Alternate Case Search Methods

When completing the Filing Wizard, the Cases tab is used to identify the case you want to file on or appeal to another court. By default, the Search Type field in this tab prompts you to identify a case by docket number. In most instances, this is the easiest and most direct way to identify your case. In the less common instances where the docket number of a case is not known, however, other search options are available through the Search Type dropdown.

These additional search type options, listed below, are less direct, meaning they often return multiple results. After your search results are returned you can then choose the appropriate case or, if your case cannot be found, attempt a new search.

Agency

This search type is only applicable when attempting to locate an Appellate Court case where a specific state agency is a case participant. The selection of this search type offers multiple search options:

  • Agency - A dropdown that allows you to narrow your search results to the Appellate Court cases where the selected state agency is a participant. This field is required as part of this search.

Refer to the Date Filed section below for information regarding the remaining search criteria.

 

 

Counsel

This search type is only applicable when attempting to locate a case based on a participating attorney. The selection of this search type offers multiple search options:

  • Last Name - Narrow search results by the last name of an attorney who is participating on a case. You may enter a partial name, but the entry of the full name is recommended whenever possible. This field is not case sensitive.

  • First Name - Narrow search results by the first name of an attorney who is participating on a case. You may enter a partial name, but the entry of the full name is recommended whenever possible. This field is not case sensitive.

  • PA Bar Number - Enter the bar number of an attorney who is participating on a case.

This search type requires you to enter a first and last name or a PA Bar Number. Refer to the Date Filed section below for information regarding the remaining search criteria.

 

 

Date Filed

This search type is only applicable when attempting to locate a case based its filed date. The selection of this search type offers multiple search options:

  • Case Status - A dropdown that allows you to narrow your search results by a status that reflects the current progression of the case.

  • Date Filed - A date range function that limits search results to all cases that were filed during the specified time period. This field is required as part of this search.

 


Participant Name

This search type is only applicable when attempting to locate a case based on one of its case participants. The selection of this search type offers multiple search options:

  • Participant Type - The Person and Organization radio buttons allow you to narrow your search results to participants classified in one of these two categories.

  • Last Name - Available only when the selected Participant Type is Person, this field narrows search results by the last name of a participant on a case. You may enter a partial name, but the entry of the full name is recommended whenever possible. This field is required, but not case sensitive.

  • First Name - Available only when the selected Participant Type is Person, this field narrows search results by the first name of a participant on a case. You may enter a partial name, but the entry of the full name is recommended whenever possible. This field is required, but not case sensitive.

  • Name - Available only when the selected Participant Type is Organization, this field narrows search results by the name of an organizational participant on a case. You may enter a partial name, but the entry of the full name is recommended whenever possible. This field is required, but not case sensitive.

  • Date of Birth - Available only when the selected Participant Type is Person, this field narrows search results by a participant's date of birth (DOB). This search option should be used with caution since DOB information is not tracked for all participants on all cases and may produce unreliable results.

Refer to the Date Filed section above for information regarding the remaining search criteria.