Search Union County Court Records
Most online Union County court records begin with Pennsylvania UJS Case Search, the public docket system for the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. It supports statewide searches for appellate, Court of Common Pleas, Magisterial District Court, citation, traffic, criminal, and related docket sheets. The portal is not the county clerk's counter, and it is not a Pennsylvania State Police background check. It is the first public lookup channel for many Union County criminal dockets, MDJ cases, traffic citations, participant names, docket numbers, complaint numbers, OTN searches, and appellate matters.
The official Union County website is still important because the county offices hold records and services that are not fully shown in statewide docket results. Civil, family, divorce, certified-copy, older paper, Orphans' Court, and some local office records may require the Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, Clerk of Orphans' Court, Register of Wills, sheriff, jail, or Magisterial District Court office. Recent filings may also lag before they appear online.
The county website is the local doorway for Union County court records offices, while statewide UJS search is the docket doorway.
- Open UJS Case Search and choose the search mode that matches the information available, such as Participant Name, Docket Number, Citation Number, Complaint Number, OTN, SID, or Date Filed.
- Use Union County as a county filter when possible. For lower-court cases, choose the Snyder/Union 17th Judicial District or the correct MDJ office.
- For a traffic ticket, start with Citation Number. For a Common Pleas criminal matter, use Docket Number or Participant Name if the docket is unknown.
- Read the docket sheet for case type, court, status, parties, charges, events, financial entries, and disposition. Do not treat a docket as a full case file.
- Contact the Union County courthouse office for certified copies, full documents, civil records not found online, older files, and records that require in-person or mail handling.
The Union County Court of Common Pleas page is an official source for the local court office, judges, court administrator, weekly calendar, UJS links, local rules, and language access material.
That court page matters because it ties statewide docket access to the local Court of Common Pleas and the courthouse offices that maintain Union County court records.
Union County Court Search Fields
UJS Case Search gives more than one path into Union County court records. A name search can work when the docket number is unknown, but it may return many results. A docket-number or citation-number search is more precise. OTN can be useful for criminal-charge tracking when the number appears on charging papers, and MDJ filters help separate Lewisburg and Mifflinburg lower-court matters.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Use for Union County records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search By | Tab or radio option | Required | Choose Appellate, Attorney, Calendar Event, Citation Number, Complaint Number, Date Filed, Docket Number, Incident Number, Organization, OTN, Parcel, Participant Name, or SID. |
| Docket Number | Text | Mode-specific | Best when the Common Pleas or MDJ docket number is already known. |
| Citation Number | Text | Mode-specific | Best for traffic tickets and summary citation lookup. |
| Date Filed Start/End | Date | Optional | Narrows older or common-name searches by filing date range. |
| County | Dropdown | Optional | Select Union to reduce statewide results. |
| Judicial District | Dropdown | Optional | Select Snyder/Union 17 when using district-level filters. |
| MDJS Court Office | Dropdown | Optional | Use MDJ 17-03-01 or 17-03-02 when the issuing lower court is known. |
The Pennsylvania courts Union County page provides statewide context and links for Union County court functions.
State court pages help confirm that Union County court records sit within Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System rather than a stand-alone county-only court network.
Union County Court Structure
Union County is part of Pennsylvania's 17th Judicial District with Snyder County. The Court of Common Pleas is the primary trial court of general jurisdiction. It handles civil, criminal, family, juvenile, child and spousal support, custody, and Orphans' Court matters. Magisterial District Courts handle many first-contact matters, including summary traffic and non-traffic cases, landlord-tenant cases, small civil claims, preliminary arraignments, and preliminary hearings.
Case flow: Magisterial District Court > Court of Common Pleas > Superior Court or Commonwealth Court > Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
| Court or office | Judge or official | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court of Common Pleas, 17th Judicial District | President Judge Lori R. Hackenberg | Snyder County Courthouse, 9 West Market Street, Middleburg, PA 17842 | (570) 837-4238 |
| Court of Common Pleas, Union County chambers | Judge Michael Piecuch | Union County Courthouse, 103 South Second Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837 | (570) 524-8641 |
| Court Administration | Court Administrator | Union County Courthouse, 103 S. Second Street, Lewisburg | (570) 524-8736 |
| Magisterial District Court 17-03-01 | Hon. Jeffrey A. Rowe | 103 S Second Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837 | (570) 524-8656 |
| Magisterial District Court 17-03-02 | Hon. Jeffrey L. Mensch | 343 Chestnut Street, Suite #2, Mifflinburg, PA 17844 | (570) 966-2886 |
Union County Court Record Types
The court level and the clerk function determine where Union County court records are kept. Criminal dockets after preliminary proceedings are Clerk of Courts records at the Common Pleas level. Civil, custody, divorce, judgment, lien, writ, and many family filings are Prothonotary records. Marriage-license and Orphans' Court files are tied to the Prothonotary and Clerk of Orphans' Court office, while estate opening and estate microfilm are tied to the Register of Wills.
| Record type | Primary source | Typical access channel |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal court records | Clerk of Courts and Court of Common Pleas | UJS docket search, then clerk request for copies |
| Civil and family records | Prothonotary | Courthouse counter or mail request when no public civil portal is found |
| Traffic and summary matters | Magisterial District Courts | UJS citation search, MDJ office, or PAePay if eligible |
| Marriage and Orphans' Court records | Clerk of Orphans' Court and Register of Wills | Appointment, office request, or estate/probate counter |
| Warrants and custody records | Sheriff, jail, courts, and UJS dockets | Sheriff list, jail phone, VINE, DOC locator, and court docket checks |
The Union County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts page shows how one local first-floor office supports civil, criminal, and Orphans' Court records.
That combined counter is useful, but Pennsylvania terminology still matters because the Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, and Orphans' Court roles point to different record sets.
What Union County Court Records Show
A public docket sheet is a case summary. It can identify the docket number, court, county, caption, participants, filing date, case type, status, and related identifiers. In criminal matters it may also list charges, grading, offense dates, statute sections, bail, hearings, attorney entries, dispositions, plea details, sentence information, costs, fines, restitution, and payment events. Full pleadings, exhibits, certified copies, and older files may require a clerk request.
Key terms: A docket sheet is the event list. A disposition is the result. OTN means offense tracking number. A Prothonotary is the Pennsylvania civil clerk. The Clerk of Courts is the criminal court clerk.
Union County filing rules also affect what appears in the file. Mailed filings need fees at filing, a case caption, and a self-addressed stamped envelope if return copies are needed. Faxed and emailed documents are not accepted for filing. Filings with confidential information must use the proper UJS public-access forms, and Union County requires a Certification of Compliance with filings.
Union County Court Access Rules
Public access to Union County court records depends on the record type. The Pennsylvania public records policy hub is the better source for court case access rules, while the county Right-to-Know process is for county agency records outside court case files. A person seeking a docket should start with UJS Case Search. A person seeking a certified copy, older court paper, sealed-file question, or civil/family record not found online should contact the correct courthouse office.
Key access rules:
65 P.S. Section 67.101 et seq. governs Pennsylvania Right-to-Know requests for state and local agency records, but it is not a substitute for court case access policy.
18 Pa.C.S. Section 9121 governs criminal history record information, which is different from reading a public court docket.
42 Pa.C.S. Section 6307 restricts inspection of juvenile court files.
23 Pa.C.S. Chapter 13 supports Pennsylvania marriage-license timing rules, including the waiting period and license duration.
The Pennsylvania public records policy hub is paired with the UJS public access rules because remote search, clerk counter access, confidential filings, and certified copies do not all follow the same path.
Those statewide rules explain why some Union County court records are searchable online while other documents must be requested through the office that keeps the file.
Restricted Union County Court Records
Not every Union County court record is public. Juvenile delinquency and dependency files are restricted under Pennsylvania law. Adoption files are not ordinary public lookup material. Sealed, expunged, and limited-access criminal records may not appear in public searches. Personal identifiers, financial account numbers, minors' names, and confidential documents must be protected under UJS policy.
Limited access and expungement are not the same result. Expungement removes eligible criminal history record information. Limited access usually removes the record from public view while authorized agencies may still have access. A person checking eligibility should identify the docket number, review the Pennsylvania criminal-record rules, and file any petition through the court that handled the case. The clerk can identify local filing needs, but legal advice must come from an attorney.
Union County Courthouse Offices
The main record hub is the Union County Courthouse at 103 S. Second Street in Lewisburg. Many official county offices connect to that address, including Court of Common Pleas administration, Judge Michael Piecuch's chambers, the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts, the Clerk of Orphans' Court, Register of Wills, Sheriff, jail contact listing, District Attorney, Victim Witness, probation, and Magisterial District Court 17-03-01.
Union County Courthouse
103 S. Second Street
Lewisburg, PA 17837
(570) 524-8736
Common Pleas court administration
Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts
First floor, 103 S. Second Street
Lewisburg, PA 17837
(570) 524-8751
8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Register of Wills
103 S. Second Street
Lewisburg, PA 17837
(570) 524-8762
Recording concludes at 4:15 PM
The Union County Right-to-Know page gives the county agency request channel for records that are not court case files.
That distinction is practical: court case records should go through UJS policy or the clerk, while county agency records can use the county open-records officer process.
Union County Court Record Fees
Union County publishes fee bills for the Prothonotary and Orphans' Court. Fees must be checked against the current bill before filing or requesting copies because the same schedule can include different line items for docket entries, copies, certifications, exemplifications, searches, civil filings, divorce filings, custody complaints, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses.
| Item | Amount or total shown in research |
|---|---|
| Commencement of action at law | $186.75 |
| Custody complaint | $228.25 |
| Divorce complaint, one count | $223.75 |
| Certification or certifying copy | $9.00 |
| Exemplification of records | $28.00 |
| Search | $13.00 |
| Marriage license | $48.00 |
| Small estate petition | $42.00 plus additional-page fee |
Union County Warrants and Jail
The Union County Sheriff's Office is led by Sheriff Scott W. Hahn and lists 103 South Second Street in Lewisburg as its address. The sheriff's office hours are 8:00 AM-4:00 PM, with phone (570) 524-8716. The official sheriff site includes an active warrants page with names, photos for some entries, and short charge labels, plus a tip form. It is a list and tip channel, not a broad searchable warrant database.
The Union County Jail page gives jail contact, visiting, deposit, property, and phone-system information, but no official searchable jail roster was found in the research. For county custody questions, use the jail phone number at (570) 524-8711. For state-sentenced inmates or parolees, use the Pennsylvania DOC locator. For custody and criminal case notices, Pennsylvania VINE is a separate notification channel.
Union County Marriage and Orphans' Court
Marriage licenses in Union County are handled by the Prothonotary and Clerk of Orphans' Court office by appointment. Both applicants must appear, provide photo identification, provide Social Security number information, and bring proof such as a certified divorce decree or death certificate if previously married. The county process uses Pennsylvania timing: a marriage license has a three-day issue period and remains valid for 60 days.
Divorce records are court records through the Prothonotary, not state vital records certificates. Estate and probate work is tied to the Register of Wills and Orphans' Court. The Register of Wills probates wills of Union County residents, appoints estates when there is no will, and maintains estate records. A strong local access point is the estate microfilm note: Union County estate records from 1813 to date have been placed on microfilm for attorneys and the public.
Union County Treatment Court
The 17th Judicial District Treatment Court is the main specialty court program documented for Union County and Snyder County. It operates through the courthouse system and combines substance-use treatment, support services, regular status hearings, rewards and sanctions, and court supervision for qualifying non-violent offenders with substance-use issues. The program has Drug Treatment Court and DUI Treatment Court tracks.
Official history is detailed. Planning began in July 2007. The Drug Court track enrolled first participants on July 2, 2008, and held its first graduation on May 19, 2010. The DUI Court track enrolled first participants on January 13, 2010, and held its first graduation on March 30, 2011. The district received state accreditation in September 2012. Program phases include monitoring, self-help meetings, hearings, testing, probation contacts, curfews, sobriety periods, employment or education steps, and payment compliance.
Union County Court Updates
Recent local updates help explain why office-specific notices matter for Union County court records. Union County announced on October 2, 2024 that Judge Michael H. Sholley died September 28, 2024, after public service that included military service, police work, legal practice, election as Snyder County District Attorney, and 12 years as a judge of the 17th Judicial District. Current Common Pleas listings name President Judge Lori R. Hackenberg and Union County Judge Michael Piecuch.
Union County also announced a comprehensive countywide property reassessment in 2025 with Tyler Technologies, described as the first reassessment in 24 years. The assessment date is July 1, 2026. While reassessment is not a court reform, it can affect county records, tax assessment disputes, civil filings, and local data modernization. Data collection updates said collectors would use yellow vests and county photo IDs and would not enter homes.
The U.S. Census QuickFacts Union County page is a public source for current county population and geography context.
Population and geography context supports local record planning because Union County includes Lewisburg, Mifflinburg, smaller boroughs, and rural townships served by the same court district.
The countywide reassessment announcement explains the 2025 reassessment project and its county records context.
Reassessment updates are relevant because tax assessment disputes and property-related civil matters can lead residents back to court or county record offices.
The reassessment data collection update gives the practical field-collection details released by the county.
That update is separate from court access, but it shows how local public-record activity can change by township and official county notice.
Union County Court Records FAQ
Can Union County court records be searched online?
Many criminal, traffic, MDJ, appellate, and docket-sheet records can be searched through UJS Case Search. Civil, family, Orphans' Court, certified-copy, and older file requests may require the Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, Clerk of Orphans' Court, or Register of Wills.
Are UJS dockets the same as background checks?
No. UJS docket sheets are public court records, not Pennsylvania State Police criminal history checks. Criminal history record information is governed by separate Pennsylvania law.
Where are Union County civil records kept?
Civil records are tied to the Prothonotary function at the Union County Courthouse. The research did not locate an official public Union County civil docket search portal, so the courthouse counter and mail request process matter for civil copy access.
Does Union County publish a jail roster?
The official jail page publishes contact, visiting, deposit, property, and phone-system information, but no official online jail roster was found. County custody questions should go to the jail, while state-sentenced inmate searches use the Pennsylvania DOC locator.