The court records of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, are maintained by the Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary office at the Court of Common Pleas. The website MercerCourt.us will help you find public information about court cases in this county. Additional access points include the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania portal, the Clerk of Courts office, and the Open Records office of the county. Requests can be submitted online, by mail, or in person.
Mercer Court System Overview
Mercer County is part of the 35th judicial district of Pennsylvania, which exclusively serves this county. The Court of Common Pleas is a court of general jurisdiction that handles criminal, civil, family, and probate cases. In addition, Magisterial District Courts operate within the county, serving as courts of limited jurisdiction for less serious offenses and preliminary hearings. Appeals from the Court of Common Pleas are directed to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
Court administration is carried out by Court Administration.
Courts Serving Mercer
Court of Common Pleas of Mercer County (state court of general jurisdiction)
Magisterial District Courts
Several Magisterial District Courts operate in the county, each serving a designated area. Exact addresses and phone numbers of specific magistrate courts can be found through the Mercer County court system page.
Federal Court
Bankruptcy cases are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
What Types of Cases Mercer Courts Hear
The courts of Mercer County handle a wide range of cases. Here are the main categories:
- Criminal cases: felonies, misdemeanors, summary offenses
- Civil claims — from large property disputes to small claims
- Family law: divorce, child custody, alimony, protective orders
- Probate matters: estate administration, guardianship
- Juvenile cases: offenses and child protection
- Traffic violations and DUI
- Adoption and termination of parental rights
District Court Cases in Mercer
The Court of Common Pleas is where all serious county cases are heard. Criminal cases with serious charges reach here after a preliminary hearing in the magistrate court. A judge determines if there is enough evidence to proceed with the case.
Civil claims exceeding the jurisdictional limit of the magistrate court are filed directly with the Prothonotary — the office that registers civil documents according to Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure and local rules. Cases are distributed among the judges of the Court of Common Pleas. Appeals from magistrate courts and post-sentence motions are also heard here.
Magistrate Court Cases in Mercer
Magisterial District Courts serve residents at the local level. Magistrate judges handle misdemeanors (third-degree under certain conditions), summary offenses, and conduct preliminary hearings in felony cases.
Civil claims up to $12,000 are filed here. For small claims, the limit is also $12,000 according to Pennsylvania law. Additionally, magistrate courts handle traffic violations, DUI cases at the arraignment stage, landlord-tenant disputes, and issue arrest and search warrants. If a party disagrees with the decision, the case can be appealed to the Court of Common Pleas by filing a de novo appeal.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Mercer
Family law. Divorce, custody, alimony, protective orders (PFA), and paternity establishment cases are handled by the Court of Common Pleas. Divorce documents are filed through the Prothonotary. According to the State Library of Pennsylvania, divorce records are kept in the Prothonotary's office of the county where the divorce was granted.
Probate matters. Estate administration, appointment of guardians and conservators, and trust issues fall under the jurisdiction of the Register of Wills. The Clerk of Courts also serves as the Register of Wills in Mercer County — all original documents are kept in this office.
Juvenile matters. Proceedings regarding juvenile offenses and child protection cases (Child Protective Services) are conducted by the Court of Common Pleas. Juvenile records are confidential under Pennsylvania law and are not subject to public access.
How Cases Move Through the Mercer Court System
- Case initiation. A criminal case begins with a criminal complaint, a civil case with a civil complaint, and a family or probate case with a petition. Documents are 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 in the Court of Common Pleas.
- Initial hearings. In criminal cases — arraignment, where charges are announced to the defendant. In civil cases — scheduling conference to set the hearing schedule.
- Pre-trial phase. Parties file motions, conduct discovery. In criminal cases, plea negotiations may occur.
- Trial or resolution. The case concludes with a verdict, settlement, default judgment, or plea agreement.
- Post-decision. Sentencing in criminal cases, enforcement of judgments in civil cases, filing appeals to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Mercer
The courts of the county are managed by the President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas with the support of the Court Administrator. The Court Administration office is located at 125 S. Diamond Street, Suite 310, Mercer, PA 16137 (phone: 724-662-3800).
Local Rules of Court define procedural specifics for case handling. They can be accessed through the Prothonotary's office, where rules are maintained according to the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure.
Public access to records. The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (Act 3 of 2008) establishes a presumption of openness for government documents. Now, the government agency must prove that a record is not subject to disclosure. Requests are submitted through the county's Right to Know / Open Records office. General questions about the law can be directed to the PA Office of Open Records.
Court records — docket sheets, decisions, motions — are generally public, except for juvenile cases, sealed cases, and certain family proceedings. Hearings are open to the public; for clarification on remote participation, contact Court Administration.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Mercer
- Case search. The UJS Portal Case Search allows searching for docket sheets of the Court of Common Pleas of Mercer County by party name or case number.
- Clerk of Courts. The Clerk of Courts office maintains original criminal cases and documents of the Court of Common Pleas. Copies can be requested or court fees paid here.
- Criminal history check. Through the PATCH (Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History) system, information about a person's criminal history can be obtained. A request for a check is also available through the PSP mail service.
- Property records. The Recorder of Deeds provides online search for registered documents — deeds, mortgages, powers of attorney. General information about the office can be found on the Recorder's Office page.
- Property assessment. The Public Access Assessment Office search allows finding property assessment data by address or owner's name. Information on tax assessment is also provided by the Tax Assessment department.
- County inmate search. The Mercer County Jail Report allows searching for information about individuals held in the county jail by last name.
- State inmate search. The Inmate Locator of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections helps find individuals in state prisons. The county also hosts SCI Mercer — a minimum-security facility.
- Sheriff's office. The Mercer County Sheriff's Office enforces court orders and serves court processes. Information about the sheriff's office functions can be found on the functions page.
- Vital records. The State Library of Pennsylvania guide contains information on where to find birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates.
For more information on county court records, visit MercerCourt.us.