This office in the county where the divorce was granted maintains the complete legal file. This includes the original complaint, motions, and the final Divorce Decree , which outlines the specific terms of property division and custody.
In Pennsylvania, divorce records are generally considered that any member of the public can inspect, though access to complete files is typically restricted to in-person visits rather than online viewing. How to Access Records
While you can search for basic case information (such as party names, filing dates, and case status) for free through the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System (UJS) Portal , you cannot download actual documents from this site. To obtain official copies, you must: Public Records Divorce Pa
Most county offices, like the Philadelphia Office of Judicial Records or the Allegheny County Department of Court Records , allow walk-ins for copy requests.
Divorce and the New Pennsylvania Public Access Law. Many people are surprised to learn that their divorce files are public record. DivorceWriter.com This office in the county where the divorce
The state's Division of Vital Records maintains divorce certificates from 1906 to the present. A certificate is a shorter document used to verify that a divorce took place for purposes like remarrying or changing a name, but it does not contain the detailed settlement terms found in a decree. Online Search vs. In-Person Requests
Depending on the level of detail you need, there are two primary ways to search for and obtain these records: How to Access Records While you can search
Although records are public, certain sensitive information is protected under the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System . The following are typically redacted or filed separately on confidential forms to keep them from public view: New Pennsylvania Public Access Law | DivorceWriter