Crawford County Court System
Crawford County is Pennsylvania's 30th Judicial District. The Crawford County Court of Common Pleas is the county trial court of general jurisdiction. It hears felony criminal matters after preliminary proceedings, civil cases beyond Magisterial District Judge jurisdiction, divorce, custody, PFA matters, juvenile matters, and Orphans' Court matters. The county page lists the Crawford County Judicial Center as the primary court location.
The Court of Common Pleas is not the first stop for every Crawford County court record. Four Magisterial District Courts handle many traffic citations, summary offenses, landlord-tenant cases, civil claims up to the statutory limit, preliminary arraignments, bail, and preliminary hearings. Pennsylvania's appellate courts sit above Common Pleas, with Superior Court and Commonwealth Court serving intermediate review roles and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania as the court of last resort.
Crawford County Court of Common Pleas
Crawford County Judicial Center
359 E. Center St.
Meadville, PA 16335
814-333-7498
Fax: 814-333-7489
Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Crawford County Common Pleas Judges
The official Crawford County research identifies three Common Pleas judges: John F. Spataro, President Judge; Mark D. Stevens; and Francis J. Schultz. Pennsylvania Common Pleas judges serve 10-year terms. These judges sit in the county trial court that handles the broadest set of local cases, including criminal, civil, family, juvenile, and Orphans' Court matters.
Court Administration is listed at the Judicial Center, Suite 4050. The county Common Pleas page also links interpreter services and disability accommodations. Research located CourtAdministration@co.crawford.pa.us as the district language access contact in the Language Access Plan result, so court users with accommodation or interpreter needs should use official Court Administration channels before a hearing date.
| Court | Judge or Office | Address | Phone / Fax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court of Common Pleas, 30th Judicial District | John F. Spataro, President Judge; Mark D. Stevens; Francis J. Schultz | Crawford County Judicial Center, 359 E. Center St., Meadville, PA 16335 | 814-333-7498 / 814-333-7489 |
| Court Administration | Judicial Center, Suite 4050 | 359 E. Center St., Meadville, PA 16335 | 814-333-7498 / 814-333-7489 |
Crawford County Magisterial Courts
The county's Magisterial District Judges page links the four lower courts that serve Crawford County. These courts are critical for traffic court records, summary offense records, preliminary criminal events, landlord-tenant matters, and smaller civil claims. Under 42 Pa.C.S. Section 1515, magisterial district judges may hear civil claims up to $12,000 and listed criminal, traffic, and landlord-tenant matters.
| Court Office | Judge | Address | Phone / Fax | Municipal Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDJ 30-2-01 | Samuel Pendolino | 903 Diamond Park, Meadville, PA 16335 | 814-724-2736 / 814-333-6587 | City of Meadville and West Mead Township |
| MDJ 30-3-01 | Adam Stallard | 6121 Highway 6, PO Box 128, Linesville, PA 16424 | 814-683-2120 / 814-683-5319 | Western and southern townships and boroughs including Linesville, Conneaut Lake, Conneautville, and Springboro |
| MDJ 30-3-03 | Lincoln S. Zilhaver | 10996 Perry Highway, Meadville, PA 16335 | 814-724-6322 / 814-333-6834 | Cambridge, Cussewago, Hayfield, Vernon, Rockdale, Venango, Woodcock, Cambridge Springs, Saegertown, Venango Borough, and Woodcock Borough |
| MDJ 30-3-06 | Benjamin Leach | 324 W. Central Avenue, Suite A, Titusville, PA 16354 | 814-827-6514 / 814-827-3757 | Eastern and Titusville-area municipalities including Blooming Valley, Centerville, Cochranton, Hydetown, Spartansburg, Townville, and Titusville |
Common Pleas vs Magisterial Courts
Crawford County court records can look different because Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts do different work. A felony may start before an MDJ for arraignment, bail, and preliminary hearing, then move to Common Pleas if held for court. A traffic citation may stay at the MDJ level unless appealed. Civil claims over the MDJ limit are handled in Common Pleas, while landlord-tenant and smaller civil disputes can remain before the MDJ.
| Topic | Court of Common Pleas | Magisterial District Courts |
|---|---|---|
| Civil jurisdiction | General civil cases beyond lower-court limits, family, divorce, PFA, and related filings | Civil and landlord-tenant actions up to $12,000 |
| Criminal jurisdiction | Felony and misdemeanor cases after preliminary proceedings, pleas, trials, sentencing, and revocations | Preliminary arraignments, bail, preliminary hearings, summary criminal cases, warrants, and some first-stage matters |
| Traffic records | Appeals and related criminal matters where applicable | Most Crawford County traffic citations and summary traffic cases |
| Search channel | UJS for criminal dockets; Prothonotary civil search for civil files | UJS Case Search and PAePay for many traffic and cost records |
Crawford County Case Flow
Criminal and civil case flow affects where a record appears. A criminal docket may show early MDJ events before a Common Pleas case number exists. A civil case may begin with a Prothonotary filing. A traffic case may stay with the MDJ and appear by citation number. A probate or guardianship matter may involve Orphans' Court and Register of Wills records instead of the civil case search.
Criminal flow: Complaint or arrest › MDJ arraignment and bail › preliminary hearing › Court of Common Pleas filing › arraignment › pretrial motions › plea or trial › disposition and sentencing › appeal.
Civil flow: Complaint or petition filed with the Prothonotary › service › answer or response › motions and conferences › hearing or trial › order, judgment, or decree › appeal when allowed.
Crawford County Court Lookup
Public lookup starts with the record type. Criminal Common Pleas, Magisterial District Court, public calendars, traffic citations, and many statewide docket sheets use Pennsylvania UJS Case Search. Civil and divorce records use the Crawford County Prothonotary public-use software or direct Prothonotary request. Traffic payments and some court costs can be checked through PAePay. Marriage and Orphans' Court records use the Clerk of Courts / Clerk of Orphans' Court or Register & Recorder channels.
- Criminal Common Pleas: Search UJS by participant name, docket number, OTN, complaint number, or incident number.
- Magisterial District Court: Search UJS by name, citation number, complaint number, or MDJ office.
- Civil and divorce: Use Crawford County civil search or the Prothonotary office for certified copies.
- Traffic payments: Use PAePay by citation number, docket number, payment plan, person, or organization.
- Estate and Orphans' Court: Use Clerk of Courts or Register & Recorder / Register of Wills records depending on the item.
Crawford County Court Access
Pennsylvania court records do not all follow ordinary county agency Right-to-Know rules. The UJS Case Records Public Access Policy governs case records in the judiciary, while the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law governs many agency records. The practical result in Crawford County is simple: start with the office that holds the court record, then use county RTK channels only when the request is for county agency material or when the county form expressly routes the request.
Some case categories are restricted. Juvenile court files are limited by 42 Pa.C.S. Section 6307. Adoption records are sealed according to the Clerk of Courts page. Secure UJS docket sheets include extra content that is not open in public view. Court-ordered sealed records are not available through ordinary public search.
Note: Online docket sheets are useful for lookup, but certified legal copies come from the clerk that holds the file.
Crawford County Court History
Crawford County was separated from Allegheny County by act of March 12, 1800. The first court met July 6, 1800, in a second-floor room of the William Dick residence on Water Street. Associate Judges David Mead and John Kelso presided, Thomas R. Kennedy served as prothonotary, and Henry Baldwin was deputy prosecuting attorney. The first term brought 95 suits.
The county later used a log courthouse and jail west of Diamond Park, then an 1828 brick courthouse on the east side of Diamond Park. The present courthouse was started in fall 1867, completed two years later, and dedicated January 6, 1870. Today, most Common Pleas court users should distinguish the historic courthouse at Diamond Park from the Judicial Center on East Center Street.
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