Blair Cnty. C.P. Case Record Public Access § 1

A. “Abuse Victim” is a person for whom a protection order has been granted

by a court pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. No. 1901 et seq. and 23 Pa.C.S. § 6101 et

seq. or Pa.R.C.P. No. 1951 et seq. and 42 Pa.C.S § 62A01 et seq. as well

as Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J. No. 1201 et seq.

B. “Case Records” are (1) documents for any case filed with,

accepted and maintained by a court or custodian; (2) dockets,

indices, and documents (such as orders, opinions, judgments,

decrees) for any case created and maintained by a court or

custodian. This term does not include notes, memoranda,

correspondence, drafts, worksheets, and work product of judges

and court personnel. Unless otherwise provided in this policy, this

definition applies equally to case records maintained in paper and

electronic formats.

C. “Clerical errors” are errors or omissions appearing in a case record that are

patently evident, as a result of court personnel's action or inaction.

D. “Court” includes the Supreme Court, Superior Court, Commonwealth

Court, Courts of Common Pleas, [and] Philadelphia Municipal

Court, [excluding the Traffic Division of Philadelphia Municipal

Court] and Magisterial District Courts.

E. “Court of Record” includes the Supreme Court, Superior Court,

Commonwealth Court, Courts of Common Pleas, and Philadelphia

Municipal Court.

[E.]F. “Court Facility” is the location or locations where case records are

filed or maintained.

[F.]G. “Custodian” is any person responsible for maintaining case records or

for processing public requests for access to case records.

[G.]H. “Docket” is a chronological index of filings, actions, and events in a

particular case, which may include identifying information of the parties

and counsel, a brief description or summary of the filings, actions, and

events, and other case information.

[H.]I. “Financial Account Numbers” include financial institution account

numbers, debit and credit card numbers, and methods of authentication

used to secure accounts such as personal identification numbers, user

names and passwords.

[I.]J. “Financial Source Documents” are:

1. Tax returns and schedules;

2. W-2 forms and schedules including 1099 forms or similar

documents;

3. Wage stubs, earning statements, or other similar documents;

4. Credit card statements;

5. Financial institution statements;

6. Check registers;

7. Checks or equivalent; and

8. Loan application documents.

[J.]K. “Medical/psychological records” are records relating to the past, present,

or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual.

[K.]L. “Minor” is a person under the age of eighteen.

[L.]M. “Party” is one who commences an action or against whom relief is

sought in a matter.

[M.]N. “Public” is any person, member of the media, business, non-profit

entity, organization or association. The term does not include a party to a

case; the attorney(s) of record in a case; Unified Judicial System officials or

employees if acting in their official capacities; or any federal, state, or local

government entity, and employees or officials of such an entity if acting in

their official capacities.

[N.]O. “Remote Access” is the ability to electronically search, inspect, print or

copy information in a case record without visiting the court facility where

the case record is maintained or available, or requesting the case record

from the court or custodian pursuant to Section 4.0.

Regarding Subsection B, “documents for any case filed with, accepted and

maintained by a court or custodian” are those not created by a court or custodian, such as

pleadings and motions. Indices are tools for identifying specific cases.

Regarding Subsection C, examples of clerical errors are the docket entry links to

the wrong document or court personnel misspells a name in the caption.

Regarding Subsection [F]G, the definition of “custodian” includes clerks of

court, prothonotaries, clerks of orphans’ court and magisterial district judges, for

example. The definition does not include those entities listed in Pa.R.A.P. 3191 who

receive copies of briefs filed in an appellate court or a register of wills.

Regarding Subsection [J]K, this definition is derived from the definition of

“health information” provided in 45 C.F.R. § 160.103 (HIPAA). Examples of case

records that would fall within this exclusion are: drug and alcohol treatment records,

psychological reports in custody matters, and DNA reports.

Regarding Subsection [L]M, amici curiae are not parties. See Pa.R.A.P. 531.

Regarding Subsection [M]N, Unified Judicial System officials or employees

include: judicial officers and their personal staff, administrative staff and other central

staff, prothonotaries, clerks of the courts, clerks of the orphans’ court division, sheriffs,

prison and correctional officials, and personnel of all the above.