentown is served by several Magisterial District Courts within the 31st Judicial District. These courts handle summary criminal offenses, preliminary arraignments, preliminary hearings for misdemeanor and felony charges, landlord-tenant disputes, and small civil claims. Each district judge presides over a defined area of Lehigh County, and Allentown city limits are divided among multiple court districts.
Summary offense cases, including minor traffic violations and local ordinance violations, are adjudicated entirely at the Magisterial District Court level. More serious criminal matters are given a preliminary hearing before the district judge and then bound over to the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas if sufficient evidence is found to support the charges.
Docket records for all Magisterial District Court proceedings are searchable through the UJS portal. The docket will show the full record of the summary case or the outcome of the preliminary hearing and transfer to Common Pleas where applicable.
Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas -- Allentown
The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas is located at the Lehigh County Courthouse at 455 West Hamilton Street in Allentown. As the county seat courthouse, it handles all serious criminal cases, major civil disputes, family law matters, and orphans' court proceedings for Lehigh County. The court is organized into criminal, civil, family, and orphans' court divisions, each with distinct filing requirements and procedures.
Lehigh County Judicial Services provides administrative support for court operations and maintains court records. Information about court schedules, local rules, and administrative procedures can be found at Lehigh County Judicial Services. Parties filing new cases or responding to pending matters should consult the current local rules before submitting documents to the clerk's office.
The Lehigh County Judicial Services office is the point of contact for inquiries about case scheduling, courtroom assignments, and administrative matters related to Common Pleas proceedings.
The 455 West Hamilton Street courthouse also houses the offices of the Clerk of Courts, Prothonotary, and Register of Wills.
Criminal Court Dockets in Allentown
Allentown criminal docket records document the complete history of criminal proceedings from the initial charge through final disposition. A typical criminal docket in Allentown will reflect the charges filed, preliminary hearing outcome, grand jury action if applicable, arraignment before the Court of Common Pleas, trial or plea proceedings, and sentencing. All stages of the proceeding are time-stamped on the docket as filings occur.
The Allentown Police Department maintains arrest records that precede court filing, and while arrest records and court records are related, they are separate systems. Arrest records held by police are distinct from the court docket maintained by the Clerk of Courts. Once charges are filed, the court docket becomes the official record of criminal proceedings. Information about Allentown Police arrest records can be found at Allentown Police Department.
The Allentown Police Department arrest data and the court docket together provide the full picture of a criminal matter from initial law enforcement contact through court disposition.
For purposes of verifying court outcomes only, the UJS portal is the authoritative source and does not require contact with law enforcement.
Civil Court Dockets in Allentown Pennsylvania
Civil docket records in Allentown cover contract disputes, personal injury claims, property matters, and other civil litigation filed in Lehigh County. Small claims and landlord-tenant matters are handled at the Magisterial District Court level, while larger disputes proceed in the Court of Common Pleas Civil Division. The monetary threshold distinguishing the two courts is set by Pennsylvania procedural rules and is periodically adjusted.
Civil docket sheets in the UJS portal display the complete filing record of each case, including the complaint, answers, motions, court orders, arbitration results where applicable, and final judgment. Cases that are appealed to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania or Supreme Court of Pennsylvania will show that transfer on the original docket as well.
Parties can confirm whether a civil judgment has been entered and recorded against a person or entity by searching the Lehigh County dockets. Judgment liens recorded with the prothonotary are part of the public docket and searchable through the UJS portal by the judgment debtor's name.
How to Get Allentown Court Record Copies
Certified copies of Allentown court records are obtained through the Lehigh County Clerk of Courts for criminal matters and the Prothonotary for civil matters, both located at the courthouse at 455 West Hamilton Street, Allentown. Walk-in requests are accepted during regular business hours, and mail requests are processed in the order received.
The standard copy fee is $0.25 per page. Certification of copies carries an additional fee. Requestors should provide the full docket number, the case name, and a description of the specific documents needed to ensure prompt processing. If only the docket sheet is needed, the UJS portal provides a printable version without charge.
The Pennsylvania PATCH system at epatch.pa.gov offers electronic criminal history records for authorized users, which is separate from requesting individual court docket copies through the clerk's office.
Note: Requests for bulk records or records covering multiple case files may take additional time to process and should be submitted well in advance of any deadline.
Public Access Rules for Allentown Court Records
Public access to court records in Allentown is governed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's statewide public access policy, which applies uniformly across all 67 counties and all judicial districts. The policy establishes a presumption of public access to docket information while protecting specific sensitive categories from disclosure.
Categories excluded from public access include Social Security numbers, financial account identifiers, names of minor victims, mental health evaluation records, and information sealed by judicial order. Juvenile delinquency proceedings are generally confidential. Family court matters involving support enforcement and child custody include additional access restrictions for non-parties.
The complete public access policy is available at pacourts.us/public-records. Lehigh County's Court of Common Pleas maintains a public access officer who handles formal requests and any disputes regarding access to court records filed in the county.
Lehigh County Court Docket Records
The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas serves Allentown and all of Lehigh County from the courthouse at 455 West Hamilton Street, maintaining docket records for criminal, civil, family, and orphans' court cases. The Lehigh County court docket page has more information on the court structure and record access options.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Residents of nearby cities search court dockets through the same UJS portal.