Named after the second US president, John Adams, Adams County was created in 1800 from York County, Pennsylvania. It has a land area of 519 square miles and about 100 thousand residents. Gettysburg, a Civil War tourism center, is the county seat and largest city in Adams County.

Courts in Adams County

The Adams County Courts of Common Pleas 51st Judiciary District is the highest court in the county. It comprises the Criminal Division, the Prothonotary (Civil) Division, and the Orphan’s Courts. The Criminal Division handles criminal cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts in the county. It hears felonies and lesser offenses committed during the commission of a felony. The Prothonotary Division hears civil cases without financial limits, domestic relations, and juvenile matters. The Adams County Orphan’s Court handles all probate matters, including guardianships, wills, adoptions, trusts, and termination of parental rights. 

Magisterial District Courts are the other courts in Adams County with limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. There are four Magisterial District Courts in the county serving different geographical areas and presided over by elected Magisterial District Judges. The four Magisterial District Courts are District Courts 51-3-01, 51-3-02, 51-3-03, and 51-3-04. They hear civil cases with claims under $12,000, traffic offenses, municipal ordinance violations, landlord-tenant relations, and preliminary felony hearings.  

Where to Find Public Court Records in Adams County

The Adams County District Court Administrator is responsible for maintaining Adams County public court records, while the Adams County Clerk of Courts maintains those of Magisterial District Courts. Members of the public can access public court records from Adams County  online via the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal. They can also visit the courts to view and request copies of non-confidential court records.

Types of Public Court Records in Adams County

Adams County makes the following types of court records available to the public unless sealed by a court:

• Family Court Records: includes divorce, maintenance, and custody cases
• Criminal Court Records: includes court proceedings and court orders for criminal cases
• Civil Court Records: includes  professional malpractices, personal injury cases, product liabilities, breaches of contracts, and trade secrets
• Probate Court Records: includes documentation  of wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships

Confidential Court Records in Adams County

Confidential court documents in Adams County are court records sealed in order to protect sensitive information, ensure privacy, and comply with legal obligations. Confidential court documents differ from public records in that they are not open to the public and can only be viewed by authorized persons or by court orders. While most court documents are available to the public in Pennsylvania, parts or all of the following are usually excluded from public access:

• Adoption records
• Most juvenile records
• Identifying information about jurors
• Grand jury proceedings and records
• Medical and mental health records
• Financial information
• Sexual assault victim records
• Expunged or sealed records
• Misdemeanor or felony convictions of certain drug-related convictions after 10 years
• Identifying information about confidential informants in criminal prosecutions
• Personally identifiable information such as social security number and driver’s license number
• Records of victims of domestic violence

Juvenile Delinquency in Adams, PA

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Adams County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Pennsylvania often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 251 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Adams County. Of that total, 76% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 191 court cases. Another 24% were dependency cases that accounted for 60 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Adams County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Adams County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Adams County, PA

https://www.pa.gov/

County Seat:	Gettysburg
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1800
Total Square Miles:	522
2019 Population:	102,336
Persons/Square Mile:	0.01

Adams County, PA Courts