Berks County was established in 1752 and is located in south-central Pennsylvania. Its county seat is the City of Reading. According to the US Census Bureau, Berks County has a total land area of 856.4 square miles with about 428,000 persons residing there.

Courts in Berks County

The Berks County Court of Common Pleas is a court of general jurisdiction. Criminal and civil cases beyond the jurisdiction of other lesser courts are handled at the Common Pleas Court. The court typically hears all felony trials in the county. It also presides over civil lawsuits without financial restrictions, juvenile cases, and domestic relations. Residents can appeal decisions of some administrative agencies at the Court of Common Pleas.

Berks County has an Orphans' Court tasked with handling all probate matters in the county. Aggrieved parties can approach the Orphans’ Court to resolve the distribution of estates, parental rights termination, appeals involving inheritance tax, and adoption cases.

The 17 Magistrate District Courts in Berks County have limited jurisdiction over certain civil and criminal offenses. Misdemeanors, ordinance violations, and DUI offenses are handled at the Magistrate District Courts. The court also presides over preliminary hearings of felony-related crimes. Residents settle landlord-tenant disputes and other civil lawsuits involving below $12,000 financial disagreements.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Berks County

In Berks County, the Clerk of Courts maintains criminal records, while the County Prothonotary maintains civil records. Both officials allow individuals to request public court records by mail, email, phone, or in person. Requesters can also look up the Pennsylvania Judiciary Web Portal to find court records online. The following court documents are available via the statewide online repository.

• Complaints and Petitions
• Answers and Briefs
• Court Transcripts
• Case Dockets
• Evidence
• Legal Memoranda
• Depositions
• Plea Bargain
• Indictments
• Verdicts

Types of Public Court Records in Berks County

Public court records are accessible to everyone in Berks County. Examples of these records include the following:

• Criminal case documents
• Civil case documents
• Family case documents
• Traffic case documents
• Probate case documents
• Small Claims case documents
• Land and Property case documents
• Juvenile case documents (with some restrictions)
• Appealed case files

Confidential Court Records in Berks County

Confidential court records in Berks County are not open to the public. Examples of the records include the following:

• Records showing financial information
• Medical/Psychological records
• Court records showing personal details such as Social Security numbers, state ID numbers, and driver's license numbers
• Juvenile records
• Abuse victims’ details
• Adoption records
• Confidential informant records
• Grand jury proceedings
• Attorney-client communications
• Child custody and protection records
• Records of ongoing investigations
• Sealed records

Only record holders and their representatives can obtain copies of these records by visiting the courts in person. Local courts in Berks County may issue court orders to allow certain persons to have access to the records.

Juvenile Delinquency in Berks, PA

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

In 2017, a total of 1187 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Berks County. Of that total, 61% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 720 court cases. Another 39% were dependency cases that accounted for 467 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Berks County, PA

https://www.pa.gov/

County Seat:	Reading
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1751
Total Square Miles:	866
2019 Population:	417,854
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	633 Court Street County Courthouse Reading , PA 19601-4310 http://www.co.berks.pa.us

Berks County, PA Courts