Find Traffic Court Records in Franklin County
Franklin County traffic court records are maintained through the 39th Judicial District, which Franklin County shares with Fulton County. The county seat is Chambersburg, where the Court Administrator's Office handles records requests and open records matters. Traffic citations in Franklin County are processed through Magisterial District Courts, with appeals going to the Court of Common Pleas. You can search Franklin County traffic court records online through the UJS Web Portal for free. Criminal case searches are also available through the Franklin County website for those looking for local case information.
Franklin County Quick Facts
How to Search Franklin County Traffic Court Records
Franklin County offers two main routes for searching traffic court records. The first is the statewide UJS Case Search portal, which covers all courts in the 39th Judicial District, including Magisterial District Courts in Franklin County and the Court of Common Pleas. You can search by defendant name, docket number, or citation number at no cost.
The second option is the Franklin County criminal case search available through the county's own website. The Franklin County Public Access Policies page explains the county's online case search and how to access it. This local search tool may have additional detail for Franklin County-specific cases. Both tools are free for basic searches.
For formal Right-to-Know requests covering Franklin County court records, contact Mark Singer, the Open Records Officer for the 39th Judicial District. His office is at 14 N. Main St., Chambersburg, PA 17201. Email requests can be sent to msinger@franklincountypa.gov. The Franklin County Open Records page provides instructions for submitting a formal records request under Pennsylvania's Right To Know Law.
Note: Franklin County court records are subject to the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, which governs what is available and who can access it.
Franklin County Traffic Court Records and the 39th Judicial District
Franklin County and Fulton County together form the 39th Judicial District of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Courts website for Franklin County confirms that the Court of Common Pleas in the 39th District has general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters, including traffic appeals.
The Franklin County courthouse page shown above is the starting point for submitting formal open records requests related to traffic court matters in the county. The Court Administrator's Office at 14 N. Main St. handles these requests for the 39th Judicial District.
Traffic cases in Franklin County follow the same two-tier structure used throughout Pennsylvania. Magisterial District Courts handle the initial hearing. If a driver appeals, the case proceeds to the Court of Common Pleas for a de novo review. Both levels of court records are public and accessible through the statewide UJS Portal.
Under 42 Pa.C.S. Section 1302, traffic court jurisdiction in Pennsylvania defines how MDJ courts in Franklin County operate and when cases must move to Common Pleas.
Franklin County Clerk of Courts and Traffic Records Access
The Clerk of Courts office in Franklin County maintains criminal case files, including traffic appeal records at the Court of Common Pleas level. The Prothonotary handles civil records. For traffic matters, the Clerk of Courts is the correct office for Common Pleas-level dockets, while the Magisterial District Court office holds MDJ-level records.
The Franklin County public access policies page above outlines Rule 509, which establishes the process for requesting court records in the county. Anyone seeking Franklin County traffic court records should review these policies before submitting a request.
Franklin County follows the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. This policy applies to all court records in the 39th Judicial District, including traffic dockets at both the MDJ and Common Pleas levels. The policy distinguishes between records that are freely available and those that require a formal request or are restricted.
The Pennsylvania Courts website explains these statewide access policies and how they apply in all 67 counties. Franklin County residents and attorneys who need certified copies of traffic records can obtain them at the courthouse or by submitting a written request to the Clerk of Courts.
Searching Franklin County Traffic Case Dockets
Traffic docket sheets in Franklin County show the full history of each case. The docket lists the original charge, case number, hearing dates, continuances, verdict, and payment information. These records are public and available through the UJS Portal.
The Pennsylvania Courts page shown above confirms Franklin County's place in the 39th Judicial District and provides direct links to the online case search tools available for Franklin County traffic dockets.
When searching for a Franklin County traffic docket, use the defendant's full legal name or the docket number from the citation. The UJS Portal will return all matching cases across all courts in the 39th Judicial District. You can then filter results by court type to find the specific docket you need.
Under 42 Pa.C.S. Section 1515, Magisterial District Judges in Franklin County have jurisdiction over summary traffic offenses. This statute defines the scope of MDJ authority for traffic matters before any appeal proceeds to the Court of Common Pleas.
PennDOT and Franklin County Traffic Convictions
Traffic convictions in Franklin County are reported to PennDOT by the Magisterial District Court that handled the case. PennDOT records the conviction on the driver's record and applies the appropriate point value. Drivers can check their current driving record at the PennDOT driver records portal.
The PennDOT public records FAQ describes who may request a driving record and what information is included. Franklin County traffic convictions appear on the state driver record alongside any other convictions from across Pennsylvania. A driver's PennDOT record is separate from the court docket, but both documents are part of the public record of a traffic case.
The Pennsylvania Vehicle Code lists the violations and point values that apply to Franklin County traffic citations. Every offense that generates a Franklin County traffic court record is drawn from this code, and PennDOT uses the same code to assign points across all Pennsylvania counties.
Nearby Counties
Franklin County is located in south-central Pennsylvania. Check the county listed on a citation before searching for the relevant court records.