Access to the Public Records

The Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Rule of Judicial Administration No. *401 control Public Access to the Case Records of the Philadelphia Courts of Common Pleas and the Philadelphia Municipal Court.

The Electronic Case Record Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania governs Electronic Case Records which exist in the Common Pleas Criminal Court Management System (CPCMS) and is available at http://www.pacourts.us/assets/files/page-1090/file-837.pdf. Philadelphia Rule of Judicial Administration *402 governs electronic records which exist in the First Judicial District’s case management Systems, including BANNER and CLAIMS, and is available at https://www.courts.phila.gov/pdf/rules/Judicial_Administration-Complied-Rules.pdf.

Public Access to the Financial Records of the First Judicial District is governed by Pennsylvania Rule of Judicial Administration No. 509 and Philadelphia Rule of Judicial Administration No. *403. Philadelphia Rules of Judicial Administration are available on the website of the First Judicial District at: http://www.courts.phila.gov/pdf/rules/Judicial_Administration-Complied-Rules.pdf.

To Request copies of Case Records maintained by the Court of Common Pleas and the Philadelphia Municipal Court may be requested through a single First Judicial District of Pennsylvania Request for Access to Case Records Form. Additionally, Civil Division Case Records of the Court of Common Pleas of the Trial Division which are accessible to the public are also available electronically through the Civil Docket Access link.

A Requestor shall identify or describe the case records sought with specificity to enable the custodian to ascertain which record is being requested.

The completed Form shall be submitted to the email address noted under the applicable Court and Division. Incomplete Forms may result in delayed access to the requested record.

The fees charged for case records are set forth in the First Judicial District’s Public Access Fee Schedule.

Requests will be completed as promptly as possible under the circumstances existing at the time of the request. If the custodian cannot fulfill the request promptly or at all, the custodian shall inform the Requestor of the specific reason(s) why access to the information is being delayed or denied.

Appeals. As provided in Section 5.0 (D) and (E) of the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System, if a request is denied by the custodian, relief may be sought by filing a motion with the court for which the custodian maintains the records. In Philadelphia, if a Request is denied by the Court of Common Pleas, relief may be sought by filing a motion which will be assigned to the Administrative Judge of the applicable Division or her designee. If a request is denied by the Philadelphia Municipal Court, relief may be sought by filing a motion which will be assigned to the President Judge of Philadelphia Municipal Court or the President Judge's designee.

The Electronic Case Record Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania governs electronic records which exist in the Common Pleas Criminal Court Management System (CPCMS) and is available at http://www.pacourts.us/assets/files/page-1090/file-837.pdf. Philadelphia Rule of Judicial Administration *402 governs electronic records which exist in the First Judicial District’s case management Systems, including BANNER and CLAIMS, and is available at https://www.courts.phila.gov/pdf/rules/Judicial_Administration-Complied-Rules.pdf.

Recurring Requests. Standard reports are available on a recurring basis pursuant to an established fee schedule can be requested the completing the Electronic Data Recurring Request Form.

Nonrecurring Requests. The Electronic Data Nonrecurring Request Form must be used to request Nonrecurring Electronic Data of the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. A Requestor must describe in detail the data requested and must list the specific data fields requested.

Requestors are cautioned that requests for bulk distribution of electronic case records will only be granted to the extent that adequate resources and technical capabilities exist, and the data requested is not excluded from public access as set forth in the UJS or FJD Electronic Case Records policies.

First Judicial District staff will respond within 10 business days of receipt of a written request, consistent with the provisions of Section 4.00 of the UJS Electronic Case Records Policy.

If the request cannot be fulfilled within 10 business days of receipt of the request, First Judicial District staff will notify the Requestor in writing of the expected date the electronic record will be available, not to exceed 30 business days.

Docket Sheets of individual Philadelphia Municipal Court and Court of Common Pleas criminal cases are available free of charge through the Web Portal of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania at the following link: Municipal Court and Court of Common Pleas Criminal Docket Search. Standard reports and customized reports containing CPCMS electronic data from multiple cases are available through the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Court.

To Request CPCMS Electronic Case Records click the link to the applicable Request Form.

1. Recurring Requests. Standard reports are available on a recurring basis pursuant to an established fee schedule can be requested the completing the AOPC Electronic Case Records Recurring Request form.
2. Nonrecurring Requests. Customized reports can be requested by submitting the AOPC Electronic Case Records Nonrecurring Request form

Additional information regarding access to Public Records maintained by the Unified Judicial System/AOPC is available on the Unified Judicial System Website by clicking the following link: Public Records.

Pennsylvania Rule of Judicial Administration No. 509 controls access to the Financial Records maintained by the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania and the Judiciary in general.

The term "financial records" is defined in Rule 509 as "any account, contract, invoice or equivalent dealing with:

1. the receipt or disbursement of funds appropriated to the [court] system; or
2. acquisition, use or disposal of services, supplies, materials, equipment or property secured through funds appropriated to the [court] system"

State-wide Financial Records of the judiciary are available through the Web Portal maintained by the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania at the Public Records Policies page. Financial Records of the First Judicial District are available for Contracts/Purchase Order of $5,000 or more through the AOPC/Unified Judicial System's Financial Records page, by clicking the Contracts/Purchase Order Summaries link and by selecting "Philadelphia" in the "Judicial Office" field.

See https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/FinancialRecords/FinancialRecords.aspx

More specific information can be requested by completing a Request for Financial Records Form.

A Requestor must identify or describe the Financial Records sought with specificity to enable the custodian to ascertain which financial record is being requested.

The record custodian will respond within 10 business days of receipt of a written request, and will provide the requested financial records as promptly as possible under the circumstances existing at the time of the request.

If the financial record cannot be provided within 10 business days of receipt of the request, the record custodian shall notify the requestor in writing of the expected date the record will be available, not to exceed 30 business days.

The record custodian is not be required to create financial records which do not currently exist or to compile, maintain, format or organize such records in a manner in which the records are not currently compiled, maintained, formatted or organized.

Appeals of Denials by the Record Custodian. Any denial of a written request for financial records may be appealed within 15 business days of the mailing date of the written response by the record custodian to the Financial Records Appeals Officer designated at Rule509AppealsOfficer@courts.phila.gov.

Appeals from denials of the Rule 509 Appeals Officer. Within 20 business days of receipt of the appeal, the Appeals Officer shall make a determination and shall forward it in writing to the requestor. Any further appeal shall be subject to Chapter 15, Judicial Review of Governmental Determinations, of the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure. See Pa.R.J.A. 509 (c) (4) and (5).

See First Judicial District Financial Records Request Form.

See Public Access Fee Schedules Applicable to the Records of the FJD.

Fee Schedule govern Public Access to the Records of the First Judicial System of Pennsylvania:

1. The Public Access Fee Schedule of the Court of Common Pleas and Philadelphia Municipal Court

Verification for Release of Information Authorization for Release of Clean Slated Information General Forms Form to Use When Filing Documents Request to Access Records Forms