Chester County, one of the three original counties established by William Penn in 1682, is named after the city of Chester in England. Located in southeastern Pennsylvania, Chester County has a population of over 545,000 residents and covers an approximate area of 1,965 square kilometers. Its county seat, West Chester Borough, is home to West Chester University, a major public university known for its academic and research contributions.

Courts in Chester County

The court system in Chester County comprises Courts of Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. The Chester County Court of Common Pleas has general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. The Court of Common Pleas has an Orphans Court Division that handles matters concerning the estates of decedents, including wills, trusts, and guardianships. Other specialized Divisions include the Family Court, which oversees issues affecting families such as divorce, legal separation, and domestic violence, and the Domestic Relations Division, which presides over spousal and child support and related cases.

The Magisterial District Court presides over minor criminal cases, landlord-tenant disputes, small claims for amounts below $12,000, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings in felony cases. The Traffic Court is a division within the Magisterial District Court and handles traffic law and regulation violation cases.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Chester County

Public court records are court documents accessible by Chester County residents. The Chester County Clerk of Courts is responsible for maintaining public court records and provides an online search tool to view public court records. Record seekers may utilize the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal to search for public court records from Chester County. The Clerk’s office also entertained requests for copies of court records by mail or in person at the courthouses.

Types of Public Court Records in Chester County

Public court records serve a diverse purpose, including maintaining transparency and accountability with the county’s judicial system. Chester County residents can access any of the following public court records:

• Civil Court Records: Property damage, personal injury, work-related disputes, and contract disputes
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors such as arson, murder, burglary, petty theft, and public intoxication
• Orphan’s Court Records: Conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, and wills
• Family Court Records: Child custody, child support, alimony, marriage annulment, and divorce records
• Traffic Records: Speeding violations, driving without a valid license, driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, and illegal parking

Confidential Court Records in Chester County

Confidential court records are documents from judicial proceedings in Chester County that are exempted from public viewing and copying. Confidential court records sealed by court order or state or federal law contain sensitive information where disclosure may lead to an invasion of personal privacy. Confidential court records in Chester County include:

• Juvenile court records
• Adoption records
• Grand jury proceedings
• Medical and mental health records
• Trade secrets
• Crime victims information

Similarly, personal data within court documents are confidential information and are not accessible to the public. Personal identifiers contain information where disclosure may jeopardize the safety or security of the individual named on the court document. Therefore, personal information such as financial account information, tax identification numbers, state identification numbers, birthdates, home and personal email addresses, and Social Security numbers are confidential information redacted from public court records.

Juvenile Delinquency in Chester, PA

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Chester 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 637 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Chester County. Of that total, 86% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 545 court cases. Another 12% were dependency cases that accounted for 74 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Chester County, PA

https://www.pa.gov/

County Seat:	West Chester
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1682
Total Square Miles:	759
2019 Population:	519,293
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Chester County, PA Courts