Upper Darby Court Docket Records
Upper Darby Township is one of the most populous municipalities in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Court docket records for matters arising in Upper Darby are accessible through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal at no cost to the public. Upper Darby is served by Magisterial District Courts within Delaware County, and more serious matters proceed to the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas in Media. This guide explains how to search those dockets, what information is available, and how to request certified copies when a formal record is needed.
Upper Darby Quick Facts
Upper Darby Court Docket Search
Searching court dockets for Upper Darby matters begins at the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal. Selecting Delaware County as the filter when searching by party name will return cases from Upper Darby Township along with all other municipalities in Delaware County. Magisterial District Court dockets for Upper Darby carry the "MJ-32" prefix, and Delaware County Court of Common Pleas dockets begin with "CP-32."
The portal returns all publicly available docket information, including the charges or claim type, hearing schedules, motions, orders, and dispositions. Cases are updated as filings are processed, making the portal the most current resource for confirming active case status or reviewing completed proceedings in Upper Darby.
The UJS Web Portal is free, requires no login, and can be used to search both criminal and civil dockets simultaneously.
Docket sheets displayed in the portal can be printed directly or saved as a PDF for future reference without any additional steps.
Note: Any record subject to a sealing or expungement order will not appear in portal search results regardless of the search terms entered.
Upper Darby Magisterial District Courts
Upper Darby Township is served by multiple Magisterial District Judges within Delaware County. District Judge Harry J. Karapalides serves Millbourne Borough and portions of Upper Darby Township from the courthouse at 1500 Garrett Road, Barclay Square Building. District Judge Benjamin Johns serves other portions of the township. The main Magisterial District Court phone number for Upper Darby is 610-626-6900.
These courts handle preliminary arraignments, bail determinations, and preliminary hearings for criminal matters arising in their coverage areas. Summary offenses such as traffic violations, disorderly conduct, and local ordinance violations are adjudicated entirely at the district court level. Landlord-tenant complaints and small civil claims up to the district court's jurisdictional ceiling are also resolved before the district judge.
When criminal charges rise to the level of a first-degree misdemeanor or any felony, the district judge conducts a preliminary hearing and, if evidence supports the charges, binds the matter over to the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. Both the Magisterial District Court docket and the subsequent Common Pleas docket are searchable through the UJS portal.
Delaware County Court of Common Pleas -- Upper Darby
The Delaware County Court of Common Pleas is located in Media, Pennsylvania, which serves as the county seat of Delaware County. As the major trial court for Upper Darby Township and all other Delaware County municipalities, it handles felony prosecutions, major civil litigation, family law proceedings, and orphans' court matters. Upper Darby residents whose cases are bound over from Magisterial District Court will have their proceedings heard in Media.
The Court of Common Pleas is organized into criminal, civil, family, and orphans' court divisions, each governed by its own local rules in addition to statewide procedural requirements. Delaware County has historically managed a large active docket due to the county's significant residential population, which includes Upper Darby, the most populous township in the state.
All Court of Common Pleas docket records for Upper Darby cases are searchable through the UJS Case Search by filtering to Delaware County and searching by party name or docket number.
The case search results show both current matters and historically resolved cases within the portal's coverage period.
Criminal Court Dockets in Upper Darby
Criminal docket records for Upper Darby cases document the complete progression of a matter from the initial charge through final disposition. A typical docket will include the specific charges, bail conditions set at arraignment, preliminary hearing outcomes, arraignment before the Court of Common Pleas, pre-trial motions, trial proceedings, and sentencing. The docket is the official record of each procedural step.
Upper Darby Township's police department is an active law enforcement agency that generates criminal referrals to the Magisterial District Courts regularly. Once charges are filed by police, the court docket becomes the official record of the criminal proceedings. The UJS portal reflects that docket in real time as the case moves through the system from Magisterial District Court to Common Pleas where required.
Records for cases that were dismissed, resulted in acquittal, or where the defendant successfully obtained an expungement order are handled in accordance with Pennsylvania's expungement statutes. Once a valid expungement order is processed, the public portal entry is removed.
Civil Court Dockets in Upper Darby Pennsylvania
Upper Darby civil court dockets cover a wide range of dispute types, including landlord-tenant proceedings, personal injury claims, contract disputes, and property matters. Small claims and landlord-tenant eviction actions at or below the Magisterial District Court jurisdictional limit are heard by the district judges serving Upper Darby. Larger civil disputes are filed in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas in Media.
The civil docket sheet accessible through the UJS portal reflects the entire history of a civil case from the initial filing through final judgment and any post-judgment proceedings. Whether the case settled, was decided after arbitration, or went to full trial, the docket reflects each step. Parties can use the portal to confirm case status, identify whether a judgment has been entered, and determine whether any post-judgment motions are pending.
Judgment liens arising from civil court decisions against individuals or businesses in Delaware County are recorded with the prothonotary and appear on the docket, making them searchable through the portal by the judgment debtor's name.
How to Get Upper Darby Court Record Copies
Certified copies of court records for Upper Darby cases are obtained through the Delaware County Clerk of Courts for criminal matters and the Prothonotary for civil matters, both located at the Delaware County Courthouse in Media. Walk-in requests are accepted during normal business hours, and mail requests are processed in receipt order.
The standard copy fee is $0.25 per page, with an additional fee for certification. When only a docket sheet is needed, the UJS portal printout is free and sufficient for many informational purposes. When an official certified copy is required for legal proceedings, the clerk's office must prepare the document with the court's seal and signature.
The PATCH system at epatch.pa.gov provides electronic criminal history records for authorized requestors. This service is distinct from obtaining court docket copies through the clerk's offices at the courthouse.
Note: Requests for copies of specific documents within a case file, as opposed to just the docket sheet, may require additional time and should identify the exact document title or filing date.
Public Access Rules for Upper Darby Court Records
Court records for Upper Darby cases are subject to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's uniform public access policy, which applies to all courts in the Commonwealth including Delaware County. The policy creates a default presumption of public access to court dockets while identifying specific categories of sensitive information that must be withheld from public view.
Information excluded from public access includes Social Security numbers, financial account identifiers, names of minor victims, mental health records, and materials sealed by court order. Juvenile delinquency proceedings are not publicly accessible. Family court records covering support and custody matters carry additional restrictions limiting review by persons who are not parties to those cases.
The complete policy is available at pacourts.us/public-records. Delaware County's Court of Common Pleas has a designated public access officer who handles formal record access requests and addresses disputes about the availability of specific court records.
Delaware County Court Docket Records
The Delaware County Court of Common Pleas in Media serves Upper Darby Township and all municipalities in Delaware County, maintaining complete docket records for criminal, civil, family, and orphans' court matters. The Delaware County court docket page provides more detail on courthouse locations, filing procedures, and record access options.
Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Residents of nearby cities search court dockets through the same UJS portal.