LIMITS ON PUBLIC ACCESS TO UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM CASE RECORD
OF THE APPELLATE AND TRIAL COURTS
Subject Area Record Description Accessibility Authority
Civil Jurors Notes. No Public Access. Collected and Pa.R.C.P. No. 223.2.
destroyed post-trial.
Commonwealth Court Child Line Registry Cases. No Public Access to documents in Admin. Order No. 126 Misc.
the case except Orders and Docket No. 3 (February 8,
Opinions wherein the court shall 2013).
use initials of the minor child
involved rather than full name.
Criminal Juror's Address. No Public Access. Commonwealth v. Long, 922
A.2d 892 (Pa. 2007).
Criminal Sealed affidavit of probable cause for a No Public Access while sealed. Pa.R.Crim.P. 211.
search warrant. The affidavit may not be sealed
for more than 60 days unless an
extension is received. Extensions
may not be longer than 30 days,
but an unlimited number of
extensions are available. Public
may access the affidavit after it
has been unsealed.
Criminal Unexecuted Search Warrant. No Public Access until warrant is Pa.R.Crim.P. 212(A).
executed.
Criminal Arrest Warrant Information. A court may delay public access Pa.R.Crim.P. 513(C),
for good cause for up to 72 hours. Pa.R.Crim.P. 513.1.
In addition, a court may seal arrest
warrant information for a longer
period of time.
Criminal Motion filed by attorney for the No Public Access - the motion Pa.R.Crim.P. 556.2.
Commonwealth to present the matter to and order are sealed.
an indicting grand jury and subsequent
order.
Page 1 of 6
LIMITS ON PUBLIC ACCESS TO UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM CASE RECORD
OF THE APPELLATE AND TRIAL COURTS
Criminal All indicting grand jury proceedings No Public Access. Disclosure Pa.R.Crim.P. 556.10.
and related documents. may be granted to attorney for the
Commonwealth, defendant in a
criminal case, witnesses, law
enforcement personnel, and upon
motion when necessary.
Criminal Sealed indictments. No Public Access. Pa.R.Crim.P. 556.11(E).
Criminal Sealed records concerning mental No Public Access. Pa.R.Crim.P. 569.
health experts.
Criminal Sealed written statements pertaining to No Public Access. The entire text Pa.R.Crim.P. 573(F).
protective orders. of the statement shall be sealed
and preserved in the records of the
court to be made available to the
appellate court(s) in the event of
an appeal.
Criminal Sealed plea agreement. No Public Access. Pa.R.Crim.P. 590.
Criminal Juror qualification forms. No Public Access. Pa.R.Crim.P. 625(A)(3).
Criminal Juror information questionnaires. No Public Access. Questionnaires Pa.R.Crim.P. 632.
are retained in a sealed file and
shall be destroyed upon
completion of the jurors' service,
unless otherwise ordered by the
trial judge.
Criminal Sealed verdict. No Public Access. Pa.R.Crim.P. 649.
Criminal Notes taken by jurors. No Public Access. Pa.R.Crim.P. 644(B)(7).
Criminal Pre-sentence reports and related No Public Access. Pa.R.Crim.P. 703(A).
psychiatric psychological reports.
Criminal Records revealing the names of human No Public Access, unless 18 Pa.C.S. § 3019(a).
trafficking victims. otherwise ordered by a court in a
prosecution involving a victim of
human trafficking.
Page 2 of 6
LIMITS ON PUBLIC ACCESS TO UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM CASE RECORD
OF THE APPELLATE AND TRIAL COURTS
Criminal Wiretap applications, final reports and No Public Access except upon 18 Pa.C.S. § 5715.
orders. showing of good cause before a
court of competent jurisdiction.
Subject Area Record Description Accessibility Authority
Criminal Names of minor victims of sexual or No Public Access. Records 42 Pa.C.S. § 5988.
physical abuse. revealing a victim's name are
sealed. A minor victim who is 18
years of age or older at the time of
the commencement of the
prosecution may waive this
protection and allow the court to
release the name of the minor
victim.
Domestic Relations Information regarding the registration, No Public Access via internet 18 U.S.C. § 2265(d)(3).
filing of a petition for, or issuance of a publication, if such publication
protection from abuse in either the would be likely to publically
issuing or enforcing State. reveal the identity or location of
the protected party.
Domestic Relations Social security number of any No Public Access. 23 Pa.C.S. §
individual subject to a divorce decree, 4304.1(a)(3).
support order, paternity determination,
or acknowledgement of paternity,
which is required in all records of those
matters.
Domestic Relations Child Support Records No Public Access, except for 42 U.S.C. §§ 654 (26)(A),
PACSES dockets, court orders 654a(d)(1)(A); 45 CFR §§
and opinions. 303.21(c)-(d), 307.13(a)(1);
23 Pa.C.S. §4304.1(d);
Sections 2.4 and 3.4 of the
Cooperative Agreement.
Page 3 of 6
LIMITS ON PUBLIC ACCESS TO UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM CASE RECORD
OF THE APPELLATE AND TRIAL COURTS
Subject Area Record Description Accessibility Authority
Domestic Relations (a) Subject to any inconsistent general No Public Access. 23 Pa.C.S. § 4305
rules and to the supervision and (a)(10)(ii)-(iii).
direction of the court, the domestic
relations section shall have the power
and duty to:…
(10) Implement safeguards applicable
to all confidential information received
by the domestic relations section in
order to protect the privacy rights of
the parties, including:...
(ii) prohibitions against the release of
information on the whereabouts of one
party or the child to another party
against whom a protective order with
respect to the former party or the child
has been entered; and
(iii) prohibitions against the release of
information on the whereabouts of one
party or the child to another person if
the domestic relations section has
reason to believe that the release of the
information on the whereabouts of one
party or the child to another person if
the domestic relations section has
reason to believe that the release of the
information may result in physical or
emotional harm to the party or the
child.
Page 4 of 6
LIMITS ON PUBLIC ACCESS TO UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM CASE RECORD
OF THE APPELLATE AND TRIAL COURTS
Subject Area Record Description Accessibility Authority
Domestic Relations List of weapons ordered to be No Public Access, except (A) 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108(a)(7)(v).
relinquished by the defendant in an upon an order of the court granted
action for protection from abuse. upon cause shown; (B) as
necessary, by law enforcement
and court personnel; or (C) after
redaction of information listing
any firearm, other weapon or
ammunition.
Domestic Relations All records pertaining to a confidential No Public Access, except for the 23 Pa.C.S. § 6703(d); see
address for individuals participating in substitute address provided by the also 23 Pa.C.S. §
the Office of Victim Advocate's Office of Victim Advocates. 5336(b)(1).
Address Confidentiality Program.
Juvenile Court Juvenile Dependency and No Public Access; except as set 42 Pa.C.S. § 6307;
Delinquency records. forth in 42 Pa.C.S. § 6307, Pa.Rs.J.C.P. 160, 1160.
Pa.Rs.J.C.P. 160 and/or
1160, including with leave
of court.
Orphans' Court Proceedings related to appointment of Shall be closed to the public upon 20 Pa.C.S. § 5511(a); In re
guardianship for incapacitated persons. request of the alleged Estate of duPont, 2 A.3d
incapacitated person or his 516 (Pa. 2010).
counsel. After the individual's
death his/her estate may access
the record of the guardianship
proceedings.
Orphans' Court Records required for foreign adoption No Public Access unless a court 23 Pa.C.S. § 2908(F);
decrees. order is granted upon good cause. Pa.O.C.R. 15.7.
Page 5 of 6
LIMITS ON PUBLIC ACCESS TO UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM CASE RECORD
OF THE APPELLATE AND TRIAL COURTS
Subject Area Record Description Accessibility Authority
Orphans' Court Adoption records. No Public Access unless 23 Pa.C.S. § 2915; see also
otherwise ordered. 23 Pa.C.S. § 2906;
Pa.O.C.R. 15.7.
Orphans' Court (Family Applications of a minor for judicial No Public Access; sealed dockets, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3206(f);
Court in Philadelphia approval of decision to have an and documents shall be Pa.O.C.R. 16.2 and 16.6.
County or Juvenile abortion, under the Abortion Control maintained in a closed file marked Note also Pa.R.J.A. No.
Court Section of Family Act, as well as proceedings and the "confidential" and identified by 2157 and Pa.R.A.P. 3801.
Division in Allegheny name of the minor. case number only.
County Pa.R.J.A. 2157)
General For certain offenses graded as a No public access. The court shall * Act 5 of 2016 effective
misdemeanor of the second or third not release the information to an November 14, 2016 which
degree, any information relating to the individual, noncriminal justice in part creates 18 Pa.C.S. §
conviction, arrest, indictment or other agency or an internet website. 9122.1 and amends 18
information leading to the conviction, Pa.C.S. § 9121.
arrest, indictment or other information.
General Records concerning persons in Limited Public Access in 50 P.S. § 7111.
treatment under the Mental Health compliance with the Mental
Procedures Act. Health Procedures Act and
controlling case law.
General Court documents, rules, or orders in Any party may request proceeding 4 Pa.C.S. § 1518.2(b).
Gaming Law proceedings. and record to be sealed if in best
interest of any person or
Commonwealth.
General Proceedings and records involving No Public Access. 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 6303(c),
juveniles charged with a summary 6307(c), and 6336(g).
offense before the minor judiciary, the
Philadelphia Municipal Court or a
Court of Common Pleas.
*Note this may not be a complete listing; the public and court staff are directed to consult federal and state statutes, court rules or case
law.
Page 6 of 6