Look Up Free Delaware County Public Records (Search Resource)

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Free Delaware County Public Records Search

Access Delaware County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

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Find Delaware County public records for free to reveal information about someone else or to see what’s on your own record.

Records such as court, criminal, warrants, arrests, divorce, marriage, property, prisoner information, background check reports, and probation can all be found through the agencies’ links and processes in this resource.

Thanks to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law and the federal Freedom of Information Act, citizens can request public records, but the key is knowing which agency provides a given record type.

This search resource offers streamlined guidance on accessing public records quickly and efficiently.

How To View Public Arrest Records for Free in Delaware County Pennsylvania

When you want to check Delaware County arrest records, start with the county government. Like most counties, the sheriff’s office or county jail are generally the record custodians for jail records.

The information below outlines the process to find arrests through the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, which maintains the county jail, and is the best point of contact when searching arrest records.¹ When county resources do not yield the results, or a detailed police report is necessary, transition your search to the local agencies below.

Many communities have their own independent police departments that make arrests, so contact one of them if you believe an arrest was made in the area.

Generally, you only need to provide an individual’s name to obtain arrest records or information. If all fails, use the standard Right to Know request form.

Individuals may also contact the sheriff’s office at 610.891.4296 or in person at the address below:

Delaware County Sheriff’s Office
201 West Front Street, Rm 101
Media, Pennsylvania 19063

Look Up Arrests via the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office maintains the George W. Hill Correctional Facility.² This jail holds all persons accused of committing crimes within the county. The sheriff’s office does not provide records online that allow interested parties to find someone’s mugshot.

However, if you want proof of incarceration, you must contact the Jail at 610.361.3200. This system allows users to locate detainees based on their last names. Use the information below to find out which extension to use. Use the contact extensions below that correspond to the detainee’s last name:

• Extension 303 – M, E, N, D
• Extension 304 – W, T, V
• Extension 306 – S, Q, F, X, Y, I H, O
• Extension 308 – C, G
• Extension 309 – P, R, A, L, K
• Extension 310 – B, J, Z, U

For additional questions concerning Delaware County bookings, contact the Director of Records at 610.361.3200 ext. 316, or [email protected].

Furthermore, arrest records requests must be addressed to the Warden:

Delaware County Jail
Attn: Warden
PO Box 23
Thornton, Pennsylvania 19373

Find Arrests & Obtain Reports From Local Police Departments in Delaware County

Several police departments are within the county, and if the county sheriff’s office doesn’t have arrest details, these departments can assist and even provide police reports as they’re typically the arresting agency.

Upper Darby is the largest township located in Delaware County, and they have their own police department. The Upper Darby Police Department, in conjunction with the township government, issue clear instructions to the public on how to obtain public records.

There are two ways for interested persons to request police records. The first is to submit an online request form. To complete the form, the following information must be provided:

• First and last name
• Address
• City
• State
• Postal code
• Email
• Specific date period for the incident
• Specific details of the request

Interested persons can elect to receive copies or to simply inspect the records. If an inquirer wants copies, the fee is $0.25 per page.

The other method to request police records is via mail or in-person submission. Print and complete the right-to-know request form and deliver it to:

Upper Darby Township
Open Records Officer
100 Garrett Road, Rm 104
Upper Darby, Pennsylvania 19082

Requests may be submitted between the hours of 9:00 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday. If there are additional questions, contact the Chief Administrative Officer at 610.352.4100.

The City of Chester Police Department services the county’s largest city.³ Interested parties can obtain police records by completing an open records request form. This form may be submitted via email to [email protected], or fax to 610.447.7794.

The form may also be submitted in person or via mail to the Open Records Office:

City of Chester
Open Records Office
1 E 4th St.
Chester, Pennsylvania 19013

The Police Department may also be contacted at 610.447.7931 or the address below for more information:

Chester Police Department
160 E. 7th St., 3rd Fl
Chester, Pennsylvania 19013

The county seat is located in the borough of Media, and it has its own independent police department. The Media Borough Police does not provide the public with instructions on how to request police or arrest records. Interested parties should contact the department at 610.565.6656 for more information:

Media Borough Police
Media Municipal Center
301 N. Jackson St.
Media, Pennsylvania 19063

It should be noted that there are several local police departments within Delaware County that service the area’s different boroughs and townships.

If the sheriff’s office does not provide the information you need, research the local police department or government where the incident took place by searching “[city name] [state] arrest records.” Then, contact the local law enforcement agency or government and request the records.

How To Access Free Delaware County Pennsylvania Criminal Records

Criminal records may refer to warrants, charges, probation, background check reports, criminal history, sex offender registries and more. It is common for many of these criminal records to have different record custodians.

Reviewing a person’s Delaware County criminal records can help you become knowledgeable about a person’s past, and perhaps, what type of person they still are. Its perfectly legal to research your neighbor or friend to learn about their potential criminal history.

Delaware County court records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts, and this department provides interested persons with a free criminal record check, and the information below outlines how to find public criminal records though each one of these agencies.

Execute a Criminal Record Search via the Delaware County Clerk

The Delaware County Clerk participates in the Judicial System of Pennsylvania, which is a public index of all court case records in the state.⁴

Individuals can narrow down results by county; simply use the Delaware County case search function to find all criminal court case information concerning another person, as long as the records have not been expunged or sealed.

Users can utilize the free public records search by participant name and include the county in the drop-down menu and criminal under docket type. Users should also include the case status for the most accurate results. If a person has a pending case, select active.

If a person’s cases have been resolved in the past, select closed.

This way, users will cover the complete criminal history. Once a case with an individual is displayed in the results, scroll to the far right and click on the miniature courthouse logo. This is called the court summary and will also include every other criminal case an individual participated in as a defendant in Delaware County.

Users will learn the following information about a subject:

• Aliases
• Date of birth
• Physical characteristics
• Charges
• Disposition
• Sentencing
• Court dates

The court summary can be downloaded and printed out. However, members of the public should be careful not to disseminate the information they learn in the summary in irresponsible or unethical ways.

Criminal records may also be requested by completing an open records request form and submitting via email to [email protected], via fax to 610.891.8759, or via mail or in-person to:

Delaware County Clerk
Open Records Officer
201 W. Front St., Rm 206
Media, Pennsylvania 

Contact the County Clerk for more information at 610.891.4260.

How To  Check Who Has a Warrant Out for Their Arrest in Delaware County PA

For individuals who miss their appointed court appearance for a criminal case, judges typically issue bench warrants for their arrest. For individuals who were accused of committing crimes but have not been arrested, law enforcement agencies create outstanding warrants for the fugitive’s arrest.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office serves bench warrants on behalf of the Court. The Bench Warrant Division has a tip line at +1(877)-792-6833. The county does not provide a public records repository of most wanted, so interested persons should contact the Division to learn more about how to access Delaware County warrants.

Individuals can also use the Judicial System of Pennsylvania to view outstanding statewide warrants. All active warrants generated by a law enforcement agency within Pennsylvania are made available in this online directory.

To use this feature, interested parties must have an account, or create an account. As long as a Court of Common Pleas or Magisterial District Court uploads a warrant into the system, users of the system will be able to see them.

How To View Probation Details in Delaware County

Delaware County Adult Probation & Parole Services (DCAPPS) supervises those convicted of criminal offenses in the county and placed into the program as part of their sentence.⁵

The DCAPPS also supervises for the specialty courts, like Drug, Veterans, Mental Health, and Young Offender’s Treatment Court.

The DCAPPS does not offer the public an online offender search to browse these Delaware County public records on probationers. The department does not offer instructions on how to obtain information on whether or not someone is on probation either.

However, there are multiple probation branch locations throughout Delaware County that can be called or visited for more information. Each branch is open 7:30 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday. Use the information below to get ahold of them:

Branch City or Borough	Address	Phone Number
Media	Media Probation Department 3rd & Orange St. Media, Pennsylvania 19063	610.891.4590
Sharon Hill	Sharon Hill Probation Department 1600 Calcon Hook Rd. Tribbet Ave., Bldg. 4, Sharon Hill, PA 19079	610.461.8287
Upper Darby	Upper Darby Probation Department 6909 Ludlow St., Sixth Fl. Upper Darby, PA 19082	610.713.2525
Chester	Chester Probation Department 151 West Fifth Street Chester, PA 19013	610.447.1746

Interested parties may also contact the county’s Court Services at 610.891.4591 or visit the location below for adult probation-related questions:

Delaware County Court Services
Government Center
201 West Front Street
Media, PA 19063

For information concerning juvenile probation, email [email protected].

Delaware County Juvenile Court
201 West Front St.
Media, Pennsylvania 19063

How To Do a Background Check in Delaware County PA

Background checks are divided into personal and professional. Often, personal background checks are done for many different reasons, including finding out information about a potential date or new neighbor. Individuals can also learn about a family member or just find out what public information is out there on themselves.

Since Pennsylvania is a Right to Know state, anyone can request public records without consent – as long as the check is done for personal reasons. Citizens also do not have to state a purpose for conducting a personal background check on another citizen.

However, nobody can use the information they learn in a personal background check to harass, intimidate, blackmail, or otherwise act unlawfully toward another person.

Background checks are also either name-based or fingerprint-based. Personal background checks are typically name-based, while professional background checks are typically fingerprint-based. However, because of the Right to Know laws in the state, fingerprints are not required for either form of background check.

The simplest and cheapest way to check Delaware County criminal history records is via the Judicial System of Pennsylvania. As explained in the sections above, this tool allows members of the public to view all criminal court case information on another person.

Professional background checks in Pennsylvania are generally done for employment, firearm, child and elder care, volunteer work, and more.

The Pennsylvania State Police offers two ways for employers and organizations to conduct professional background checks. The first is through the online platform Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH).

The platform allows both individuals and companies to request criminal history records. The fee to review criminal history records is $20. The fee for notarized copies of criminal history records is $27.

Only mailed requests are permitted for notarized copies; they should be sent to:

Pennsylvania State Police
Central Repository
1800 Elmerton Ave.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110

There is no fee for a background check on volunteer workers. Employers or organizations must still complete a background check form and submit it to the PSP address above.

Employers and organizations must comply with federal and state laws concerning criminal history information. For example, under the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Information Act, employers may use a candidate’s criminal conviction information only if the convictions relate to their suitability for the position.

Additionally, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) prohibits employment discrimination based on a protected class. For example, if a woman is rejected for having a criminal history, but a male with a similar criminal history is hired, it could be grounds for filing a complaint.

Moreover, the Federal Trade Commission prohibits employers from running a professional background check on an applicant without their consent. If an employer conducts a background check without your consent, file a report with the FTC.

How To Review Pennsylvania Criminal Records Through State & Federal Agencies

Sometimes, searching county-level agencies and departments may not yield the proper results. When that happens, expand the search to include state and federal resources instead of being restricted to local records.

State and federal agencies provide members of the general public with more online search options than county agencies and broader results. Use the resources below to find more information on Pennsylvania criminal records:

• The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections gives the public an inmate locator, where citizens can locate people in federal prison for criminal offenses.⁷ 
• The Pennsylvania State Police is the records custodian for all criminal case convictions generated by state courts. The Pennsylvania State Police also maintains a sex offender registry to enhance the public’s knowledge concerning those convicted of crimes of a sexual nature in a state court.
• The U.S. Department of Justice has a broader national sex offender registry for those convicted of federal crimes of a sexual nature. Anyone can use the search tool to find offenders in their area, either by name or a specified location.
• The Federal Bureau of Prisons allows the public to view the location of former and current federal inmates; searches can be conducted by either name or the individual’s assigned BOP register number.

How To Retrieve Delaware County Pennsylvania Public Court Cases & Documents

Delaware County judicial records may be viewed through the Judicial System of Pennsylvania and the Court of Common Pleas C-Track Public Access.

In Pennsylvania, the trial-level courts are called Common Pleas and Magisterial Courts. Magisterial Courts are the lowest level courts and hear cases like traffic and criminal misdemeanors. The Court of Common Pleas hears criminal felony, family, probate, and other civil cases.

The Judicial System of Pennsylvania provides the broadest scope, as the database encompasses every type of court case and includes both the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas and the Magisterial District Court.

The C-Track Public Access is a database for only civil case records.⁸ Users can search case information by party name, text keywords, case number, and more. When a case is found, results will display the following information:

• Parties
• Addresses
• Case number
• Title
• Case type
• Filing date
• Judgements
• Assessments
• Receipts

Interested persons should contact the courthouse at 610.891.4000 or [email protected]. The County Courthouse is open to the public between 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday for in-person inquiries or access to Delaware County public records regarding court cases or proceedings; searchers can visit the address below:

Delaware County Courthouse
201 W. Front St.
Media, Pennsylvania 19063

Cases that are appealed from the County Court of Common Pleas are heard by the Delaware Superior Court. Cases appealed from the Superior Court are heard by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Rulings from appeals are called opinions and can be found using the appellate opinion search.

Appellate case information can also be found using the same case search function for Common Pleas and Magisterial cases. Users must simply select the appropriate appellate court to yield the proper results.

Superior Court
Pittsburgh Office
310 Grant Street, Ste 600
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219

Phone: 412.565.7592

Supreme Court
Pittsburgh Office
801 City-County Bldg.
414 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219

The federal trial-level court for Delaware County is the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Federal court records requests can be emailed to [email protected]. Interested persons may also contact the Court Clerk’s Office at 215.597.7704.

U.S. District Court
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse
601 Market St.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106

How To Acquire Delaware County Vital Records (Marriage, Divorce, Birth & Death)

Interested parties that want to find out if someone is married can obtain this information through vital records. The main vital records are marriage, divorce, birth and death records.

People obtain vital records for many different reasons, not just to check if someone is married. Researching genealogy, attaching an interest in an inheritance, verifying an identity, and so much more can be done with these records.

Inquirers should generally start by researching county agencies before using statewide resources. The Delaware County Register of Wills maintains some vital records, while others can be obtained through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The process to obtain records from each is detailed below.

Find Delaware County Marriage & Divorce Records via the Register of Wills or Office of Judicial Support

Delaware County marriage records are maintained by the Register of Wills. There are three options when choosing marriage record copies: plain, certified, and exemplified.

Plain copies are $2 and not for official use, but for personal use. Certified copies are $25 and are generally used for in-state official use purposes. Exemplified copies are $30 and are generally used for international or immigration purposes.

It’s unclear whether any member of the general public is eligible to obtain marriage records. However, anyone can view copies of marriage records by using the Register of Wills online services. Simply click login as a guest and select marriage license search under search types.

Users only need to input a person’s first or last name for the search to yield results. Once results are provided, click on the license number for additional information, such as:

• Date of marriage
• Location
• Name of officiant
• Names of spouses
• Dates of birth of spouses
• Occupation and education of spouses
• Spouses parental information

Contact the Register of Wills at 610.891.4400 or [email protected] if you have questions. The office can also be visited in person at the following address:

Delaware County Register of Wills
Government Center
201 West Front St.
Media, Pennsylvania 19063

Delaware County also maintains an archive for older marriage records. This archive is accessible online and allows the public to view marriage records from 1852-1854, and marriage records from 1885 – 1950.

Delaware County divorce records are maintained by the Office of Judicial Support. Interested parties must know a divorce case’s docket number before ordering a record. Use the public access to locate the divorce case and docket number you are looking for.

Divorce decrees are public records made available to anyone. To obtain one, draft a written request that includes the docket number, along with a $1 payment for a simple copy or a $6 payment for a certified copy, and submit to:

Office of Judicial Support
Civil Filing Room
201 W. Front St.
Media, Pennsylvania 19063

Contact the office for more information at 610.891.4370 or [email protected].

Pennsylvania marriage and divorce records are maintained by the county where the records were filed. The Pennsylvania Department of Health instructs interested parties to contact the Register of Wills and Orphan’s Court Clerk for more information.

Rachel Ezzell Berry
Government Center Building
201 W. Front St.
Media, Pennsylvania 19063

If you discover that the record you’re seeking originated in a different county, you can refer to the statewide guidance offered in either the Pennsylvania marital record search tutorial or the steps for looking up free PA divorce details.

Obtain Birth & Death Certificates for Delaware County via the Pennsylvania Department of Health

For certificates of birth and certificates of death from 1907 to present, interested persons must contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health Vital Records Department.

Delaware County does not offer residents the option to obtain these birth or death records.¹¹ However, for records older than 1907, contact the Delaware County Archives.

Those interested in obtaining a certificate of birth must be an eligible applicant. Eligible applicants are one of the following:

• The person named on the certificate
• Spouse
• Parent
• Sibling
• Child
• Grandparent
• Power of attorney
• Legal representative

If you are an eligible applicant, you must complete a birth certificate application, provide valid identification, and pay $20 for walk in or mail in requests, or $30 for online requests.

For walk-in service, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health Philadelphia office at:

PDH Philadelphia
110 North 8th St.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107

For mail-in service, send the application and accompanying documents to:

Division of Vital Records
Birth Certificate Processing Unit
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, Pennsylvania 16103

Those interested in obtaining a certificate of death through the Pennsylvania Department of Health must also be an eligible applicant. Eligible applicants are:

• Spouse or ex-spouse
• Parent
• Sibling
• Child
• Grandparent or grandchild
• Power of attorney
• Legal representative
• Representative of estate
• Extended family member

The application for a death certificate can be submitted in person or via mail along with a $20 fee or for an additional $10 when ordering online. There may be no fee requirement for members of the U.S. military. For walk-in service, the address is the same for birth certificates.

For mail-in service, the address is also the same for birth certificate requests, except the department that fulfills the request is the Death Certificate Processing Unit instead of the Birth Certificate Processing Unit.

For more information concerning vital records requests through the Pennsylvania Department of Health, use the online contact form or call 724.656.3100.

How To Determine Who Owns a Delaware County Property & if There Are Unpaid Taxes

When searching Delaware County public records to find out who owns the property, the most convenient method is to use the Public Access System maintained by the County Assessor’s Office.

This system allows members of the general public to locate property information by address or parcel number.

Once the search yields results, it informs users of the owner’s name, sales date, sales amount, land use description, and an interactive map of the property. Additionally, users may click anywhere on the row of the property for additional information to be revealed, including:

• Owner history
• Mortgage company
• Tax information
• Residential or commercial information

If you run into issues using this search function, contact the Assessor’s Office at [email protected]. The office can be visited 8:30 am – 4:15 pm Monday – Friday at:

Delaware County Government Center
201 W. Front Street
Media, PA 19063

Property documents filed with Delaware County can be viewed online with the Recorder of Deeds online services tool. Deeds, mortgages, transfers, easements, and other real property filings can be viewed online for free. Contact the office at 610.891.4152 for more information.

Delaware County Recorder of Deeds
201 West Front Street, Room 108
Media, Pennsylvania 19063

Your Rights & Responsible Utilization of Delaware County Public Records

It’s relatively simple to obtain Pennsylvania public records on anyone.

Although citizens can get public records in Delaware County without stating a reason for them, that does not mean that the reason can be for illegal or unlawful means like harassment, stalking, or intimidation. Always ensure that public records are kept and used in responsible and ethical ways.

Unlike individual citizens getting public records for personal uses, employers and organizations must comply with several state and federal laws. For example, the FCRA requires employers to send a letter to applicants notifying them of their intent to not hire based on a background check.

Moreover, an employer must receive an applicant’s express consent before getting the background check done for employment purposes. If you believe you may be the victim of this violation, file a report.

Furthermore, you can file a complaint with the EEOC. Federal law prohibits employers from certain activities concerning employment. For example If an employer denies an applicant because they have been arrested, file a complaint.

Pennsylvania is a Right to Know state, meaning anyone can request public records from a government agency. But requests are not always fulfilled. If a request is denied, citizens have 15 business days to file an appeal with the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.¹⁴

All Right to Know requests made to any government agency located in Pennsylvania that have been denied can be appealed.

Appeals can be made through the state online appeal submission, or written appeals can be submitted via fax to 717.425.5343 or via mail to:

Pennsylvania Office of Open Records
333 Market St., 16th Fl
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101

Phone: 717.346.9903
Email: [email protected]

With this in mind, anyone can use the information in this resource to know how to obtain or view Delaware County public records for free; alternatively, you can conduct a broader search by tracking down free public records on anyone in Pennsylvania.