Pennsylvania Code › Title 204 - JUDICIAL SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS › Part VII - ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF PENNSYLVANIA COURTS › Chapter 213 - COURT RECORDS POLICIES › Subchapter D - CASE RECORDS PUBLIC ACCESS POLICY OF THE UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF PENNSYLVANIA › Section 213.81 - Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
Section
				  1.0.
Definitions.
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. §§
												62A 01 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, 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.
F.
				  "Court Facility" is the location or locations where case records are filed or
				  maintained.
G. "Custodian" is any
				  person responsible for maintaining case records or for processing public
				  requests for access to case records.
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.
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, usernames and passwords.
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.
K.
				  "Medical/psychological records" are records relating to the past, present, or
				  future physical or mental health or condition of an individual.
L. "Minor" is a person under the age of
				  eighteen.
M. "Party" is one who
				  commences an action or against whom relief is sought in a matter.
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.
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.