Pa. UJS Limits on Public Access Chart

Civil Jurors Notes. No Public Access. Collected and Pa.R.C.P. 223.2.

destroyed post-trial.

Civil Complaints filed in magisterial district No Public Access to the minor’s Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J. 803.

courts. name in a complaint. Minors shall

be designated by the initials of

their first and last name.

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.

1 of 8 APRIL 2023

Criminal Information obtained from or No public access. Information Pa.R.Crim.P. 530(C).

concerning the defendant by a bail only accessible by the defendant,

agency. counsel for the defendant, the

issuing authority or judge setting

bail, the attorney for the

Commonwealth, and the

department of probation or parole

preparing a presentence report

regarding the defendant.

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.

Criminal All indicting grand jury proceedings and No Public Access. Disclosure may Pa.R.Crim.P. 556.10.

related documents. 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 health No Public Access. Pa.R.Crim.P. 569.

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.

2 of 8 APRIL 2023

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.

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.

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.

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Criminal* Any criminal history record information No public access. The court shall 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 9121, 9122.1,

related to the convictions of certain not release the information to an and §9122.2.

offenses graded as a misdemeanor of the individual, noncriminal justice

first, second or third degree, or summary agency or an internet website.

more than 10 years old, or dispositions

that are non-convictions, and

convictions for which a pardon was

granted.

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 order in would be likely to publicly reveal

either the issuing or enforcing State. the identity or location of the

protected party.

Domestic Relations Social security number of any No Public Access. 23 Pa.C.S. § 4304.1(a)(3).

individual subject to a divorce decree,

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.

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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 may result in physical or

emotional harm to the party or the

child.

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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 18 Pa.C.S. § 6105.2(f); see

action for protection from abuse. upon cause shown; (B) as also 18 Pa.C.S. § 6128(e).

necessary, by law enforcement

and court personnel; or (C) after

redaction of information listing

any firearm, other weapons 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. § 5336(b)(1).

the Office of Victim Advocate's Office of Victim Advocate.

Address Confidentiality Program.

Domestic Relations* Written reports of a guardian ad litem No Public Access. Pa.R.Civ.P. 1915.11-2(d)(3).

that include specific recommendations

relating to the child’s best interest and

a party’s filed response to the report.

Domestic Relations Denial of a Petition for Emergency No Public Access. Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 1208(B)

Protective Relief

Domestic Relations Criminal Record/Abuse History No Public Access. Pa.R.Civ.P. 1915.3-2(a)(1)

Verification form in a custody

action

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.R.J.C.P. 160, 1160.

Pa.R.J.C.P. 160 and/or

1160, including with leave

of court.

6 of 8 JUNE 2026

Landlord-Tenant Domestic Violence Affidavit filed No Public Access to the Domestic Pa.R.C.P.M.D.J. 514.1.

with the court to stay the execution of Violence Affidavit.

an order of possession.

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. 15.21.

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. 15.21.

Superior Court The Court may order that parties’ names No Public Access to the names in 210 Pa.Code § 65.44.

in captions for appeals from divorce, the caption. This does not apply

equitable distribution, custody, to the text of a circulation or

visitation, or child support decisions be order of the Court.

initialized.

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 abortion, and documents shall be maintained Pa.O.C.R. 16.2 and 16.6.

County or Juvenile under the Abortion Control Act, as well in a closed file marked Note also Pa.R.J.A. 2157 and

Court Section of Family as proceedings and the name of the "confidential" and identified by Pa.R.A.P. 3801.

Division in Allegheny minor. case number only.

County Pa.R.J.A. 2157)

7 of 8 JULY 2025

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 4 Pa.C.S. § 1518.2(b).

Gaming Law proceedings. proceeding 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.

General Transcript of proceedings in the A court may order the person Pa.R.J.A. 4014.

judicial districts within the Unified preparing the transcript to redact

Judicial System. confidential, personal and/or

financial data and other identifiers

and information listed in Section

7.0 of the Case Records Public

Access Policy of the Unified

Judicial System.

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.

*New or amended material

8 of 8 JULY 2025